Tara from Sticky Fingers recently blogged about her induction to music as a child. Which set me thinking:
I don’t really remember a great deal of music being played in our house. Certainly for a long time I believed that I didn’t like music (until I discovered that it was actually just that I didn’t like 80′s music).
This musical absence is strange considering that my dad was a member of a band and was also friends with some fairly successful folk musicians. Some of whom had even been on Top of the Pops (as a member of the Dubliners).
My dads band was called Black Cauldron and basically played ceilidh music. His accordion was an ever present brooding menace in the house, with cats, dogs, and children diving for cover every time picked it up. The accordion is a noble ensemble instrument, but solo it can be a little grating. Especially when it’s playing the same jig over and over again.
Twenty five years form now Amy and Evan may well be writing on their holo-blogs about me torturing them with the ukulele – but to be honest the amount I practice I’ll be surprised if they even remember I own one.
I think I was about 15 before I really started to appreciate music, and back then it was a friend who got me into it rather than my parents. Deacon Blue were a big favourite, as was Meatloaf and Richard Marx (oh the shame). These days I’m pretty well entrenched in my Geek Rock (Barenaked Ladies, they Might Be Giants, Ben Folds), although my dad must have had some influence on me because I like a bit of folk too (although more singer/songwriter folk than finger-in-your-ear folk).
Music plays a bigger part in my kids lives than I think it did mine. Possibly because they have somehow wrestled control of every form of media from our grasp. Amy is pretty heavily into High School Musical and Hannah Montana, but I’ve also indoctrinated her with They Might Be Giants and Barenaked Ladies’ kids stuff too. As the younger brother Evan is pretty much forced to like whatever Amy likes, at least for the time being.
At the moment however the entire family are particularly enjoying a bunch of Eric Herman CD’s I recently won in a contest over at A Family Runs Through It. We’ve been aware of Eric for a while due to his excellent Elephant song video on youtube which is one of our Kids all time favorites, have a look – I guarantee that any pre-school kid will love it:
This is such a cute video – love it! Deacon Blue played at my uni and the lead singer tapped me on the head. I can’t even remember a single one of their songs anymore. Maybe that’s why!
Liz (LivingwithKids)´s last blog ..Mistletoe and (sparkling) wine
@Liz (LivingwithKids), Deon Blyue are one of the few bands that I liked then that I like now. Ricky ross is the name of the lead singer by the way. he had a rather large gap in his teeth.
I’m pretty sure dudelet is already writing a secret diary of horror stories of what he’s had to suffer (“Today I had to listen to Them Crooked Vultures – won’t daddy ever learn to TURN IT DOWN! That isn’t proper music, not like Jazz FM” I’m not kidding about Jazz FM) that he’ll embarrass me with one day in a kind of strange rewrite of Edmund Gosse’s Father and Son.
Hannah Montana – I can see that there’s an incoming downside about to reveal itself in having a daughter.
Dad Who Writes´s last blog ..What music did you first listen to? (Ritual and initiation)
@Dad Who Writes, it’s the peer pressure – you just can’t fight it.
Actually I’d argue that many of those disney songs from High school Musical and Ms Montana are very well crafted pop tunes.
Electric Car, as you know, has found its way from you to me, and also to be son’s request list when we get in the motor.
I won’t share this video with him with that in mind.
SingleParentDad´s last blog ..Pop, pop, pop music, talk about, pop music
@SingleParentDad, you can do a lot worse than a bit of Eric Herman. He lives in Idaho Dad’s basement you know.
@Dan, Oh wow, I forgot about that. I should go feed him or something.
@Idaho Dad,
Music played a HUGE role in my life growing up – my dad is a sound engineer. He worked with the likes of UB40, Duran Duran, Iron Maiden – oops, look at that I dropped a whole bunch of names there!
I think it’s great for children to be surrounded by all kinds of music. My son adores The Killers and Red Hot Chilli Peppers but today we’ve been rocking out to Nat King Cole and Dean Martin Christmas songs.
He also claims to love Dolly Parton thanks to grandma, but am hoping to beat that out of him in the near future . . .
Oh and movie songs seem to really stick with my two. They are forever singing Zip a Dee Doo Dah (SP?) and Kidnap the Santy Claus (Nightmare Before Christmas). Now I’ve just said that, it’s dawned on me that folks must think we are strange.
Tara@Sticky Fingers´s last blog ..What music did you grow up with?
@Tara@Sticky Fingers, my dad is sort of a sound engineer – inthat he did it on a semi professional basis for a while. All folk acts though – Kate Rusby is the most famous.
You didn’t like 80′s music? I’m shocked. Shocked, stunned, and quite frankly sick to my stomach. I’ve never heard such heresy.
Kevin Spencer´s last blog ..Obligatory iPhone Review One Week On
@Kevin Spencer, no, no. Hear’say were 2001.
You should expose your kids to The Receders. I hear they’re the biggest thing… in the north side… of St. Cloud, MN.
Jeff´s last blog ..Somebody get my walker
@Jeff, What he said! A Receders song popped up on my iPod while walking at the gym last week and it was so perfect I hit repeat twice.
We love, love, love music of all kinds Chez Aspie. N3S and I have a very eclectic taste in music and everyone else here just seems to listen to whatever we are enjoying. Except for Christmas carols, out of the 5 of us, N3S and I seem to be the only ones who enjoy them and N2S keeps threatening to hide them.
DJ Kirkby´s last blog ..My Silicone Enhancments
@DJ Kirkby, I have a huge collection of christmas music, but just haven’t felt like playing them this year.
Dan´s last blog ..I can hear music
I still remember that tape you sent me when you were at uni to ensure I didn’t get into crap music.
Sam´s last blog ..Seasons
@Sam, wow – that was very brotherly of me.
bet it was full of crap music though :)
Dan´s last blog ..I can hear music
For some reason, mumford & sons reminds me of you.
This post explains why.
Martin´s last blog ..Antsy
@Martin, I just bought that album yesterday – and very much like it (although it’s a bit samey)
whatever your taste in music, you do have a nice christmas hit (or so I’ve heard…Rage against the machine..instead of some pop-idol hit :P)
Arjan´s last blog ..Bike trouble
@Arjan, yes, although the profits of both singles went into the pockets of sony, so i think that they are probably the biggest winners.
I’m grateful that my Dad introduced me to a lot of great music as a kid. I’m hoping I can do the same thing. But no damn 80′s music. That was the unfortunate music of my youth!
I’ll try the Elephant Song out on the boys in the morning.
A Free Man´s last blog ..Will I be with you or will I be among the missing?
@A Free Man, The elephant song is really worth the effort. I’m not saying it’s going to replace Arcade fire in your library, but i bet your kids will love it.
Hi Dan,
Don’t know if you know Spare the Rock Spoil the Child (http://sparetherock.com/wordpress/) – it’s a US radio programme that you can listen to over here which is full of pretty good music – it’s tag line is indie music for indie kids. I’ve found lots of new stuff that I enjoy listening to along with the kids.
Glad you found my comet post – I did think of you when I posted it as I thought it might appeal to you :-)
Really hope your worries about the apocalypse are easing. New Year can be a very strange time indeed.
Zoe´s last blog ..Crashing into the New Year