i'm into music for music's sake (repost from myspace)

september 25, 2006:

I am not into music for the stardom. I feel that people who make music are like us. Like the rest of us. Like people who found their souls' calling in accounting. Or people who find joy and purpose managing a Super Walmart. They are folks who have figured it out. People who know what they can do and go out there every day and gogogo to make of this life they very best they can. They are admirable. I doubt very seriously, though, that I will ever be the gushy type to ask for autographs when I see Ludacris at Fellini's. If he were standing next to me in line for something, I might say, "oh, hey, Chris, right? I really enjoy your music. Have a good night." Cuz, come on, he's just a dude who does something well. And we all appreciate appreciation.



Which brings me to my second of three related points: I don't know what most of the people whose music I enjoy look like. There is a very small group whom I could recognize out of context. Mostly, if I found myself in line at Kroger behind some famous singer, I would be completely oblivious. If im ever on the same flight as a musician of some sort, I often have to be informed after the fact. Meh. I mean, if they were sitting there singing I'd know. And that would rock cuz it's the music that I dig. But just standing around, being a dude…not so much. Which I don't think is so crazy. Cuz im not in it for the dudeness; for them standing around looking like rockstars. Im in it for the music. The soul food.



So, but. There are a few bands and/or artists whom I can recognize when they're just being dudes. Just buying Doritos. Just eating pizza. Just flipping through the magazine rack. Not many, but there are some. Theyre either the high-profile super-famousy type, like Gwen Stefani, or someone whose cd I've actually bought and whom I really dig, like, say, Andre 3000.



And so heres my story:

My roommate, Tom, and I were walking around, doing some errands. So we're walking down the road, talking and laughing, we round a corner and boom! find ourselves at an Indigo Girls concert. These girls belong to the elite list of Bands I Can Recognize on Sight, and I am thrilled. Tom, being the only straight male in the crowd, is intrigued, but probably not thrilled. So they were just playing and singing out front of Criminal Records, to a crowd of 150 or so lesbians, me, and Tom. It all seemed so impromptu [although it wasn't] and organic [except for the speakers and amps] and I wish I had had more time to stand around in awe of the moment.



Rather than have a dénouement and conclusion, I'm just gonna stop writing and enjoy the memory.