Friday Music Day

FMD 8/31/18: Back to School

22 Comments

With all the kiddos marching back to school, I thought maybe we could all take a bit to talk about our own personal music education. Who taught you to like what you like? Where did you take your first music appreciation steps? What quirks and habits do you have now because of what you were taught then? So on and so forth.

For me, my Mom was a big teacher. She had pretty good, but somewhat mainstream, taste in music. But with younger siblings coming along with some frequency, she tended to direct us to music that was more age appropriate for them, and we listened to a lot of Radio AAHS and Oldies. Honestly, I'm so glad that I've got the 50's and 60's familiarity that I have. I still really dig a lot of that. Also, my dad introduced me to some quality novelty stuff.

My uncle who is just a year older than me introduced me to 90's alternative music, and TMBG was definitely the band that stuck. Oh, and Weird Al. That was definitely fostered there too.

I hit college right as Napster became a thing, so I spent a lot of time checking out all sorts of stuff, but really hanging onto a lot of Oldies, but expanding that more into the 70's (and some 80's).
Not a whole lot changed for me until I caught Brian Oake's old Sunday night independent music show on a long drive. It was stuff I'd never heard before, and that opened a lot of doors for me. Anyway, that's my story. Nothing too exciting.

I'm guessing there are plenty of citizens with much better tales to tell.

And, for your Friday viewing pleasure, I offer the following Education related music video:

22 thoughts on “FMD 8/31/18: Back to School”

  1. 01. “Rude Mood” – Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble – Live at Carnegie Hall
    02. “Poet” – Sly & The Family Stone – There’s A Riot Goin’ On
    03. “Tell Me What I Don’t Know” – Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
    04. “Despicable Animal” – Wye Oak – Shriek
    05. “I’m Never Bored” – The Walkmen – Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone
    06. “I’m Gonna Gitcha” – Chip Willis & Double Exposure – Eccentric Sound Vol. 7: The Prix Label
    07. “A Time Machine Is My New Girlfriend” – Van Hunt – What Were You Hoping For?
    08. “I Can't Turn You Loose” – Otis Redding – Just One More Day
    09. “Claws In Your Back” – Julien Baker – Turn Out The Lights
    10. “Motoroller Scalatron” – Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup

  2. Oh man, I know it's start of school related, but that Another Brick in the Wall stuff is just garbage. I may have to use next week's FMD to explain why "The Wall Sucks!"

      1. I totally admit that The Wall is one of those albums that has very divergent passionate views. Maybe we could have a Love it-Hate it column.

          1. The real answer is that i'm probably more invested in wallowing in its suckitude than you are in extolling its greatness.

            1. Tell me more about Depeche Mode.
              Having heard one song from their early 80's output, I'm now receptive.

              1. Funny, I had forgotten my DM hate until you mentioned it last week. I’ve literally not been exposed to them except for a very rare run in on The Current. I’ve heard Johnny Cash’s version of Personal Jesus over the past 20 years more than I have any DM. Dumb lyrics, plodding beat, lack of guitars sticks out in my addled mind.

    2. I look forward to reading it. I had never watched the video before, but found it to be... pretty much what I expected. It probably didn't seem so cliche at the time, right?

        1. haha, never heard this:

          In his autobiography "Is That It?", Bob Geldof says that his agent first told him about the project while he was riding in a taxi, and that he said that he didn't want to do it because he didn't like the music of Pink Floyd. Roger Waters knows this story, not because he read it in Geldof's book, but because the taxi driver was actually Roger Waters' brother.

  3. Since I'm the oldest of the six of us, I can't say I drew off of older siblings' tastes. My dad liked the classics (Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Herb Alpert, etc)

    Probably the biggest influence on my music tastes was the speakers on the school bus on our 45 minute ride each way. No idea which Fargo station it was, but God I'm happy it was the 70s -- great stuff. Also the cassettes section of the Crookston library, where I got hooked on Chick Corea and Return to Forever, among others.

    Lots of kudos to Walter "Bud" Lindberg, the band director at school.

    And the first track to come up on the Zune app this morning:

  4. 1. Leather and Lace--Stevie Nicks and Don Henley
    2. The Last Farewell--Roger Whitaker
    3. An American Tune--Paul Simon
    4. If You Leave Me Now--Chicago
    5. Let the Mystery Be--Iris DeMent
    6. Photograph--Ringo Starr
    7. Don't Ask Me Why--Billy Joel
    8. A Song on the Radio--Al Stewart
    9. We May Never Pass This Way Again--Seals & Crofts
    10. Annie's Song--John Denver

  5. I thought I was getting a new computer at work, but I just got my same computer back with Windows X.
    Getting most of my customization back to where it was has been OK.
    At the bottom of the pile was my "weekly ten" text doc pre-filled with the HTML code.

    1. Rubberoom “Evil Archangels II (Instrumental)” Reconstruction
    2. New Kingdom “Animal” Paradise Don't Come Cheap
    3. Pharrell Williams “Happy” Girl
    4. Coil “Teenage Lightning 2” Love's Secret Domain
    5. HEALTH “SLUM LORD” DISCO3

    6. Moby “Find My Baby” Play
    7. Eric Copeland “Cannibal World” Black Bubblegum
    8. Tim Hecker “The Piano Drop” Ravedeath, 1972
    9. Mix Master Mike “Sektor Two” Anti-Theft Device
    T. Colin Stetson “Judges” New History Warfare Vol.2: Judges
    E. Chris Cornell “Seasons” Singles OST

          1. Excel interfered with work (which is mostly in excel).
            Too many ampersands and concatenations.
            Feel free to use this:
            1. <strong></strong> &ldquo;&rdquo; <em></em>
            just repeat ten times.

  7. It's been ages since I was excited by a new rock and roll band, but the Auckland, NZ group The Beths has me totally smitten. They're not really doing anything new, but dammit if they don't check all the boxes. Their debut LP Future Me Hates Me is chock full of catchy melodies, revved up guitars, Beach Boyesque backing vocals and the lovely voice (and bittersweet lyrics) of Elizabeth Stokes. Seriously, there should be about 6 or 7 hit singles on this thing.

  8. Also, I'd be remiss not to mention the album release party for my friend Doug Collins and the Receptionists at The Turf Club tomorrow night. I met Doug when we were in a mutual friend's wedding 20 years ago. DC is a purveyor of rootsy pop rock in the vein of Rockpile. Have a listen to the single.

    Keen eyed observers will recognize former Gear Daddie Billy Dankert behind the drum kit.

    1. I’d probably go to this show but I have an early Sunday Bike ride. If Sunday weather looks like it’s turning for the worse, I may head out to the Turf.

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