Bonding whilst travelling to and from a concert.

Travelling to and from a concert on public transport recently I was struck by the differences in atmosphere between the two journey’s.

On the way to the stadium everyone was relatively quiet.  There was a gentle murmur of conversation and most people seemed to be in an expectant good mood as they made their way to the venue.  If you spotted another fan on the way a smile, nod of acknowledgement or brief pleasantries were exchanged and a sense of camaraderie hung over us.  There was the smell of sunscreen, the band T-shirts people wore were unruffled and the glow sticks and flags were as yet unwaved.  It was a peaceful, good natured way to travel to a gig.

So, we got to the venue, the band came on and the party got started.  Everyone waved their hands in the air and sung along with full gusto.  Flags, banners, glow sticks, T-Shirts and assorted inflatable toys were waved to and fro.  Whistles were blown and feet were stamped and everyone spirits were raised to heights you don’t often see in your day-to-day life.  It was a good evening and when the house lights came up at the end people made their way to the exits with beaming smiles on their faces and tired bodies from their exertions. 

We all begun the long slow shuffle out of the venue and to the underground station, but things felt markedly different to the atmosphere on the way in.

First of all my feet and legs ached from the hours of standing and dancing, but the tiredness was tempered by the euphoria of the concert and the good cheer around me.  As we walked along pockets of singing broke out that rippled up and down the crowd until we were all singing along without musical accompaniment.  It would gradually taper off only to start up again elsewhere. 

As we passed policemen on their horses or the officers stood to one side, the crowd would interact with them in a friendly way.  The horses would be patted and the mounted officers would wave their arms as if conducting us as we sang.   The standing policemen would smile and acknowledge our good wishes, whilst of course keeping a beady eye out for any trouble.  Thankfully there was none that night.

At one point we were asked to stop and wait as the train platform emptied out and again singing broke out all around me.  One member of the station staff joined in through his megaphone and encouraged singing and banter.  Someone in the crowd had a birthday that day and told the man with the megaphone.  He asked us to sing happy birthday and within seconds we all were bellowing out the song and best wishes to the lucky person.  What a way to celebrate your special day!!

Wembley Stadium

 We finally got to the station and squeezed our way onto the waiting train.  Unlike getting on a train during the commuting rush hour no-one minded squeezing in and there was laughing and friendly comments as we moved further into the carriage and made way for the other passengers.  Someone had their ipad with them and put on some music from the band we had just seen and as the train clattered away we were all reliving the concert and smiling amongst ourselves.

There was much more chat between us, than on the journey in, as we made our way through the dark tunnels.  Unlike on the way there we all knew we had just come from the same concert, so we had a shared bond.  There were many mildly drunken conversations, but nothing intimidating or offensive and the alcohol had only lowered inhibitions, not encouraged the odd flare up as I have seen in the past.  It was funny to watch one woman, who had obviously had a few, move around and talk to people.  Sometime she would alight upon someone who hadn’t been at the gig and she was just as good natured and friendly.  It was very funny to see and added to the humour of our homeward journey.

There is also a distinct London vibe you get travelling on the underground late at night after a concert.  The tube is distinctive in itself and there is such a wide variety of people in London that the mix is fascinating.  You’ll see people in suits and skirts coming out late from work, people in tuxedos and dresses on the way home from the opera, merry concert goers like ourselves and at one point on our journey some people from a Hyde Park ‘festival’ joined the fray.  The clash of dresses, glow sticks, suits and DKNY wellies from the chic day festival crowd made for an unusual, but happy mix. 

There was a sense of camaraderie amongst all of us, as we had all been to our respective venues and enjoyed ourselves.  We all had that post-gig glow regardless of where we had been and with good spirits we happily chatted and mixed.  You’d never see that during the day on the tube where staid, grey faces glare out disapprovingly from behind broadsheets at the slightest murmur or laugh from a fellow travelling companion.  It made for a pleasant change.

We finally reached our station and stepped out of the train and clambered up the stairs, leaving the remaining people to make their weary, but happy way down the line.  The crowd thinned out as we made our way to the exit and by the time we had reached the car you could only see the odd dying glow stick wave it’s way through the carpark. 

