It was a bitter and brisk winters day. Outside, in the cold December air I light up a cigarette. Deeply, I inhale the bittersweet chemicals and carcinogens. Just hopelessly fighting to drain the last bit of pleasure out of my break. Suddenly, my tranquility is shattered by the unthinkable. Another human being. To make it worse he is a colleague of mine. I put on my best “I give a fuck face” and engage in mind numbing small talk. All was going as bland and awkward as usual, but then came the the question. A question which makes every cell in my body shudder. Surely he’s not going to say it. Oh DEAR GOD, here it comes…
“What sort of music do you like.”
How is anybody that appreciates music POSSIBLY meant to answer this? It’s like asking somebody what sort of oxygen they like to breath. Music is music. Society has a tendency of classifying and categorizing every little thing. Yes, this is convenient and efficient for types of music but WHY do people feel the need to tie themselves onto a specific genre. Again, people feed society cliche’ expectations. “I am this sort of person. I should like this music.” Coincidentally getting get stuck on one type of music because they feel that that’s the type of music they should listen to.
I too, fell into this trap when was younger. Hey, I’m an angsty teenager with long hair. Looks like I have to listen to metal. Then anything outside of metal was seen as obsolete and not worth my time. Even if I enjoyed a piece of music, if it was by a contradictory artist to my style then it was a big no.
The human race seems adamant on putting everything into groups and categories. Why? Because it’s the best feeble attempt we have at making sense of this complex world. Sometimes it can feel like theirs some sort of all powerful deity. Creating us out of a mold. “Misanthropic chubby male with long black hair and patchy facial beard. This one shall be a Slipknot fan.” Oh wait that’s the media.
- “Not nice. I’m un-following you now Tom.”
As I’ve gotten older I have realized that things are not as simple as this. The purpose of music is to evoke emotional response through the use of sound. Every piece of music does this and regardless of how or what instruments they use. It is still music. I beg you. take a chance and listen to something new. Broaden your horizons or you’ll be stuck as the media’s mule, listening to the same shit on repeat until the end of your days.
Music has and always will be, a series of pitches and frequencies which vibrate your ear drum in such a specific way that it sounds nice.
So to answer you question. I like music.
So, readers how do you answer this painful question when it arises? After, all it’s a pretty tough one. You could go with the tried and tested “I like all sorts of music” but lets be honest, that’s just a shit answer to a shit question. With me, it’s normally followed by a series of “um… ums… hmmm…” until the person either goes away, or dies spectacular and spontaneous death. Whatever your answer, leave it as a comment below. As I am truly stumped.
–THE LONELY CROWDED WEST–
The Lonely West 
