Tonight we watched a documentary/talking head programme about the album and nostalgia for the golden days of vinyl, (again, something that I would have been ideal for) and I noticed sizable gaps in my musical education. Here I am doing radio shows that set out to educate and entertain, and there are huge holes. For starters, I have never heard a Pink Floyd album, in fact I have only heard one Pink Floyd song, 'Another Brick In The Wall'. Pink Floyd are one of those bands that I simply don't see the point of. I know that a lot of people like them, but that sort of music leaves me cold. As The Sunday Alternative listeners will know, (and those who remember my show on Sherwood radio), I have an eclectic taste in music that spans genres, but that sadly doesn't spread to the whole prog thing. I was once given a Rick Wakeman CD, which contained FOUR tracks, each about forty five minutes in length. That in my opinion is just a bunch of musicians masturbating in a studio and putting the contents of the tissue/special sock on a record. This is why punk happened!
It transpired during this programme that there are other bands who have just totally bypassed my radar. Maybe it's because I don't 'get' them, maybe it's because I haven't given them a try. I don't just mean that I'm out of the modern music loop, because I am aware of modern bands of course. Thankfully we seem to be out of that horrific pretend-indie period of a few years ago that threw up such atrocities as The Feeling, Scouting For Girls, The Wombats, and the like. I am not talking about not liking bands simply because they are shit, such as Bon Jovi, I am talking about bands that I should maybe care about but just wouldn't know where to start. Aside from the obvious tracks, I have never listened to The Doors and don't own any of their albums. Fleetwood Mac are another one, I can't say that I could whistle you one of their tunes if put on the spot.
There are of course bands that you don't need to own too much of. I own a greatest hits CD by REM, and as far as I'm concerned it is all the REM I need. It has 'Shiny Happy People' on it, and that other one, and that one you like. There you go. Some bands are designed for the greatest hits CD, and you really don't need to go too far into their back catalogue. The Beach Boys came on this documentary and Mandi asked me how she should buy into The Beach Boys as she likes them but doesn't own any of their music. I simply told her to get a greatest hits CD. I have such a Beach Boys album on vinyl, and it contains all the songs of theirs that I could name.
Please don't think me a philistine.
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