the death of the mega-band?

I was on my way home this morning and a U2 song came on the radio. I'm not a massive U2 fan - I have been at different times, but I'm not one of those crazy "U2 is the best band in the world" people. However, hearing the song took me back to my teenage days and one of my youth leaders, who loved them and was partly responsible for introducing me to them.

I remember him being super excited and playing their tape (!) over and over again and it's only now, on reflection, that I realise how amazing it was for him to discover them. I don't know if he knew they were going to be as big as they became, but I can vividly remember how passionate he was about them and looking back now, I understand.

What got me thinking on the way home, though, was whether the idea of mega-bands/artists is something that we're not going to see again. By that, I mean those bands that basically everyone was in to - bands that were global phenomenons - The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, U2, Queen. Those types of bands that would sell out 100,000 seat stadiums across the world.

Part of that is the change in the way we interact with music - there is so much music now, so many bands and so many different ways to access it, that we now have greater ability to pick and choose. Some people are even proud to say they only have bands on their ipod that no-one has heard of (you know who you are...) Everything has diversified so much, that I can't see think of any band or style of music in the last 10-15 years that has captivated a massive percentage of the population, the way some of those bands in the 60s-90s did. Yes, those bands are still huge, but most of that is because of those of us who encountered them during that time - which mega-bands do you know of that have people under 40 in them?

It is also because we get bored so easily, though - we consume so much music, and it's so easily available to us, that we feel like we need new music far more regularly. Yes, there are bands/artists that have made a global splash, but how many of them have continued on for the long haul?

However, I'm also not sure which bands/artists from the last 10 years would have had anywhere near the same impact, even if the playing field was the same...

For current artists, then, their goals and aspirations - as well as the ways of achieving those goals and aspirations - must have shifted also. The question I ponder is whether there are areas of my life/work that I'm trying to do the same as I would have in the 80s/90s, and whether I have made the shift, recognising that the game has changed.

[no alarms and] no surprises

Each week, I have a 45-60 minute (each way) drive to some bi-weekly meetings. I actually really enjoy it - some good alone time, and most of all, a great opportunity to listen to some tunes.

Last week, I forgot to take my iPod, though, and was at the whim of the many radio stations here in Toronto. I've got a few favourites - won't name them for fear of judgement... - and flicked between them.

One of which was playing mainly the same songs they've been playing for the last couple weeks, so didn't get much opportunity. However, there were times when I was pleasantly surprised as I surfed the [radio-]waves, and it got me thinking. When I have my iPod on, generally, I'm using playlists that I've created, or, at times, I'll throw on an album or an artist that takes my fancy. When I listen to the radio, I'm at the mercy of what they choose, and at times, that can be rubbish. At other times, though, the surprise of hearing a song I haven't heard for ages, or a new song I didn't realise had been released means the payoff is more than worth it.

How often do we do the same with our choices in life - safely sticking to our existing playlists, living with albums and artists we know are safe and will give us some joy. But in doing so, we miss out on the joy of opportunities that catch us completely by surprise - bumping into someone or somewhere we haven't been for ages, finding ourselves somewhere that brings back strong memories, discoveries of new pleasures or places.

When was the last time you switched off your iPod and changed channels?

viva la vida

I bought the new Coldplay CD the other day, and I really like it.  It's quite different to their previous albums, but I love some of the time and feel changes they've got throughout.

My favourite song from the album is the title track, and I've spent a bit of time lately thinking about why I really like the songs I love, like this one.  Where I've come to is that many of the songs I enjoy the most are ones that really build - songs like Viva la Vida, Straight Lines by Silverchair, Knights of Cydonia by Muse.  There's something great about the way in which a song starts low, then gradually builds to a musical explosion... awesome.

It seems to me that life, at its best, is full of a similar feeling.  We move through periods where the music dies down, then gradually starts to build (and our expectation with it), leading up to a key moment, where something significant happens, then the music starts to die down again, before rebuilding and starting again.

Just like with music, if it was pumped the whole time, or if it was quiet the whole time, life would get boring - it's the changes in tempo, feel, and the crests and troughs that make life enjoyable.  Sure, sometimes we'd prefer it would build a bit quicker, or die down earlier, but if we (I!) can learn to ride the waves, and appreciate the subtle changes, and where it is taking us, I'm sure it would be so much easier to enjoy life.  

Viva la Vida! 

finally...

I had one of those "moments" the other day. I love watching House, and regularly, at the end of a show, they have incredible songs - real poignant, and generally real chilled. I've been thinking for the last couple years "why don't they bring out a CD of those songs", and... they have!


I bought it yesterday - love it.