I've spent the last week listening to things that make me wonder.....

if I'm just getting old or the world of music has just progressed right past me. My 17 year old son Zachary is trying his best to enlighten me with some of the new stuff that is being played and what influences him and while I recognize the talent in the musicians and the inspired song writing I can't seem to really embrace any of it. The notes are played well, the lyrics aren't bad but yet that natural reaction I get when I hear something I like is missing. Then the realization came to me that it wasn't the music that was causing the feeling to begin with. At least it wasn't just the music by itself.
   For reasons I will try to  explain the music that I love so much and makes me smile is not just about the notes or the lyrics. It's more about the memories associated with every song I hear played. It might be where I was when I first heard it or at least the first time I remembered it. My brain doesn't just process the music, it replays memories right along with it. So when I hear the new music my brain doesn't have any other information to call upon. It's like it only has half the story and it's waiting for the rest of the story to decide if it likes it. Now the fact that it is my son playing it for me I'm pretty confident the blanks will be filled in with great memories. And then I suspect the music will sound a lot better to me. Like I said there is nothing wrong with the talent, it's the listener.
  Dr. Martin Luther King said next to the word of God the art of music is the worlds greatest treasure. The reverend hit the nail on the head. With all the crap going on in the world today I find myself listening to music more and more. It seems it is one thing that no matter what political point of view you may choose to have we all still love music. The bands I listen to remind me of the people who introduced me to them as well. Friends who had different tastes than mine would share something new to me and even if I didn't like it the memory remains. And the times were simpler then because all the stress of actually being an adult wasn't yet present so it makes perfect sense the memories were good ones. So the more hostile and divided the world around me becomes the more music reminds me of how people used to get along and appreciate someone else's opinion.
  I read somewhere that Bono said music can change the world. Personally I would listen to Bono sing the phone book but I am not sure he is correct here. But I'm willing to give it a shot because nothing else seems to be working very well. Even though people may agree or disagree on the type of music you listen to one fact remains: Nobody ever called me an asshole for liking Led Zeppelin.

Till next......