I wanted to use a title that had something to do with being back, and that song is on right now (by Ollabelle) so that's what I got. Not that starting to blog again has much to do with temptation, but whatever.
I just edited last night's post. Not some of my best writing, but I fixed the glaring grammatical errors. I just wanted to air some grievances.
Coming soon:
-more about folk music (who could possibly find it offensive??)
-Winter, Poe, and the Magnetic Fields
-parodies of blaxploitation bring people together
-and of course, David Brooks
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
I listen to lesbian music
and I'm sick of being mocked for it.
It's nearly 2am and for some reason I'm avoiding going to sleep. So I just spent a good deal of time reading the last several pages (and a few earlier other ones) of the "What music is everyone listening to?" thread on BFSSFG. I find it a bit odd that nearly everyone on there listens to the same genre(s) - punk, hardcore, noise, etc. Either fixed gear riding lends itself nicely to abrasive music, or fans of said music are inexplicably drawn to fixed gear riding. Also, it's quite possible that members of BFSSFG who do not listen to these bands don't bother posting in that thread because it's been hijacked by punk fans. Granted, there is the occasional off-genre posting, and I do own music that people list on there. Generally, however, that music is by bands I rarely listen to and find overrated.
Now back to this issue of being mocked for listening to "lesbian" music. I listen to folk. I listen to singer-songwriters, primarily of the female variety. Yes, many of the shows I attend are filled with fans who appear to be lesbians. But many are not. When I spout off names of bands I listen to, I often shoot for the more familiar ones, so people can actually recognize what I'm talking about. The Indigo Girls, Fiona Apple, Nickel Creek. But what about folk music? Patty Griffin, the Wailin' Jennys, the Be Good Tanyas, Ollabelle, and Terri Hendrix. These are not household names, nor are they all associated with a specific sexual orientation (though when I play the Wailin' Jennys or Terri Hendrix for people, that is often what they think). So:
1) Why is this music branded as "lesbian" if these people have never heard it before or seen fans at a show?
and
2) Why must I be so teased for listening to it?
My friends beg me to put something else on in the car, my boyfriend spends hours describing the intricacies of the punk bands he listens to but when I try to explain the unique characteristics of Laura Love's music he cuts me off with "I get it, I know, she plays bass instead of guitar..." I can't discuss the music I love so much with anyone, I have no one to go to concerts with, and it's getting quite lonely. The last time I got excited about discussing music was at The Duhk's concert this past summer when the man next to me asked me if I'd seem them live before, and we proceeded to each mention a few other groups we liked.
I wish people would take the time to listen a little more closely to the lesser known bands I enjoy. The Waifs, Ollabelle, and the Duhks, who currently have a live show up on Folk Alley. Not to mention the Celtic music I'm intrigued by, like the traditional works of Natalie MacMaster, the crossover compositions of Capercaillie, and the incredibly modern instrumental pieces of Shooglenifty. The ties between traditional Celtic, bluegrass, contemporary folk, and Americana are what my music collection is built upon.
Then, of course, there's Travis and Blur and Better Than Ezra and, most importantly, Tori, who is usually the one who incites the "lesbian music" comments in the first place.
It's nearly 2am and for some reason I'm avoiding going to sleep. So I just spent a good deal of time reading the last several pages (and a few earlier other ones) of the "What music is everyone listening to?" thread on BFSSFG. I find it a bit odd that nearly everyone on there listens to the same genre(s) - punk, hardcore, noise, etc. Either fixed gear riding lends itself nicely to abrasive music, or fans of said music are inexplicably drawn to fixed gear riding. Also, it's quite possible that members of BFSSFG who do not listen to these bands don't bother posting in that thread because it's been hijacked by punk fans. Granted, there is the occasional off-genre posting, and I do own music that people list on there. Generally, however, that music is by bands I rarely listen to and find overrated.
Now back to this issue of being mocked for listening to "lesbian" music. I listen to folk. I listen to singer-songwriters, primarily of the female variety. Yes, many of the shows I attend are filled with fans who appear to be lesbians. But many are not. When I spout off names of bands I listen to, I often shoot for the more familiar ones, so people can actually recognize what I'm talking about. The Indigo Girls, Fiona Apple, Nickel Creek. But what about folk music? Patty Griffin, the Wailin' Jennys, the Be Good Tanyas, Ollabelle, and Terri Hendrix. These are not household names, nor are they all associated with a specific sexual orientation (though when I play the Wailin' Jennys or Terri Hendrix for people, that is often what they think). So:
1) Why is this music branded as "lesbian" if these people have never heard it before or seen fans at a show?
and
2) Why must I be so teased for listening to it?
My friends beg me to put something else on in the car, my boyfriend spends hours describing the intricacies of the punk bands he listens to but when I try to explain the unique characteristics of Laura Love's music he cuts me off with "I get it, I know, she plays bass instead of guitar..." I can't discuss the music I love so much with anyone, I have no one to go to concerts with, and it's getting quite lonely. The last time I got excited about discussing music was at The Duhk's concert this past summer when the man next to me asked me if I'd seem them live before, and we proceeded to each mention a few other groups we liked.
I wish people would take the time to listen a little more closely to the lesser known bands I enjoy. The Waifs, Ollabelle, and the Duhks, who currently have a live show up on Folk Alley. Not to mention the Celtic music I'm intrigued by, like the traditional works of Natalie MacMaster, the crossover compositions of Capercaillie, and the incredibly modern instrumental pieces of Shooglenifty. The ties between traditional Celtic, bluegrass, contemporary folk, and Americana are what my music collection is built upon.
Then, of course, there's Travis and Blur and Better Than Ezra and, most importantly, Tori, who is usually the one who incites the "lesbian music" comments in the first place.
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