The other evening, Nic and I were discussing our music snobbery and how it is a direct result of the influence of our older siblings. I don't pretend to know everything about the latest and greatest, but I do think I recognize good stuff when I hear it. And don't understand those who punish their ears with the likes of R&B and mainstream country. It also helps to surround oneself with people with good taste that do all the leg work for you. Then you can just steal music from them. It's pretty great. But I digress.
So that evening, Nic and I were reminiscing a bit in regards to our musical evolution. Swapping stories such as when I was in the 6th grade and a girl was gushing over Donny of the NKOTB. I recall making a smug face and asking, who are the New Kids On the Block? My musical world was controlled by my home environment (especially seeing as how I was a home body and would turn down offers to play with other kids so I could hang out with my sisters). If the same girl had asked me about Natalie Merchant, Depeche Mode, They Might Be Giants, or the Talking Heads, I would have been much less perplexed. Not to mention how my parents got me hooked on Simon and Garfunkel, Bread, and Cat Stevens.
As I grew older, I just continued to steal my sister's music, but developed more of my own personal stellar taste. My first album I owned was Suzanne Vega. I loved her. Still do. Later on I became a little bit obsessed with Frente!, especially her rendition of Bizarre Love Triangle. It was my favorite for years. I find that those early influences have steered me towards good music ever since (except for maybe some of the ska years, those were my dark ages).
As I have been pondering this, the music of Frente! has been running through my head ever since. I feel the obsession returning in full force. So don't be surprised if I post every youtube'd Frente! video in existence.
Oh the nineties. And Angie Hart. Also, I am not really a snob. You can tell me that you listened to Boys 2 Men. I just won't understand you.
6 comments:
I too LOVED Frente!, but I also loved New Kids on the Block (I hated Donny though, I was more into Joey). I am a dichotomy.
Oh, by the way, "End of the Road" by Boys2Men is one of the greatest songs ever written.
I forgot about Frente! I love this song!!! I remember feeling so out of the loop when I went back to Junior high after summer vacation and I had never heard of NKTB! That's just not the kind of house I came from.
Who DIDN'T fall in love with Donny?
Me! I didnt know who he was. Nor did I care. Listening to bands like Elastica can do that to a girl.
I am the second oldest, so I am the THE older sibling with music taste. So far, not much luck (my sister put spice girls onto my computer. And one listens to Fergie). But I keep trying and maybe my little brother will turn out like you-- with amazing music taste thanks to awesome older siblings.
I'd be inclined to agree that your taste in music is stellar. And I saw a shirt that says "I listen to bands that don't even exist yet"... that's just awesome. How about the one with a red bubble and a blue bubble, one saying "music I like", the other saying "music you like", and the overlapping area saying "music I used to like", heh....
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