I don't know how, but we got to talking about modern music, and we all know how I feel about that.
But wait, there's more!
There is something I have never publicly shared, because, frankly, it's none of your business; however, this blog is like a sponge, soaking up ideas and oddities as I bumble along day to day.
You'd better sit down, 'cause it may shock you.
Are you ready?
There is actually good modern music out there.
Yes. That's right. I just said that.
Now, hold off the holy water until I've said my piece.
My musical taste has been through a series of changes over the last decade or so.
My whole life, I have lived and loved the 60's sound - hell, one of my earliest memories is being a very small child, singing along to Hey Jude in the back of our old van, legs not even long enough to reach the edge of the seat. It's my favorite sound, it's where I feel the most comfortable, and, in my opinion, there is nothing better than that.
Helloooooooo, Nurse!
HOWEVER.
With a sister who was in high school in the early 90's, and as a public school kid later in that decade, I was familiar with that sound, too, and I still sometimes put on some Sugar Ray if I'm feeling nostalgic.
Yes, they were the typical social pressures. Wretched business.
Fast forward to the new millennium... I was pulled from public school, left with nothing but my own fancies. I went for the exact opposite of everything I had been pressured into; I listened to quite a lot of Big Band, cherished my Cherry Poppin' Daddies albums, and went through a period where I listened to nothing but Dean Martin.
Believe it.
In 2006, the first time we went to Las Vegas, I was exposed to more modern music, which I just couldn't make myself like. In 2007, though, as we were driving back from Toronto, there was a song that was played everywhere we went (and I do mean everywhere)... perhaps you've heard of it, "Hey There, Delilah"?
Though I procrastinated for a long time, I finally got curious, and looked the band up.
I have been a fan since then (like a lot of other people), and vowed that, whenever I got curious about something, I would simply have to look it/them up.
Usually when I do this, I end up with nothing, or, if I'm lucky, one or two songs; but what a thrill it is when I find something new!
My latest addition is a gear little band out of Yorkshire, One Night Only.
So, why the hell am I talking about all this rubbish?
As the three of us were chatting, it occurred to me that, though my sister is also a fan of the Plain White T's, she had no idea what they were up to.
She was completely unaware that they've got an album coming out in the fall, or that they've been playing their first single in the Chicago area only (it's not available for purchase yet); her biggest surprise was that they participated in the complementary soundtrack to Alice In Wonderland...
(I told her it sounded like Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite... was I wrong?)
Sure, when they had their hit, and were signed to a bigger label, their name was put out there, but the general record-buying public looses track of these kinds of things. When the labels don't do their proper job of promoting their artists, it's up to the artist (within their contractual rights, of course, which are still incredibly limited, as is explained in this article); if that artist doesn't self-promote, folks have no idea what's happening with them.
I proceeded to tell her about One Night Only, and she just looked puzzled (but then, she always looks puzzled when I take over the conversation).
This, of course, brings up an entirely different problem, in that overseas musicians (i.e. those silly Brits) have no way of "making it" in America (and, let's face it, if there's money to be spent, the good ol' US of A is going to do so) if their record label doesn't promote them here. Sure, you can buy One Night Only off amazon.com, even in vinyl, but, really, who purchases tangible CDs anymore, or, for that matter, a vinyl record? The hipsters have all gone digital, man. And who is it exactly that record labels should be trying to target? That prized 18-35 range, much?
I realize that my sister hasn't any time for looking up this sort of drivel (and really, who does?), so I have done the laborious searching for you! Aren't you glad you read this blog?
I was immediately impressed by these chaps purely because they dress like 60's mods.
Examples to further prove my point?
I thought you'd never ask!
The Kinks...
The Who...
One Night Only...
That's right, kids, mods for the 21st century! Weller would be proud.
Beatle Boots, drainpipe jeans, and man-fringe... I didn't even have to hear their sound before I was making a post-it note in my head to check them out later.
That was a little less than a week ago, and, though they've only got one album out, I've been lapping them up.
This particular song has a lot of great elements to it, but I particularly like the chorus...
Many moons ago, my sister was impressed with the band 98 Degrees when they slipped a lyric about Dr. Zhivago into their song; I was impressed with One Night Only when they put the scientific formula for glucose into their chorus.
Yet, no matter what I listen to, at the end of the night, I always go back to Paul...
I LOVES THAT MAN!
Now, let's all hope this discussion never comes up again.
Amen.
