The challenging

Music. I'm sure it's a pretty definite challenge in most people's lives, but, at my age, I know my own challenge is different than most younger people. Why? Because I know who I should listen to, and I am very guilty about turning off those I don't really like. Or don't like at all. It's an interesting thought.

Tchaikovsky

Earlier in my life I had a lot of mum and dad's favourite music. It was pretty good, I thought at age 6. Or 7, or 10. Dad still played some old stuff, on 78 records or with larger holes in 45s. The 78s held so much of Strauss, and I have remembered so much of it that, once upon a time ago, I bought CDs with some famous classical performers playing or having written. Beethoven, Chopin, Strauss, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, many others. So good.

Dad often played some funny music about pubs without beers, or Australian Waltzing Matilda, or any music from Perry Como, Burt Ives or Bing Crosby. (Do you know them? I do. Or, at least, I did.)

Growing into my teenageship made me a "favourite fan" of David Cassidy, who was lead in the Partridge Family. Oh, I loved it! Actually, I'm sure I truly loved David, but he was so far away I couldn't even make a call to him. Oh well.... 

Leaving home was to infuse me into other 1970s music. I discovered Led Zeppelin, Yes, Aqualung, Janis Joplin, Jimmi Hendrix. These days I can still choose music I knew then, even though many of the singers have gone. Have a look through Google - just type in "1970 musicians" and go to the "images" pages. There are so many pics of anyone that anyone must have known. Some were great, brilliant. Some were not, but I had a lot of 33rpm records. I played a lot of rock and metal, including Deep Purple, Gun 'n' Roses, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, as well as those
who were more hippy than metal. I changed my own clothes to fit with my favourites. I learned how to play a basic guitar. I sang often, either at NZMCA events or at karaoke bars with friends. It was great fun but not "famous".

These days I seem to have had a challenge. After leaving the (recent) hospital I found myself at home alone, with music I could choose. So much I seem to have forgotten, but I jump around events that happened years ago. I didn't really want the TV but I preferred music, and I could imagine how precious that music, many years ago, could have been. These days, every morning, I play yoga music and then I start with my favourite groups - Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, The Twine, Missy, Tori Amos, Seal, classical... so many. And they are always repeated.

So this is my challenge. Do I not like modern singers or musicians? Will I listen to them? What will I complain about? Or am I old(er) and stuck with my own music?

I'm sure I know where I am. Where are you?