Alan Hood

My daughter asked me to listen to this really great song called Kelsey by some new myspace.com band Metro Station. Well I am here to give an honest opinion of this new song she loves so much, and I have to say that after listening to it I wanted to burn my ears off with a torch. Wow this is what music has come to in 2007. It will really make you long for the good ol’ days of rock and roll, when musicians had talent and a sense of rhythm. I guess the story goes something like this.

The Internet takes over the recording industry by making every song ever made freely available to anyone who wants to become a pirate. The music industry can’t afford to sign new upcoming bands because of fear about the loss of their mega billion dollar industry. Side Note (it is hard to believe these people can’t come up with a business model that works in today’s society). So bands like Metro Station are signed by new companies that by the sound of the recording can only afford to record in Joey’s basement. You and I will now get stuck listening to crap like this song for the rest of our lives because real musicians will have to get real jobs so they can afford to live.

If the song below teaches us anything it should be that we should always always pay for the music we love. Or we will pay the price with having to listen to bands like Metro Station in the future. Go ahead give it a listen but only if you are not pregnant have a weak immune system or are otherwise not near a trash can that you will most likely lose your lunch into. Go ahead I dare you.

One of the things that has always amazed me is the incredible artistic ability that some people have. I wish I could draw, paint, write, and most impressive to me is sing and compose songs. Music has always been an escape for me and I am so lucky to have access to the many artists who share their gifts with the world. I first started listening to rock and roll when I was in middle school, before that time I was only exposed to the music my parents listened to. Which really wasn’t much at all but the occasional country song (I won’t get into the tear in my beer crap). In middle school I made friends with a boy named Eric who had a much older sister (in College) who had great taste in music, and shared it with us. Ever since that time I have truly loved music and all of the joy that it brings to my life. Just listening to a great piece of music can make the entire world seem not as bad as it was just a few minutes earlier.

There is really nothing that I can think of that can completely change a person’s attitude like listening to great music. Tonight I will be attending my youngest daughter’s first band concert of the year which is always a joy, a little unorganized and chaotic but a joy none the less. I admire her for being able to play an instrument and to have an ability that very few people have.

I am incredibly fortunate to have both music in my life and a great kid that brings joy to my life in many ways but her ability to play the clarinet is a wonder to me. She has been playing for only about 5 years now but I can tell that she has that thing that make some people artists and some people hacks. I really hope that she continues to play music for her entire life and never gives up on something that brings joy to so many. To an end I thought that I would share a piece of music that I love and am sure that if you have never heard Collective Soul before after you listen to this song you will become an instant fan. Enjoy! Okay I couldn’t decide on just one so I am also putting up “Heavy” I have no clue what the video is but the song is amazing. Both videos are from a great band Collective Soul.