The difference between the freshly pressed expectant crowd at the start and the dishevelled, tired, but euphoric crowd at the end was really noticeable and it just goes to show what a unique experience a concert is.  Music can bond people in a way not normally seen in everyday life and is just one of the many reasons I love it so much.  The music aside, you’ll go home covered in sweat and mud, aching from limb to limb, jostled on a train whilst being bombarded by music, you’ll happily mix with drunks and you’ll think it was totally worth it. In fact, it even added to your enjoyment!  It’s not often that you’ll say that whilst travelling around London and I’m even looking forward to the next time it will happen.

Discovering Jill Scott.

As I sit here listening to the new album from Jill Scott, ‘The Light of the Sun’, and loving every second of it, I am reminded of the first time I heard her music and how she was introduced to me.

I wrote recently about listening to music at work (‘Music helps me get through the working day’)  and I am fortunate to be able to listen to music out loud as I work.  But many years ago I worked for a different company in the centre of London and I used to share a workspace with about 15 other people.  We used to all sit quietly and plug into our assorted music devices and go about our individual work.  It made for a very peaceful and productive work environment.

It was great to sit with colleagues on lunch and tea breaks and discuss our latest musical finds and share our CD’s with one another.  There’d be passionate debate as we agreed or disagreed with each others opinions, but the shared bond we had was our love of music.  One day one of my closest friends tapped me on the shoulder as I worked and handed me a CD.  He didn’t say too much about it, just something along the lines of “see what you think of this” and walked away. 

I held the CD case in my hand and saw a beautiful black woman’s face lit by red stage lighting and the title ‘Experience Jill Scott’ on the cover.  I slipped the disc into my CD player and pushed play.

From the ‘Show Intro’ and the crowd noise, band countdown and lead into ‘A Long Walk’ I knew this was something special.  The groove was immediately infectious and when Jill’s powerful, soulful voice kicked in goosebumps broke out on my arms.  As the album progressed her interactions with the audience felt like she was talking directly to me and my own emotions became as heightened as the audience on the recording.  As one song ended and I was still reeling from the emotion and the musical impact, the next would begin and I’d be knocked back a further step or two.  It was an immediate and deep reaction to her music.

I looked over my shoulder at my friend and he nodded at me in a knowing way and smiled.

By the time the last track, ‘He Loves Me’, started I was already a Jill Scott convert, but I didn’t realise I hadn’t heard anything yet.  This track starts slowly with Jill’s voice soothing it’s way into your heart and mind.  The audience sing along and were obviously feeling the music as deeply, if not more deeply, as I was beginning to.  Jill’s voice soared as she vocalised and as the intro gives way to the main body of the song and the tempo gradually picked up, my feet were quickly tapping along in unison.  This song starts off smoothly, jazzy and soulfully and by the end it is a full-on romp that is hard to fully describe.  As Jill and the backing singers sing ‘you incite me to chorus’ over and over you feel the emotional ache in your stomach grow until you believe it can’t get any bigger.  I honestly felt nothing would beat this and for a long time that was the case, until I heard another live version of this song on her ‘Live in Paris’ album, but that’s another story.

The album ended and I was left stunned.  I didn’t press play again, or put in another album.  I just sat quietly and felt the feelings running through my body. I took the disc out and handed the album back to my friend and simply said “Thank you”.  He remarked how it was “powerful stuff”, but I don’t think he realised just how much it had affected me.

(It’s worth mentioning that there is also a second disc of rare tracks, poetry reading and other live tracks, but it is that first live disc that hit me hardest and I only played the second disc at a later time.)

I went home via the record store and bought a copy of the album, as well as her debut and listened to them both non-stop for weeks.  Over the years I have looked out for Jill’s latest albums avidly and I have always bought them the week they were released.   I have read her poetry and watched the DVD, the only thing I have yet to do is see her live and I am on the lookout for the next tour dates and venues.

I have always been struck by Jill’s integrity to her art and music and I know that when I hear her music it comes from the heart and it has a deeper connection with me because of it.  She is a proud, soulful, creative artist and when she can create music of this calibre you are thankful that she is.

Sometimes, with music, the timing is just right and when you hear an album or artist under the right circumstances it has a greater impact than if you’d only heard them in passing.  I am fortunate that the first time I heard Jill I was able to feel her music deeply and keenly and I am glad this has remained the case when I’ve played her music over the years.

