Old And New Musical Proclivities

A Few Vacuous Thoughts

I used to pay more attention to music, I must admit. i used to know, sometimes own, every album of certain artists. I quit that a long time ago. I seldom know the entire body of any musician's work, unless that artist has been dead for 30 or 40 years. I quit buying Dylan albums when he got his head so stuck in the Religion jar and I didn't like it very much. He returned to my good graces later on, but I never took up buying every record again. Certainly, it's not safe to buy an album without having heard it somewhere first any more! I made a less conscious decision to ignore Joni Mitchell's records after her head got stuck so deep in the Jazz jar! That's not to say that it wasn't pleasant music she was making. I didn't like it as much as formerly, though. It just wasn't the same. I never did care one whit for Van Morrison's religious kick, so I never pay any attention at all to his releases. Lately I have just bought compilation albums of other old artists. Two different ones of Elvis (I'm drowning in Elvis!). One double-CD of Simon and Garfunkel. One single CD of Ray Charles. Almost forgot, a double Doors CD. Probably the wave of the future, if not the Doors Of Perception. As for newer musicians who are recording music, I like them, but I'm not much attracted to owning them. It will be a big surprise if I buy any of their recordings. Hell, despite some years of buying CD's, I'm still tempted to say "records" more than half the time and I'm not aware that anyone even makes "records" any more. It used to be such intense fun for me to keep track of music--in magazines, in the record stores. Nowadays, I am mysteriously satisfied with the radio for large periods of time. My tastes are just not as particular. I still like Mozart. I still don't like Lawrence Welk. I still think Dylan is weird as hell, but also am unconscious genius. I wouldn't want him to be President, but then neither would he!