"Wow you sure have changed, I remember when you ......."
"You used to listen to _____ and ________... now... I don't know."
"<--- Looks of confusion, head cocked to one side like a lost puppy--->
I have grown a lot as an artist over the course of my life... yes, I AM older than 15- 20, and I am also under 40 and I have seen a few trends come and fade.
They ALL do, eventually.
Believe it.
I never would have guessed that music (or the music industry) would be where it is now but it doesn't really surprise me all that much.
People obviously like to see pretty people, and while there is no news there, there once was a time when music was created by *musicians* and looks were secondary in importance (if at all) to the music you created.
There once was a chance for the uglier, grittier, more REAL and relate-able to me and (I would like to believe) to the average music consumer.
Those were the groups and artists I tended to gravitate toward; as a kid picking up on the attitudes and musical vibes of the 'older crowd' - the people I felt were the REAL DEAL, I went out and bought all the merchandise I could to brand myself as part of that subculture -- now it could have as easily been punk rock as heavv metal as bebop as blues; they've all had their time in the sun as the predominant musical force and they ALL have eventually faded out into the next big thing.
Anyhoo, as I grew from listening to primarily radio, moving on to cassette tapes friends liked or copied for me, then to Compact Discs (or See Dees as they were once referred to in the vernacular) I heard about, finally ending up with mp3s which allow a lot more freedom of exposure to different tunes.
My roots are still intact but I find that I simply don't listen to them as much as I used to.
Being a musician, it is probably because I cannibalize bits and pieces from this or that, and as this bit or that is absorbed I don't FEEL a song in the same way as I did and so I am off in search of a NEW great song that might touch me in some new way.
Roots are a part of the process and are a great touchstone to have, (& to return to sometimes when you lose focus as we all sometimes do) but they shouldn't be the be all end all, and you should have a WIDE selection of roots to grow your art from, or it will be without any real foundation, uninteresting and flat.
Just something to think about.
Your own mileage may vary.
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