No Favorites

I hate it when people ask me to pick a favorite. I mean, seriously, one single favorite out of the hundreds that I know? Favorite color? Well, what are we talking about here? Color for a shirt? Then it might be teal to match my eyes. But never for a car! It's all about context.

We don't ask people to pick their favorite among their children: your precocious 6-year old daughter, or the athletic and popular 10-year old son? What about that sulky teen you rarely see? Pick one! Go on, tell me your favorite! The more you know something / someone, the harder it is to choose.

BUT . . . I can usually decide what I don't like. That was a major discovery during our music discussion last Sunday. All the music that I remember from when I was young, the music that I hated . . . Grunge!

I didn't like grunge. But decided to pick one for today's song:

Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"



This was their first big hit in 1991. They only lasted a few years until Kurt Cobain killed himself . . . depressing.

Opinion: I vaguely remember this, especially the annoying repetition of "Hello". On the other hand, reading the lyrics, it's not that bad. Maybe that's just cuz I control the volume.

Music 101.2: Intro to Radio

So, how does everyone else figure this stuff out? I mean, do you just keep turning the dial on the radio - skip the raving preachers, the dull news, the foreign languages - and find good music? Cuz man, that seems painfully annoying. And I've never done that. The few times I've tried to use the radio, I got frustrated with all those other things and turned it off.

But now, I have the List. Yes, along with 3 top bands yesterday, I got a list of 3 radio stations and a description of each!!! I think that's most important. Now I know one has more alternative rock, and another more pop (and I know what pop is after yesterday's talk - it's bright teeny bopper stuff).

I programmed them into my car stereo. Then did what I always do, unconsciously turned down the volume to zero because I didn't know the words. So my pattern on the drive home went something like this: listen intently for a minute, mind wanders, suddenly find myself sitting in silence, turn the volume up and repeat. THIS is why I have radio issues!

The List:

1. 98.7 Star
2. 102.7 KIIS
3. 106.7 KROQ
   

Today's song is . . .
Coldplay's "Yellow"



"Yellow" was their second single release in UK, first in US, and is considered the song that made them.

Opinion: I don't like it as much as yesterday's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (which was in my head when I awoke!). But it's mellow and . . . hmm, don't have the words for this. I tend to like lyrics, but these don't strike me. But maybe I like the music itself? It seems soothing. . . or annoying?

Music 101: Intro

Today I addressed the hardest subject: music. A friend is very knowledgeable and I wanted the simplest beginning point. I do mean, the simplest, most rudimentary introduction. Say, the top five bands I should familiarize myself with.

The results were astonishing! We headed to a computer and he used YouTube to show me videos, the kind of videos most of my generation grew up watching on MTV. But the best part? Several dear friends, all of whom know my wretched illiteracy, joined in.

We ended up polling people on their favorite bands and discussing the 90's pop I should have listened to in high school (most of which was actually vaguely familiar due to crazy high school skits). Then I got some current pop and a variety of rock categories that will soon get confused. Seriously, why can every category just end with "rock"? Indie rock, alternative rock, classic rock . . .

The verdict: I need to start with 3 of the most popular bands:

1. U2
2. Coldplay
3. Beatles

Today's song is . . .
U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"



Opinion: I like it. I'm sure I've heard it before, but now I've listened five times and read the lyrics. I might actually recognize it in the future.