14913, Music part 3 of 5

Here is a fact for you: people listen to music for a variety of different reasons. Here is another fact for you: People listen to music for different reasons at different times. It is often a lack of understanding of this fact that causes some strange viewpoints about music, or more specifically other people’s views on music. As a Tori Amos fan I have participated in this by disposing many artists out of hand because they want to be just like Tori. In reality this is just a great thing because it only validates my viewpoint that her music is awesome because imitation is the highest form of flattery (though in the Music business it is a Weird Al parody that is the highest form of flattery). It took some time to break out of that mold and listen to a variety of different music.

Ignoring this viewpoint has also given way to some of the most horrible bands on the planet. There are a near uncountable number of horrible industrial, punk, and goth bands that are out there that have a small niche market for those fans that will buy anything from those genres. It should be pointed out that there is a correlation between that market and the market who ONLY listen to that type of music. I too went through this stage. I found myself listening to Skinny Puppy and Leather Strip over and over again and ignoring the Black Lung album that took me a month to track down. Of course the ever silly mentality of a band “selling out” when they sell more than fifty albums often takes hold because it can be difficult to fathom that other people listen you the same music as you for the same reason.

No one from my generation can see this more than in Phish, a band that I feel is just amazing that got hijacked by a group of fans who banned all others from their concerts. I know, if your were at a Madison Phish show in 1995 and saw the goth guy there; that was me. Phish is a really good band, though for me it was not a lifestyle which for many meant that I could not be a fan. This is an extreme example though, I can think of examples from a multitude bands when becoming a fan is more of a lifestyle choice than anything else (Tori Amos fans are another extreme example). Just because I do not make a lifestyle choice, or have a similar reason does not preclude me from becoming a fan. As a male Toriphille I should have related to this much sooner than I really did.

This fact also explains how I can remain a huge fan of ABBA, Tori Amos, Marilyn Manson, and the Secret Machines. Needless to say I often don’t combine the three in the same playlist but at times I’m a huge fan of each. Limiting yourself to a single band/artist or even a genre of music is nothing but a crutch. What does a Swedish Death Metal fan play when his single love of his life leaves him; or what do goth kids listen to on sunny days when they are mysteriously happy? There are a few artists that seem (for me anyway) to have music for most times (Beatles, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey), but the bottom line is that there is just so much music out there to listen to.