If you have yet to try any of her albums I can heartily recommend the album I talk about here.  It has a special place in my heart and I may be a little bit biased, but I truly believe it is high class music at it’s best.

Road Trip!!!

After a recent holiday in California, that included long stretches driving around, I realised, on the whole, how good American radio stations are.  Apart from the excessive adverts on some stations, the quality of music on offer is unparalleled to some stations in the UK. 

The bulk of the stations played a mix of rock music from over the decades and I heard some bands I haven’t played in a long time.  I was surprised how they’d play up-to-date music mixed in with old standards and it would go from Cream playing ‘White Room’ to Muse, then from Journey to Prince, to Kasabian followed by The Beatles, to a bit of Springsteen, followed up by Alice in Chains.  It was eclectic, but the music was nearly always uniformly great.

I know that major Corporations own a great deal of American radio and the playlists are tightly controlled, but it is difficult to find so many stations playing comparable music in the UK. Don’t get me wrong, they do exist, but not in the vast amounts I found in just one state in America.  I think local radio is thriving much more in America.

Which leads to one of the problems I experienced whilst on my road trip.  As I moved from area to area I had to constantly retune the radio as I moved from one signal area to the next.  I’d hear one DJ strongly promote the local Clam restaurant between music tracks, only to fade off and get crackly, before retuning and finding the next local DJ promoting the nearest snow chain garage! This would happen every ten miles or so at some points on my trip.  The exception to this was San Francisco’s KFOG station, which not only lasted us for much of our journey from Carmel to San Francisco, but it also played some of the best music we heard on our holiday.  It is one station I will be tuning into via their website back here in the UK.

Scenery from Carmel to California

When in the mountains I would lose signal altogether and I would howl with anguish, as my wife rolled her eyes at my hysterical reaction, when we would lose signal just when the solo on a particular track would kick in and then pick it up again just as it ended.  Frustrating stuff.

Scenery on the Drive from Lake Tahoe to Mammoth Lakes

There are also so many stations closely packed in across the spectrum, that as we moved around one station would get crossed with another and you would hear two bands vying for my attention, like a faint ghostly guitar duel. Strangely enough, sometimes it worked very well and the overlapping song created the ultimate ‘mash up’.  Led Zeppelin meets David Bowie and having a zany, but beautifully formed love child.

I was also surprised at just how many Spanish and Christian radio stations there were.  It would be funny to scan the airwaves and here some loud, energetic Spanish voice exhorting you to buy something, only to be followed by the zealous, enthusiastic tones of a preacher showing you the path to salvation.  Needless to say, both types of station were rapidly skipped past. 

But that damned Christian rock was confusing!  I’d tune into a station, hear some great guitars and drums and although it sound slightly dated and cheesy, I quite like this at times and I would stay tuned in.  Then the chorus would kick in and you’d hear a stream of ‘glories’ and ‘hallelujahs’ and you’d realised you’d been hoodwinked again.  There’s nothing wrong with Christian rock per se, but lets just say I prefer my rock music to have a bit more grit and backbone. Give me rock about love, betrayal, driving in your car or any other topic, but eternal salvation just doesn’t cut the mustard.  Go figure!

View in Yosemite National Park, plenty of Rock, Grit and Backbone!

So, all in all, I enjoyed the musical choices we made in the car. I had a small stash of CD’s on hand for when we lost signal altogether or when there were so few stations we liked, but we played these surprisingly less than I thought we would.  American radio may be highly controlled and many artists have lamented its demise (I’m thinking of Tom Petty and his ‘Last DJ’ album), but when you only have the latest insipid chart music played on rotation in the UK, even this controlled rock music is a breath of fresh air.  It certainly provided a welcome soundtrack to my holiday and I’ve come back to dig out some old favourites I have neglected over the years.  What more can you ask for?

Musical Influences: Winter Quarters

When I heard on the grapevine that the lead singer and guitarist from The Ruse were working on a side project under the name Winter Quarters and planned as a gentler affair to The Ruse’s normal uplifting rock, I eagerly began anticipating the result.  I also began forming some questions just in case they’d be willing to do another interview for me after the in-depth and open interview I did with them earlier in the year (Musical Influences: The Ruse).

