Music Rant

From the journal of Keegan Valentine dated March 20th, 2007:

A new day, time for new changes. I woke up this morning to find that my girlfriend had snuck out in the middle of the night. I tried calling her, but there is no response. I’m getting the strong suspicion that we are over, but it was kind of already headed that way. She introduced me to her parents and well, lets just say they didn’t take to kindly to me. To be fair I didn’t really make it easy for them. I’m tired of all the bourgeois older people trying to tell the younger generation how to live. We all have our own paths and mine doesn’t fall into any of the old categories. But I know for a fact I’m happy. I can support myself and want for very little else. Why do older people feel the need to insist that my life choices are wrong, or not getting me anywhere?

Enough of that, I wanted to put down some thoughts I’ve been noticing about the local music scene, and people in general. It’s sad that recently people seem to be hiding away in their homes and don’t go out to be sociable like they used to. You can watch the old movies, or read old books. People were social creatures, they went out and talked and enjoyed life. Now it seems everyone is hiding away and watching TV in the safety of their homes. Bet recently it’s really hit me in the area of music.

I have noticed that people in general don’t seem to care about music like they used to. It’s not about rights to songs and listening to them all cooped up in your room feeling like no one understands you. Music is there for people to connect. To share feelings that have no words to express them. It’s supposed to be an aggregate facilitating a coming together of minds and bodies. Sure musicians like to be paid for playing music. How do you think they are able to continue doing so? Most musicians I know work one or two jobs and then find time to be creative and write songs that inspires us all.

I understand we all are not made of money and can’t be expected to shell out five to ten dollars every night. But trust me if more people did go out you would find all kinds of groups of musicians that are very talented and worth listening to. I guess the biggest thing that needs to happen is people need to go out more and interact with other people face to face. Find new bands make this city something worth being in. Make it a cultural center. A place where people from all over the country say, “wow, did you know that the local music scene is kicking?” It would help us all, musicians and non-musicians alike. If we have an awesome scene, more bands you do want to see will come as well as the cream of the crop from around the country. I’d like to really have something going for this city other than the normal what have yous that every other city has.

People need to connect. And they need to start doing it soon, before it’s too late and we are all stuck inside our homes afraid of every sound that happens outside.

-V-