I like to think of myself as musical. Once, I was in a choir. Another time, I played the clarinet. Never mind that the conductor didn't allow me to perform with the high school band. I still tooted the thing in practice.
Which leads me to electro swing. And power pop. And techno. All genres of music.
Now I don't know where I've been - other than sitting on the sidelines when the band went on stage - but I've never heard of these.
Back in the day when I went to Kelly's Records, allowance in hand every Saturday, I eyeballed the rock section and the folk section.
There were sections for classical music, and country and soul and blues and gospel and jazz.
I do not recall a section for industrial metal or gangsta rap or boom bap hip hop. They may have been there, but I paid no attention, as fixated as I was with James Taylor.
I was an Eagles girl. I was a Cat Stevens girl. I was a Billy Joel girl. I was a Beach Boys girl.
I was not a glam punk gal.
Nor was Ia garage punk gal, or a garage rock gal. I haven't even the foggiest idea what garage music is, but I imagine it's something that's recorded by young people whose mothers banish them from the main part of the house when the drums get too loud.
Then there's Indie pop. I have a feeling it's been around for a bit, but asking me to name an Indie pop song would be like asking me to name the 10 best tunes for clarinet. I couldn't name even one. These days, when I'm on the bus and heading to work, my fellow commuters are groovin' with their headphones on. Given that most of them have probably never heard of Kelly's Records - let alone the word "groovin'" - I imagine they are listening to something other than Cat Stevens or Billy Joel.
Odds are, they're doing the Indie pop thing. Or perhaps the new age thing or the death metal thing. Again, haven't a clue what death metal is, but it sounds pretty darn dark, and nothing at all like the Beach Boys.
There's nothing in the genre that would rival Good Vibrations.
I have to say, I oughta know. I'm musical, after all.