Jim Bilus sent me over a copy of the album, called ‘Stories and Lies’ and also graciously agreed to the interview, so it was with pen in hand that I initially listened to the album a few times.   As you’d expect from an album with the lead singer on vocals it is reminiscent of The Ruse, but it has a gentler, introspective feel to it and the guitar playing is more subtle and intricate.  I noticed this most on ‘The Hunted’ which has amazing finger picking and haunting lyrics.

For those fans of The Ruse you’ll be happy to know that the band is still firmly together and producing music together, but Winter Quarters is an exceptional side project that should please you as much as any existing The Ruse albums.

How long was this album in the making?  Was it pieced together over many years or did it come out in one hit? 

 
We had the idea for a side project from The Ruse in late 2010. John Dauer (vocals) and I came together with our friend Austin Hartley-Leonard to write some acoustic, melody driven songs. Austin is a great singer/songwriter in his own account, and the songs seemed to come very easily. We are big fans of Counting Crows,, A.A. Bondy, Wilco, Ryan Adams, Bon Iver, and stuff like that. We wanted to make some music that affected people in a similar way to those guys, but had its own sound. 

The entire album was made in my bedroom on an old Macbook.  It was a really cool experience to record everything on our own, with total control over the direction.  Jorge Vivo (our favourite producer) ending up mixing and mastering the results,and that's an entirely different skill.

Why did you decide now was the time for this side project?
 
The Ruse is a wonderful band, and will always be our main project. But certain songs and sounds just don't work in the context of a traditional rock band. We need to strip it all down to the core (acoustic guitar and vocals) and start a new project to get at what we were hearing in our heads.

Was it difficult deciding what tracks to keep for WQ and which to offer for The Ruse?
 
Yes. For instance, there is a song coming out on the next Ruse EP called "Simple Grace" that started out as a Winter Quarters song. It ended up being a Ruse song because we think its going to be a big one for us, and we wanted to make sure that the most amount of people heard the tune.

Are the other Ruse band members happy to support this project or was there some trepidation about 'solo' projects?
 
Our drummer Jason has his own very cool sideproject called Heartour and has been putting out albums for years. Everyone is always supportive of each other- the more irons in the fire, the better!

What was their feedback about the album, did they like what you created?
 
They like it- Mark (our bass player) actually plays all the bass on the the WC album. So a big shout out to him for helping!

Where did the name Winter quarters come from?

We wanted to evoke an old west, civil war, frontier vibe for the project. The "Winter Quarters" is where the army used to march to and hole up for the winter. Just seemed like a cool idea, and felt right for the tunes.

My favourite track has to be 'The Hunted' where I especially enjoy the guitar work.  Is there a story behind this song?

We like that one too :) The idea of that song was to outline someone who felt "boxed in" by life- both physically (being stuck in a weird mansion and not being able to leave) and symbolically in his mind. Our friend Loghan Call (a great director) put together a very cool video with some footage of the woods/ocean that really seems to fit the idea.




Are you planning to play some gigs in support of this album?

Not yet! We need to get our act together and rehearse for a while before playing out. Want to make sure its something really special when we do make an appearance somewhere.

Have you any plans for another WQ albums or are you refocused on The Ruse's music?

We are currently focusing on The Ruse, getting ready to release a 5 song EP and 2 new videos. Hopefully we will be able to re-visit Winter Quarters with some new tunes soon. 

Do you have any forthcoming gigs or album release dates for The Ruse?

The Ruse EP will be out by November of this year.  Hoping to do some shows in NYC and LA to support it. 


I just want to thank Jim for his time and the frank answers he provided and if you want to check out more I suggest you head over to Winter Quarters Facebook page, The Ruse website and most importantly head over to itunes or Amazon and snap up a copy.

