"We are young despite the years, we are concerned…". I love that song. It reminds me of the old carpet in my hall, which I would see every time I went out of my room while my brother played this and many other records just behind a door. It made me feel a little different than I usually did. I remember all the songs I liked did. Each song had a different effect. Madness would make me laugh, Planet Of Sound by The Pixies made me wanna move and The Smiths made the back of my neck tingle for no apparent reason. I guess I was lucky. 3 older brothers all into music, a father into the good side of Heavy Rock (Deep Purple etc) and a Mother who would always have the radio on, turning it up for Louis Armstrong. Everywhere I went music seemed to be an integral part of how I thought of things, sometimes to quite hilarious outcomes. I was sure for instance that "Gogo" was actually "Cocoa" in that Wham! that seemed to be everywhere one holiday…thus for years I had this image of a woman sneaking down pine spiral stairs, nicking some cocoa and leaving a sleepy George Micheal wrapped upstairs oblivious to the lack of cocoa!! That’s what I adore about music. Every thing I do seems to involve it and all I've done/felt seems to be soundtrack-able given the right song…Now I'll get to the point…
Some people must like Feeder. They are going to get a top 5 album. I have loved music ever since I can remember, and I'm pretty sure I know what makes a good song even if its music I can't myself love. The best example for me is Country music. I can't get into it. I can't connect with it but I can tell that some people could love it. It's moving and affectionate and very American. It also is quite obviously well meant and perfect for the older/wiser person who prefers delicacy to force. I can quite understand people liking it in fact. When I listen to Feeder I hear nothing. When I hear Travis's Why Does It Always Rain On Me? I feel nothing. It’s a song. It has a tune and harmony. It has ok lyrics. The voice is ok enough. But I feel like I'm listening to a vacancy sign. All I want music to do is to move me in one way or another. The Bloodhound Gang frankly crack me up and Portishead worry me distinctly. To me though, 7 Days In The Sun is just is another ok pop-punk song. The little stop/start is the only thing that might tweak my musical muscles at all. All I want to know is…where has the fucking passion gone? Is anyone making music for the right reasons anymore? Is there anyone out there who knows a great tune that can properly involve you until its all that you are thinking about…?
Ok. I know that people are out there, and not that far away at that. I'm not that stupid! But why oh why do songs that seem to carry nothing at all move millions of people of their hard-earned cash while great songs go nowhere? Is it just me? Do I really have such a supremacist view of good music even though I openly try to embrace everything? (Even Embrace themselves!) Is it to do with media and fashion? If it is does that make the Stereophonic's fashion accessories along side Chanel perfume and Reebok Classic trainers?! I'm not getting too reminiscent though, as I know every decade has had its share of crap doing well, but I'm sure things are getting worse. Even bands that are supposed to be writing incredulating material are nothing but over hyped space fillers. We have entered the Fast Food era of popular music I think. People want something, quickly easily and without fuss. People know what good music is but are happy enough with cheap, dirty rehashes of pop songs that cause little bother to their schedule or their image. I've suddenly decided people are too fucking lazy to like good music. Or maybe Starsailor's dribbling nothingness really does hit their spot. Maybe this band really is something but a few others and I want too much. Maybe the thought that music can really affect you is just a romantic myth on my part to fill up my otherwise empty day….
I just hope to God that this is wrong…But if I am, I advise you all to join me in my make believe. It’s a better way to see things…
