I remember my first real interest in music. It was oldies and classical on the radio. If my dad played it in the car, I listened to it. What choice did I have? I started to like it by default. I grew from there. My brother’s were into a lot of classic rock. Naturally, this style was slightly more appealing because of it’s melodic nature, often laden with blaring guitars. It was this style that naturally got me into playing guitar. I had already seen a slew of musical genres at 7 or 8 years old. I had embraced them with my whole heart.
A few years went by and it was now time for Junior High School. I was now a fish in a sea of kids that went through their own musical and artistic growths because of their parents, siblings and immediate surroundings. This was a good thing! My sister worked at a local record store. I was exposed to Alternative Rock, Electronic Music and more. Artists like, Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins, Tool and Fugazi (For example) were all bands that I came to love. I still listen to their entire catalogs. I got into bands and mixed all these styles. I can’t help but think about how diverse my palette already was before even reaching High School. I still listened to all the roots of music like Jazz and Classical as well.
Moving from Chicago to Florida my Freshman year of high school proved monumental in the shaping of my musical tastes, styles and preferred listening. I had no friends for a year and I drowned myself in music. Playing and listening. Creating a blend of all my influences. I did have a few acquaintances that first year. Most of which listened to Hip Hop. Something I could relate to being a fan of Trip Hop. (A Sub Genre of Electronic Music.) Yet another style I was able to collect from. It was this time that I was finally exposed to a larger Electronic scene along with a pretty active Indie-Punk Rock scene. All of it made sense for me. The early days of High School was a time of awkwardness and seclusion for me. Music was my home. I came to find many other kids in the same boat. It was this rebellion music that fit the time of our life. This would carry well into my twenties. I made a musical collage of all the years of listening and it became me.
I felt this rebellion movement in listening and creation was becoming stale around 24 or 25 years of age. It was this time that marriage provided a huge change in my life. My own music still provided a place to put out the fires that would rage inside from time to time. However, I found myself listening to lighter music. Mostly because I am happier and more mature. Indie Rock, Acoustic and Folk Music with Obscure Electronic Genres like IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) and Down-Tempo seemed to fit my life better as a listener. This is now a huge part of my creative output as a writer as well. What along and crazy journey to get to this point huh?
I guess the idea behind writing this blog about my musical growth or journey was intended to make a point about how we grow in our lives and the music either jumps into our suitcase or it is given to good will. While I feel I have done both, I also feel like I am, like so many others, a collector. A collector of emotions and life experience. I have many friends that got to a certain point in life that they wanted to obtain through there adult years. These friends still listen to mostly just one style because they are trying to hold onto a time in their life that they considered happy. Music is their security blanket. It is mine as well just in a different light. There is nothing wrong with that. Then there are the crazy people like me that are always looking for the next thing. Making new collage art with life as we live it. I think music and art does in fact grow with the listener slash creator. What do you think? Share your journey with a link to your own blog.