Music News: September 2011 Archive

23.09.11 The Darkness and Taylor Hawkins to link up to form supergroup?
A UK tabloid (The Daily Star) reported today that Taylor Hawkins, the drummer from Foo Fighters, and Justin Hawkins from The Darkness could be linking up to form a supergroup.  They will apparently be joined by Mads Langer and Sue Whitehouse on lead vocals. Whitehouse was the previous fiance of Justin and is the bands manager.  She said "Justin's more musically varied than people give him credit for. We often talk about forming a band with me singing, Justin playing guitar and Taylor on drums."

http://www.nme.com/news/tabloid-hell/59392

22.09.11 Adele announces arena gigs.
Adele announced at her Hammersmith gig that she will be playing the London O2 venue next year to a less than impressed audience.  The artist had previously said she would never play arena's, but that 'too many people want to see my shows'.  The audience booed and jeered at her which she took in her stride saying 'Don't worry, I'll still get into the crowd and everything.'

http://www.metro.co.uk/music/876295-adele-confirms-forthcoming-london-o2-arena-gig-at-hammersmith-show

21.09.11 REM 'call it a day.'
The band, REM, have announced on their website today that they will be splitting up.  They feel that the band has reached it's natural end and added in their statement "We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished."  They have said they will remain friends and will still see one another in the future.

http://news.qthemusic.com/2011/09/rem_announce_they_are_calling.html

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1446

15.09.11 Michael Jackson executors request to set up trust fund.
The executors of Michael Jackson's estate have asked a judge if they can set up a trust fund for his children with an initial amount of £19 Million.    The stars vast debts have been substantially reduced and the revenue from his albums and 'This Is It' DVD since his death have bolstered the value of the estate.  Permission has also been sought for the executors to sell Jackson's long time family home in the suburb of Encino.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14926647

15.09.11 Slash announces Live album from his Homecoming concert.
Slash has announced he will release a live album this autumn of his one-off homecoming concert at Stoke-on-Trents Victoria Hall.  The LP called 'Made in Stoke 24/7/11' will be released on November 14 as a double CD and a special edition CD/DVD version will also be released.  The concert featured both GnR and Velvet Revolver covers and the DVD will feature 5 bonus tracks and an interview with the guitarist.

http://www.nme.com/news/slash/59238

14.09.11 Annie Lennox launches exhibition with exhibits from her career.
Annie Lennox launched an exhibition at the V&A today that covers the outfits and other various exhibits from her solo career and time with the Eurythmics.  The display is part of a postmodernism exhibition and Lennox said "My display will be an overview and insight into the main archive of my work over the last few decades....I'm truly honoured that it will be 'housed' at the V&A."  The exhibition will be open until February 23 2012.

http://music.uk.msn.com/news/lennox-outfits-and-archive-on-show-4

10.09.11 Adele cancels a further 2 concert dates.
Adele has been forced to cancel a further 2 concert dates due to her ongoing cold and chest infection.  She has cancelled 6 dates in total from her UK tour and has been told by her doctors she has to recover fully before undetraking the tour.  Her website apologises for any inconvenience and states tickets will be valid for any rescheduled dates or they can be refunded.

http://www.metro.co.uk/music/875037-adele-cancels-dates-in-wolverhampton-on-uk-tour-due-to-ongoing-illness

10.09.11 Mitch Winehouse says Amy dies of Seizure related to alcohol detox.
Mith Winehouse, the father of Amy Winehouse, has said on American chat show Anderson that Amy died from a seizure caused by alcohol detoxification.  He said 'Everything Amy did, she did to excess. She drank to excess and did detox to excess'.  The toxicology results from her autopsy revealed that no drugs were in her system when she died, although there was some alcohol present.

http://www.nme.com/news/amy-winehouse/59134

07.09.11 PJ Harvey wins Mercury prize.
PJ Harvey has become the first person to win 2 Mercury Prize's after winning this years award for her album 'Let England Shake'.    One of the judges, Corinne Bailey Rae, said the deciding panel agreed Harvey should win adding, 'it was a tough decision, but we were in agreement.'  PJ harvey last won in 2001.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14815129

05.09.11 Red Hot Chili Peppers top UK album chart.
Red Hot Chili Peppers have topped the UK album chart with their latest offering 'I'm With You'.  This is the bands first offering since 2006's 'Stadium Arcadium' and with their new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

http://www.nme.com/news/red-hot-chili-peppers/59028

03.09.11 Springsteen busks in Boston.
Whilst in Boston helping his son move into University Bruce Springsteen couldn't help himself when he saw a busker playing guitar.  He sat on a wall and played the guitar for around 30 seconds, which thankfully was captured on video. 





http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bruce-springsteen-goes-busking-in-boston/

