On Popular Culture, Music, and Age

Fellow northern California resident Uncle E recently wrote this in his blog:

So, here’s the thing.

I’ll be turning 40 in February, and it got me to thinking; at what age does one, SHOULD ONE, stop listening to ‘new’ music?

Is my passion to discover new bands going to wither away like my eyesight or is my interest going to continue to expand like my once 32 inch waistline did?

When I was 20 there was nothing more pathetic than seeing a ‘middle aged guy’ (read: 30 years old) blaring AC/DC in his Volkswagon Jetta out of his Blaupunkt speakers . Or seeing some ageing hipster with a grey ponytail wearing a “Neds Atomic Dustbin” tee shirt under his brown, corduroy sports coat. When you’re an arrogant little punk in your teens or early 20’s, you think that music, really good kick-ass subversive rock & roll music, should be reserved for the ears of youth.

My question is: is that true?

My answer to Uncle E is, naw, really good kick-ass subversive rock & roll music should not be reserved only for the ears of youth. That said . . .

I'd like to claim that I'm really up on new groups on the horizon. But, the fact is that my grasp of popular culture, especially music, seemed to quickly wither when I let my subscription to Rolling Stone die about eight years ago. (And, of course, Rolling Stone was already being derided in some quarters as "the magazine for middle-aged rockers.") I sometimes joke that I think of Counting Crows and the Foo Fighters as new groups. Sheesh, truth be told, maybe it's a stretch to claim that I'm joking.

In my case, is middle age bringing the affliction of mellowness? Hm. I have to admit, more acoustic stuff gets played on my iPod nowadays, stuff like Alison Krause, Tommy Emmanuel, Nickle Creek, John Gorka, Richard Shindell, Leo Kottke, Nanci Griffith, and John Prine.

But then, I'm not spending much time searching out new, er, mellow artists either. I still love good music, but with the passing of years, rediscovering stuff from my past seems more fun than uncovering all those up-and-coming artists.

Thanks to blogs, though, I'm not completely closed off to new artists. With input from some of my "regular" blogs, I still manage to get a new album on my music player from time to time.

I simply don't feel the need to keep up on the latest and greatest anymore. That doesn't just go for music, but for popular culture in general. I really don't care how many times Britney has been in rehab; I'm more concerned with how many times the neighbor down the road has been in rehab.

As for the "mellowing" thing, well, I may have given in to it somewhat, but I ain't surrendering. I still listen to stuff like Steve Morse and Dream Theater, especially at the gym. Loud, too. Those guys may be many years past the senior prom, but they know how to rock.

Hey, I'm fifty-one, but the rowdy soul within ain't dead.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find a heating pad for my shoulder.