How often do you meet people in person with your music taste?

[Nick X]

Outside of shows/gigs of course.

I guess we are kind of a specific group of people but I was pretty impressed today with a kid at the check out at my grocery. He had a sort of Paul Weller haircut and was wearing a Vibrators, Damned and the Jam pin on the shirt.I was like, "you got taste man" and we got in a conversation about music. It's weird that we didn't know each other but anyhow, it's reassuring to meet people who like good music.

[IDON MINE]

It's getting better. Over the years, there have been spikes where it was more easy to see someone with the same tastes as yourself in places. Now, thanks to this site it has happened on a regular basis. Shirts, patches, bags and things have been a good conversation pick up point though.

But in everyday situations, hmmmmm. I often meet people with fairly the same taste in music, these people tend to be from the US though and have moved to Europe, coming from local scenes of either the West or Eastcoast, so there is common ground musicwise. I guess there is some kind of magnetism happening??

Most people I get to know outside of that, are not that much into music. For them, all this stuff outside of the big radio is just that "un-easy NOISE" - and no, that's no compliment ;) So, even if you point out what all is going on beyond that, there is not much ground to break, cause music to them is one of those activities that is immature and not worth the time next to lookin up new car models or patios, or early on vacation planning - you know the important things in life.

It often goes that way: "Oh, so you listen to that Rock'n'Roll stuff?? Elvis and the likes?? Are you a Rockabilly whatever type?? You don't dress it! All that stuff is too old fashioned for me, hehe!" Exaggerated of course, but that's the sum of it. I don't wanna play smart ass with these types, so I just let it go. But there are people with which you can have good, interesting talks about this kind of music and it's never a show off show.

And yeah, if the tone is right, I try to get into a conversation in a record store about, um, that record, but like y'all said: I don't push it.

[James Porter]

I have noticed, in the last decade or so, a newer generation of collectors coming up who were weaned on soul/funk and are going out of their way to acquire it on vinyl.

It does amaze me to see people in their twenties buying the same singles I bought for 50 cents at Wax Trax Records long ago. I almost want to say, damn, where were these "soul kids" 25 years ago when I needed them?

The main difference I see with the younger crew is that:
(a) they all seem to think that reissues are tools of the devil (shoot, I usually buy originals and reissues about equally)

(b) they think $10 is cheap (well, these folks did grow up in the post-CD age, so I guess they have a different viewpoint of what a bargain is)

(c) they're a lot more tolerant of disco and "modern soul" than I am

[John Battles]

As James knows (Cheech Marin voice: Uhhhhhh....We're not TOGETHER. We was just gunna meet some girls inside ! You know , pick 'em up !) , the Northern Soul mentality killed it for reissues in that field. That only means , if you see a reissue , "A bargain at $10" or more , that you can probably pick it up , next week . However , I don't know what these younger people mean. If it's an original , hard to find , LP in very good to mint shape , $10 would be a bargain...Even reissues have averaged 8 to 10 $ on vinyl for 20 - plus years....A lot of European reissues , now are twice that , or more.... For the same reason I just saw an article bemoaning the rising costs of gas , with a photo of a gas station sign , with prices listed at $4 to $4.19 a gallon , when it's this close to $5 on the North Side of Chicago....People seem to spend more , the deeper we get into recession. You'd think one  SUV or Hummer (Whatever.) with no passengers would be but a memory , but there's always a demand for penis substitute , right ?  If those kids see a record you once bought for a dollar to 50 cents for $10 and say (Eddie Murphy voice) "Whatta bargain", it means they have more money to set on fire.....And we're old enough to remember when the economy was on the rise.

The price of CDs should have gone down centuries ago , but , we talked about that , elsewhere.....As for newfound tolerance for Disco and Modern Soul (Meaning 80's and up.) ,  what's happening to our youth ?! (Sound of tears).

[G.G.Plant]

I don't believe anyone actually asked you about the new Rod Stewart album.

and yeah we all like Tom T. Hall.

swt said:

Very rarely -- especially in the garage-punk realm. I remember running into an acquaintance in a parking lot wearing a Dead Moon T-shirt. I almost hugged him.

