Context

Well, seeing as I seem to be at a bit of a blockage with my drawing, lets talk about something that I've been thinking about a fair bit recently.

Context.

Well, how the context in which you hear music for the first time affect how much you like it.

Despite my confessions, I'm pretty much primarily a rocker.  Not metalhead, not anymore. These days most 'Heavy Metal' leaves me cold, but I do still like my loud guitars and whatnot.  So 'Rocker' will do for now. 

With that in mind, it's astounding how much music I simply do not get until I have a context for it.  There's no space in my brain for music until I've found a way to latch onto stuff (which is where a pop hook comes in handy), which can take me a while.

For the longest time, I did not get bands like Slipknot and Rammstien.   Slipknot's popularity is still a bit of a mystery to me, I mean, yes they're good, but THAT good?  People think so, so I guess I'm not connecting with them the way a lot of other people do.  Same with Rammstien really, but I think I like them a bit more. So what does this have to do with context? 

I live on my own.  I spent most of my time alone in the dark, so without a big obvious hook or chorus to grab me, I stuggled to fit them in.  They both had the occasional song that did, but not enough to make me say I was a fan.  Then I found out that a couple of my friends were fans of Rammstein. I listened to it with them.  It began to find a space. The context that the music gained was that my friends like this band, and I have had fun with my friends whilst this band was on.  This band = fun.

And it doesn't just apply to the stuff that's normally in my comfort zone, either.  Way back when I was a university student I had some blistering good times that were soundtracked by 5ive, so now I harbour a bit of an unnatural fondness for them...

No such thing as a guilty pleasure in my world...

Equally, however, theres a lot of music out there that has a negative context, because of the negative situations I found myself in at the time.  Music that I feel that under different circumstances I should like, I just cannot.  Because I got hurt when I first heard them, because my contextualisation of them was with an unhappy event, even just unhappy thoughts, then I'm not going to like stuff.  So, yeah... Slayer for example.  I really don't think I'm ever going allow myself to 'get' Slayer.

And things that helped me with difficult times, I now find that I struggle to listen to at all, because they remind me of the darkness that I went through.  New Order, Depeche Mode...Even Nirvana and Joy Division to an extent.  Hell, even 'Closer' by Nine Inch Nails is a hard listen, especially in a club, because of the negative emotions I've attached to that situation. 

I'm actually finding it easier to think of and write about those songs that I like that people wouldn't expect of me.  Again, mostly pop music, really.  Because I allow myself to go out to clubs that play this goofy happy music, because I listen to people who can tell me why they think a song is good, because I'm not all that happy most of the time and so the stuff that does cheer me up sticks...  Because I want to remember being happy.

Right, I seem to be making less and less sense, so I'll leave off here. Besides, it's been a rough old week, and I need to get back to my Machine Head.

Peace, y'all.