Oh our ipods! Dont we just love them?! Me, I have a older ipod with over 9000 songs (yes Nine zero zero zero and counting). At first thought you would think that all this electronic access to music would be great for the music business, but we found out it actually hurt sales, and changed the way we buy music forever. I could go into all of the terrible byproducts of downloading music (the biggie being stolen music downloads), and this is has also hit the movie business, but I wanted to focus on one aspect.See when I was a teenager, I went down to the record store. My little shop actually wasn't a record store, it was really a Smokeshop that sold records. The owners Son was really into music, and he gave his son some space to sell records, and over time the Son sold more records than his Dad sold pipes and cigars, but it still went by the smoke shop name. I spent a LOT of time in the smoke shop talking about music with the owners Son and anybody who would walk into the store and wanted to talk about music. The thing we were all trying to find was the next big band, and those hidden gems on the B-side of the records. This was SO fun. I remember running into the store to tell Sam (the owners son) about this killer song "Train in Vain" by the Clash. "Train" wasn't even listed on the record! A gem! later a HIT!
I guess since the music that came out in the late 70's and early 80's was so fantastic, for me, it was magical. Unlike today, there wasn't an easy way to preview music, unless you heard it on the radio, OR in the record store. (Off topic, I'm still waiting for that great recession music to arrive, as the way it has gone, the worse the economy the better the music (that is until now, and I have a few theories, but I digress) The records didn't cost much back in the day, and even a teenager could take a chance on a band you didn't know. Literally, I bought a record simply for the cover (and beautiful covers they were (sob)) or read about it in Rolling Stone. For me, Rolling Stone was the music Bible, the good book! I remember buying "Dire Straits" sight unseen. RS said it was good and that was good enough for me. "The Clash", "Blondie", "Talking Heads", "Devo" "PIL", "Cheap Trick" "The B-52's", "U2" and "The Cars" It seemed almost like a new must -have band came out every week! When I listened to all this wonderful music on my Sears Special record player and my Koss Headphones, all bought on McDonalds wages, I listened to ALL the music on one side of the record. flipped it and listened ALL of the flip side (aka the B-side). Looking back, some of the BEST music ever was found on the flip or B-side. It was too difficult to pick up the needle and go from song to song although, people did try (usually at parties). This was where you heard the big scratches (RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP!) when the person changing the song had been drinking too much and would utter something like " Oh you GOT to hear this song...Ugh let me find it") (Ah, you younger kids will never know how your Parents lived before The Internet, Facebook, ipods, iphones, Tivo, and cars with AC, OnStar, and Navigation. trust me, you had think on your feet every now and then. ;))
Fast forward some 35 years later and look how we buy and listen music today. Itunes sells music by the SONG! Little kids with Itunes accounts are cherry picking Jonas Brothers songs. (of course that may not be a bad thing). No really, this IS a bad thing. If at the end of the day, Sally Sue only buys so called "hit" songs, plenty of Artists works will go without a listen (Songs back in the day a person would discover on the B-side) Many of these songs became hits. "Train in Vain" a hit song by the Clash, wasn't even listed on the record! The only way you found it, was listening to the entire record. Who didn't listen to ALL of London Calling? Those who might buy it on iTunes and may not know better. I'm certain "Thriller" would not be as big had it been released first on iTunes...even the best selling record of all time is being cherry picked. Oh yes. When was the last time you listened to an ENTIRE record, er, gee, I mean downloadable collection of songs that would have been a record or CD?
The World spins just as fast as it did 40 years ago, but things "appear" to be moving much faster. In all this hectic living, are we cherry picking more than songs on iTunes? Are we not taking the time to listen to an entire conversation, message, Class or Meeting? Do we cherry pick some of what we hear and tune out the rest? We are missing out on some "life's" greatest hits! lifes greatest little moments....the B side. Immerse yourself into whatever your doing. Listen to the entire conversation. Stay until the end of the game. Buy the entire download! Listen to your kids! Finish the book! Be in the moment...and stick around and smell the roses, the coffee...you just might find a Gem!. :)
