I went out of my way to pick up a new CD, something that I haven’t done in a long time. But Screeching Weasel has a new album out after 11 years or so, and I thought I would give it a shot. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it. But while I was at the record store, I did pick up a used copy of an old NOFX album that I hadn’t heard in years, and I liked that very much.
I haven’t bought new music in months, probably almost a year. I can’t even remember what that new album was that I picked up last time. I came to realize that I don’t buy new music like I used to, and I don’t evolve with the music that still comes out. Part of the reason is that the music scene I enjoyed was dead (see this entry at yourscenesucks.com), but it’s also because I don’t have the money to spend on music anymore.
Once upon a time, I would work, or perhaps not, and somehow have money in my pocket that was not already accounted for in bills and living expenses. I would have almost nothing to spend my money on, so I would throw it into my music collection. I was on top of things, enjoying what music I could find, always aware of what band’s album was coming out next week or what show was playing that weekend. Somewhere along the line, I lost touch with that.
Eventually, I found a conflict between what value I was putting on music and how much money I had. I could justify buying music less and less, as I saw the music I liked being less and less worthy of my money. I also had other responsibilities: rent, bills, food, and other people relying on me and those things.
It hit me recently that as we age, eventually our tastes in music stagnate. We enjoy music from our slice of youth and don’t like new things as much. A lot of that comes from what we enjoyed during the time we were searching for our identities, but I discovered this: aging means taking our money and using it to live comfortably, rather than sparsely with more entertainment. If I hear about an album (like this Screeching Weasel album), it’s already been out for a few weeks, and I MAY get around to buying it a few weeks from now. Usually, I think to myself, “Well, I need to pick that up. But this week I have to buy a new faucet for the sink, so I’ll just wait until next week and hope I don’t have a house expense then.”
But there’s always a house expense! Eventually, I pick up the album and feel a little guilty about it because it wasn’t in my budget. When I’m not impressed with the album, partially because the band changed the way it sounds during my absence from active participation in the music scene, I am less inclined to buy an album the next time I see one. Thus, my taste in music stagnates a little more, and I become more and more of an old man.
I still have to pick up the new Dead Milkmen album, despite the fact that it will be terrible. Luckily, that’s what makes the band so endearing in the first place, and the money won’t feel like a waste.
Related Websites
The Official Dead Milkmen Website
The Mad Aardvark 