DOWSING FOR LIGHT

When goils were goils… March 17, 2011

According to a few sources out there, Jon Bon Jovi made the following statement, which I will assess bit by bit:

“Kids today have missed the whole experience of putting the headphones on, turning it up to 10, holding the jacket, closing their eyes and getting lost in an album;”

What exactly are the kids missing? I’m pretty sure they still put on headphones and crank it to 10, probably even close their eyes and get lost in the music. So is it the holding of the jacket that the kids are missing? Looking at a few pictures or liner notes meant to enhance some music that should stand well-enough on its own?

“and the beauty of taking your allowance money and making a decision based on the jacket, not knowing what the record sounded like, and looking at a couple of still pictures and imagining it.”

I learned my lesson quickly about that “beauty”. It was an album by a band called Cacophony and it sucked. Had I been able to sample any album and any song I wanted (like you can today on the internet), I’d have spent my money on something that didn’t suck. I think Bon Jovi needs to dig into a Whitman’s sampler and realize there are just as many good results from a blind choice as there are bad.

“God, it was a magical, magical time.”

Yeah. Poof! Your $12 has turned into some sucky music. Better luck next time!

“I hate to sound like an old man now, but I am, and you mark my words, in a generation from now people are going to say: ‘What happened?’.”

Here’s what happened: we saved some trees and forced music to stand on its own merits.

“Steve Jobs is personally responsible for killing the music business.”

Wait…couldn’t we really blame Al Gore for inventing the medium through which Jobs destroyed the music business? I get where he was going with his statement, but it really just boils down to his own pleasant memories. Kids used to love to role hoops around with sticks; does that mean today’s kids are missing out?

Tune in next week when we hear from someone waxing nostalgic about how vinyl sounds better than the real thing…