Music Musings

My boss wrote an entry in his blog about the state of the Music Industry in response to Seth Godin’s address to said industry. It got me thinking about the “good ol’ days, too, when I (and perhaps many like me) was excited about music. Don’t get me wrong, I love music and can’t live without it but I do remember a time when I was truly excited in this whole different way. It was this sincere love and passion that was...I dunno...compared to digging your hands into the soil. It was when music was something you can possess but in a tangible sense.

Remember New Music Tuesdays? When was the last time we were all truly excited and anticipated Tuesdays? I remember when I was a kid and I would scope out Rolling Stone and other music mags alike, when the radio was always on and I’d feverishly call radio stations to play the songs I loved and befriend DJs because they ruled the airwaves, they played the soundtracks of my life! It was a time when I religiously watched MTV (when music actually reigned that network) and other music channels. Remember “The Box”? You know, the channel where you call in and request a music video and you wait for it to come on? I’d watch the bottom right of the tv screen and would squeal when I saw the code of my favourite artist. My VCR was ready to record the video so that I could watch it over and over again. This was before the internet, before YouTube where I can watch any music video with a click of a button. Tuesdays would be days I’d beg my mother to drive me to Tower Records or the Wherehouse. Sometimes I would even march block after block to these stores and raid the new music racks. All my allowance money was spent on new tunes! Man, those were the days!

I guess times have changed. Ok, I don’t “guess”. Times have changed. These stores that supplied me with my weekly fix are pretty much defunct. We get our music at electronic stores, Target, and online. Most of the time we don’t even BUY our music – we download them before actual release dates or have our friends burn them. Hell, I work with the music industry and reap the benefits of promo cds or I can just ask someone because we all know someone who is in the band or knows the band, etc. etc. And we get our music that way. We work for people who want the public to buy their products but we don’t want to support the cause. Is it because we don’t have to? We’re in the system so why pay? But new music is pricey, too. (We all know what spiel). It's all about "instant". That excitement and anticipation is out the window. Many of us don't even set foot in record stores. Just click on over to Amazon and your cd will be at your door in a few days. Want your tunes sooner? Hit up iTunes and you'll get your music within seconds! And this music isn't even tangible! Everything is digital. The only thing tangible is the actual player.

When was the last time I purchased a CD? Just today I looked in my mailbox when I got home and found a CD from an acquaintance in the band Loverlee. Justin sent me a cd and I didn't want to get it for free because I wanted to support the band so I paid for shipping. But I should've just paid for the whole CD if I wanted to support the band...

Funny how I will spend all my measly allowance on CDs every week but now, with a steady paying job, I won't even pay for a CD. Ahhhh!

The new Mates of State album drops in May. May 20th, if I remember correctly. And I am fuckin' excited! I rarely get excited for New Music Tuesday but here I am circling the date in my calendar. Big fat red circle! Why am I compelled to purchase their album and not other music that is out in stores now? Because I've been in love with them for years!
But I've loved the band silverchair sine HS and when their latest album came out....I don't think I even actually bought it! I think I got my hand on the mp3s somehow and the rest is history.

But yeah, MOS makes my heart smile. However, I do feel this connection to them. I know they aren't on a major label and I know they gave up alot to live out their dream to make music. They are the cutest couple! I follow Kori's blog on Babble.com . I was happy for them when I heard they were pregnant with Magnolia. I was happy for them when I found out about the birth of their second daughter, June. I know about their hardships. I know I want to purchase their cds and all the merchandise I can to help pay for their mortgage, their travel expenses, their baby's food, their cat -- everything! I PAY for my concert tickets instead of call in a favour. I want to give them my money!

Maybe that is what we need. We want to feed connected. We don't want fluff. Bands don't need to jump through hoops for us.

It was interesting today as a few of us were driving back from lunch, Jillian (Taking Back Sunday's manager) was talking about the music industry, how festivals here need to be a certain way, how there isn't enough money to do this or that, how times are scary but she wants to really help make sure things remain interesting and fresh for her clients and for the fans. Times are a'changin' and she wonders how the upcoming TBS album will do in this post-emo state in music. She's up for the battle.

People do want to help change the system but it's tough. If a band doesn't reap what they should, the people who helped back them jump ship. No time to fix things. No time to be creative. Need to make money. Need to keep our jobs.

Is it like some accident or incident of some kind where you drive/pass by and see something wrong and you know you should stop and help but you can't because you have yourself to think about? Can't risk getting involved?

I don't know...