03.09.11 Adele drops hint she may beinging next Bond Theme.
Adele dropped a hint that she may be recording the next James Bond theme when she appeared on the new Joathon Ross show.  She said that she is going back into the studio in November 'Although this is actually a theme, what I've got to do'.  When Ross started humming the Bond theme Adele got embarassed and said 'Wow, thats really given something away.....No, it's a concept, it's one song'.  Rumour has been rife that she will be recording the next theme and this only adds fuel to the fire.

http://www.metro.co.uk/music/874333-adele-drops-james-bond-theme-music-hint-on-jonathan-ross-new-chat-show

03.09.11 Prince may have to pay $4 Million in perfume deal.
A judge has ruled that Prince will have to pay out almost $4 million over claims he failed to promote a perfume based upon his 2006 album '3121'.  A second judge has yet to confirm the amount.  It is claimed the artist didn't undertake agreed upon promotion which resulted in the perfume not reaching sales targets and the cancellation of the licensing agreement.  The artists lawyers have said he will fight to not pay compensation.

http://www.nme.com/news/prince/59019

02.09.11 Elvis Presley estate to sue Arista.
The estate of Elvis Presley is suing Arista music in Germany for unpaid royalties totalling £9 Million dating back to 2002 for ringtones, downloads and apps.  It is also claimed the label, then known as RCA, exploited Presley in a buyout of his back catalogue in 1973.  Arista's owner Sony refused to comment.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14760066

02.09.11 Ban on Dire Straits song 'Money for Nothing' lifted.
The ban by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council of the Dire Straits song 'Money for Nothing' has been lifted.  It had previously been banned after a complaint over the line 'the little faggot with the earring and the make-up', but the council ruled that the 'gay slur' had been used satircally and not in a hateful manner.


http://www.metro.co.uk/music/874226-ban-is-lifted-on-gay-slur-dire-straits-song-money-for-nothing

02.09.11 Cover art for Lou Reed/Metallica project released.
The cover art for the Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration project has been released today.   The album will be called Lulu and is due to be released on 1st November.  Lou Reed has continued his high praise of the project, saying the 5 musicians 'pushed as far as we possibly could'.

01.09.11 Jessie J receives 5 Mobo nominations.
Jessie J has received 5 nominations for this years Mobo awards which will be held in Glasgow on the 5th October.  Adele has received 4, as has Tinnie Tempah.  Jessie J, real name Jessica Cornish, has been nominated for Best Song, Best Album, Best Newcomer, Best Video and Best UK Act.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-14739469

Developing tastes in music.

There used to be a time when I would be extremely moved by listening to some music, that now when I play it doesn‘t have quite the same effect on me.  I’m thinking specifically of a Phil Collins album I have, ’….But Seriously‘.  I used to sneak this cassette into school on my walkman and when the tutor took register I’d furtively put one earphone in my ear and push play.  The opening track would begin in my ear and my day would’ve started off in the best way I knew how.

I remember particularly loving ‘I Wish It Would Rain Down’ and the guitar on this song, played by Eric Clapton, would make my stomach ache with emotion and the intro alone was enough to make the hairs on my arm stand up on end.

I played this album again recently and despite enjoying it immensely, perhaps for the nostalgia more than anything else, I was surprised to not feel the music as deeply as before.

This got me thinking about the years that have passed since I first heard this album and how it started to lose some of it’s impact from overplaying even back then.  With the passage of time, familiarity and my developing musical tastes, I guess it is inevitable that I won’t feel so moved by some music anymore.

Over time and by tuning my ear in, I have started to listen to rawer blues, more ‘out there’ jazz, heavier metal and more unusual musical genres that would have left me cold when I was a teenager.  I think you grow accustomed to a style of music and have to go rawer or heavier etc to get that same spark of musical adrenaline or thrill.  Kind of like becoming used to the effects of drugs and having to take more extreme doses to reach the same high state.  Thinking of music as my drug, this analogy isn’t that far off.

I can still enjoy the music I used to listen to as I grew up, like Phil Collins, but it doesn’t make my insides clench anymore.  But, the wonderful thing is, I am still able to get that feeling from other music that I discover, whilst still getting pleasure from the music I started out on.  I suppose this way I will never get bored by music and as some albums become like familiar friends that comfort and support me, other albums are more like those people you find that are new, exciting and challenging.  Having both types of people in your life is stimulating and rewarding for you and this also applies to the music I already have in my life and will gradually find as well.