I am a hillbilly music nut and have a local radio show for that obsession, so it's a little easier to find common ground with folks with old country stars like Willie Nelson or Roger Miller. (Just don't ask me about virtually any country act played on commercial radio since about 1980.)

I do a weekly music column at my paper (the local daily). So people cone up to me all the time and say stuff like, "You're a music fan. What do you think of the new Rod Stewart album?" My first thought is usually "You don't actually read the words in my column do you?"

On the other hand, ever so often people come up and tell me I've turned them on to some good music with my column or radio shows. That's always nice.

But more often, I'm like Mark. When someone asks me what I've been listening to and I spout off names of bands I really like, even a lot of the country bands, people look at me like I'm nuts.

[Gary Calimocho]

Rarely...but I;d still consider garagepunk/garagerock/trash/sleaze/punkblues etc are all niche minority tastes - pound for pound you're gonna meet less people who share your tastes, but it's fucking awesome when you do :-)

[Last Night]

and when you meet someone she/he's often in a band you listen to or heard of...

[swt]

No man, it's true. Rod Stewart, Clapton, all these dusty old "classic" rockers. Remember, I'm a lot older than you, so I get approached a lot by fellow old farts.

And yes, I do love Tom T. I had the pleasure of performing for him in the early '80s here in Santa Fe. At that show Butch Hancock (The Flatlanders) joined me onstage for a duet on "America the Beautiful." True story!

G.G.Plant said:

I don't believe anyone actually asked you about the new Rod Stewart album.

and yeah we all like Tom T. Hall.

swt said:

Very rarely -- especially in the garage-punk realm. I remember running into an acquaintance in a parking lot wearing a Dead Moon T-shirt. I almost hugged him.

I am a hillbilly music nut and have a local radio show for that obsession, so it's a little easier to find common ground with folks with old country stars like Willie Nelson or Roger Miller. (Just don't ask me about virtually any country act played on commercial radio since about 1980.)

I do a weekly music column at my paper (the local daily). So people cone up to me all the time and say stuff like, "You're a music fan. What do you think of the new Rod Stewart album?" My first thought is usually "You don't actually read the words in my column do you?"

On the other hand, ever so often people come up and tell me I've turned them on to some good music with my column or radio shows. That's always nice.

But more often, I'm like Mark. When someone asks me what I've been listening to and I spout off names of bands I really like, even a lot of the country bands, people look at me like I'm nuts.

[Jersey City Mods]

Sometimes for fun we'll go to a semi-divey bar when its not too crowded and play $5 worth of whatever garage/punk/psych/etc we can find on the digital jukebox (its there, you just have to pay extra for it).  Usually there isn't much of a reaction unless the bartender thanks us for not playing Top 10 crap.  Once in a great while though, we wind up meeting someone with our taste and spend the next few hours happily trading stories and recommendations for movies, music, etc. I guess if it happened all the time, it wouldn't be that special.

[Joanie Lindstrom]

I'm always shocked at how few people notice good background music.  Maybe it's the DJ in me but I'm always listening, me and other DJ friends try to name that tune before the other person, etc.  Others act like it's white noise.  Oh well.

[Jersey City Mods]

Exactly!  We were in Macy's last Christmas and heard a weird Muzak-y version of Pixies "Gigantic".  We couldn't believe our ears, but no one else was paying any attention.  Zombie apocalypse now!

 

Joanie Lindstrom said:

I'm always shocked at how few people notice good background music.  Maybe it's the DJ in me but I'm always listening, me and other DJ friends try to name that tune before the other person, etc.  Others act like it's white noise.  Oh well.

[Wipeout!]

Got real lucky last nite, fellow GaragePunk Hideout member Warren of the Berries made it out to my band's show and it was wild gettin' to speak to another fiend in the flesh...we do exist!

[Alison]

Kinda never.  It was easier when I was younger and in college where people often defined themselves by their musical tastes so it was a constant and accepted conversation.  Now I feel too old to let people know that I still collect records and go to shows.  Happily, my husband shares my musical interests.