It finds me

I was talking with a coworker a couple of days ago about music I like to listen to, and she said she never heard of most of the artists I talked about. It got me thinking about how at the drop of a hat, I could easily rattle off names of artists that most people aren't familiar with. Someone else asked me, "How do you find this stuff?" - the short answer, is that I think it finds me.

There are various sources that lead me to good music, but you can throw commercial radio right out the window - none of it comes from there. Other than Little Steven's Underground Garage, I don't listen to commercial radio. Pandora radio is a much better bet - at least for me. I could question a few of the selections, but things pretty much go the way I like for my ears there - and if they're not going well, changing to another station that I created solves that problem.

Then there's the multitude of radio choices in iTunes - but the one I haven't been able to get past there, is Boot Liquor Radio on Soma FM. That station stands alone in terms of pure Americana stuff that almost never disappoints me. The moniker is easier to wrap my head around too - as opposed to country. Meh, no matter - I've never really been much for labels when it comes to music anyway.

Commercial radio hasn't worked very well for me since I was a kid. Ah, there really was a time when I could hear Frank Zappa's I'm the Slime - and that was a good thing, because I may not have heard that tune, or worse yet, never turned an ear to the genius that is/was Frank Zappa for far too many years. That may be the best example I can offer up for taking something good away from commercial radio.

Those days are gone for me, and age be damned, for a very good reason. How can I put this...let's see...well, I hate to use a zoo for an analogy, but let's say you go to the zoo - but you only look at the lions, monkeys and the alligators. Fine if that's what you want - but isn't it worth considering all the other things there are to take in? That's kind of how I feel when people are so unwilling to give so much music a fair chance. I mean, sure there are times when you just want what you want and the whole build up of getting/having it adds to the pleasurable experience. I just feel that it's worth it to consider more. Expanding one's horizons usually means expanding the number of experiences that are good - even if some of those experiences are on a smaller scale.

I'm almost never swayed by a review. I'm a bit skeptical that they're even written objectively most of the time. Comparison isn't always good. If I'm hungry for pizza and you compare it to Mexican food, Mexican food could suck - and I love Mexican food. But I'm not talking about food right now - I'm talking about music. Take for example, two Van Morrison albums that I love - Moondance and Days Like This. Two albums with a 25 year gap in between them. I love 'em both. One isn't better than the other unless I'm specifically in the mood for it, and even then, I don't hold grudges. Sometimes music can take me back, but mostly it just sounds good - and that has a way of taking time out of the equation.
If I were forced to choose, it's a catch 22 of not being disappointed and being disappointed. I dunno, I'm glad I don't have to choose one over the other - because to do so would be a shame.

Stuff finds me. If I hear it and it appeals to me, then I want more of it. You gotta want it - and I do. If stuff is gonna find you, you have to be willing to let it, and by let it, I mean you need to throw out the notion of comparison, familiar, popular and you need to just surrender to possibility. Possibility that you might just like a song, a band, an artist as much as you like what you're already familiar with. Let a song move you, and for whatever reasons it may do so....a guitar line, a bass line, drums (or "drooms", as Ringo might say) lyrics...and know that for whatever reason you like it is okay. If you can do that, surrender your ears and allow the song to take you, then you'll be pleasantly surprised quite a bit.

I dunno, I grew up basically being force fed music. It left a mark on me and while I may have thought it burned a penchant for b-sides into my soul as a child, what it really did was instill a love for songs into my soul like a tattoo on it. It's forever - at least in this journey. Good music finds me. Let it find you. Here's a thought - and I welcome feedback/suggestions on this topic:  A friend suggested I start a segment on this blog & maybe call it, The best music you've probably never heard. Do I think I have the hippest taste in music? Nope, but it's mine. Do I think I'm an expert on music, cool or otherwise? Nope, but I know what I like - and what I like about that , is that I like a lot of songs, a lot of bands, a lot of artists....so maybe.....

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