AS SEEN OVER AT THE OLD PLACE – DECEMBER 2006 (2)

I thought you might be interested in the posting which, at the time got more comments than any other. From 8th December 2006:-

MUSIC : RESPONSE

I’ve been accused in the past of being a musical snob – a charge I vehemently deny. Ok, I can’t abide manufactured crap – particularly the boy and girl bands aimed at the adolescent market or the ‘talents’ that emerge from the 21st century equivalent of ‘Opportunity Knocks.’ I also have an aversion to most wimpy blokes with acoustic guitars – and yes I am talking about the intrinsic evil that is James Blunt – and the copy-cat acts that record labels have been throwing at us throughout 2006. And just don’t get me started on heavy-metal….But it’s not all white-boy indie-music with an emphasis on the early 80s rotating on the turntable here in Villain Towers. I’ve already confessed some of my vices on other blogs and I’m not ashamed of anything in my collection – I’ll be able to provide a legitimate excuse every time. Admittedly, some of the excuses will be on the lame side. But I can sleep easily at night.

Something I saw today got me thinking about music. And the shallowness of anyone who slags off any song as ‘shite’ just because they, as a person, don’t like it, the singer or the band.

My organisation holds an annual Christmas party for around 200 young kids with physical handicaps or learning difficulties. A load of our staff get dressed up in costume as cartoon characters; we bring along all sorts of kid’s entertainers; and of course at the appropriate magical moment, Santa makes an appearance.

But the mainstay of the three or so hours that the party goes on is the disco. And believe me, song after song after song after song would normally have had me screaming in agony and racing for the nearest exit.

The thing that stopped me was the sheer joy on all of these kids’ faces. They were on the dance-floor having a real blast. Most of them needed help and support from the adults, whether it was the folk in fancy-dress or the teachers/parents/volunteers who are with these kids every day. Many of the kids were wheelchair-bound, but that didn’t stop them making their way onto the dance-floor.

Now if the DJ had spun something that I was wanting, there is no question he would have cleared the room, far less the dance-floor. He knew his audience, and he gave them exactly what they wanted. And they loved him for it.

Music is there to be enjoyed. If what you or I hear every day on the banal radio stations or on prime-time television, we can always find an alternative station, or turn on the PC and surf for a while.

But let’s not just have a go at someone else because their taste is wholly different from ours.

Here’s one that filled the dance-floor earlier today. I had to ask a colleague who and what it was and then I found it on Limewire.

mp3 : Girls Aloud : Something Kinda Oooh

It’s superb pop…….

———————————– ends —————————————–

Sadly, the archiving site which is enabling me to salvage these posts isn’t able to keep the 8 comments that were left behind. But I do recall just about all of them appreciating the sentiments I was trying to convey even if my choice of band left something to be desired.

And Limewire…..there’s a place I haven’t visited in years.