Wondering

For the longest time in high school i COULD NOT understand why my favorite band at the time, Led Zeppelin, wasn't being listened to by my peers. In fact, the only people who commented on my t-shirts of the band were my teachers (oddly enough). And the same things happened as my tastes blossomed so that my favorites included MANY other bands, like NIN, Tool, Radiohead, Jesus Lizard, etc. But what finally struck me, and what echoes what many people in this thread have been saying, is that what is good for me probably doesn't fly with other people. In fact, there are people whom i hold in high regard who like music that is completely different from what i like. But what finally comforted me in all of this was the thought that it's ALL RIGHT for one to have different tastes than one's neighbor/friend/brother/whatever. In fact, whatever gets you to that "place", the place where you feel wonderful while enjoying your favorite music, is JUST FINE. It certainly cannot be a bad thing if people, listening to different kinds of music, get the same goosebumps at the end of it all. I'm a cello performance major, and i feel thrilled to be performing Bach's St. Matthew's Passion, and i get the same thrilling feeling while listening to Lateralus or Dark Side of the Moon.

"Pop" music may seem to many to be a revolting adversary that runs contrary all that is good in music by artists like TOOL, but as long as people are enjoying it, i say FUCK IT. If everyone comes away feeling good and content and cleansed after listening to their music, i really see no harm in it. The fact that i'm not necessarily into another person's music is inconsequential. As long as we both come away with the same positive feeling at the end of the day, i think we'll both be better for it