If You’re Older than 40!

Good thread for us "oldies." I'll address the thread and Slarti's good point.

First at 51, I have and still am a music lover. I was brought up with the classic prog kings-KC, Tull, Yes, Genesis, ELP, etc. and listen to them with some regularity-even went to see Ian Anderson live last night. But I also have searched regularly for newer prog to expand and keep my collection fresh and interesting, and have found bands like Marillioin, IQ, RPWL, Riverside, Tool, Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, 5 Bridges, Porcupine Tree and many others. I enjoy these newer bands tremendously and it has given me a wide selection to listen to.

As for kids, I have a 21 year old and a 17 year old and I am happy to say that both my kids can appreciate much of what I listen to. We have gone as a family to see Rush and Tool and they really like Porcupine Tree. They may not listen to what I listen to when with their friends, but they will pick things from they  my ipod when we are driving places. Interestingly, most of my sons friends can't stand what I listen to and have made comments about the weird s*#t their dad is playing. I think if the parents weren't playing prog around the house, kids don't get into it because they never get exposed.

This is my case. The only difference is that I'm 39. I have also been out of music for maybe seven years and then I returned strongly in the past 2 years.

In the 90's I became less involved in music. I got married, became father of a daughter and had other focuses.

In the fall of 2004 I discovered PA and my interest in music was kindled again. In the last few years I have discovered new bands and artists as well as bands from the seventies I did not pay attention to.

Sometimes I will drink good wine and spend the evening listening to Krautrock. Then I will dismiss everything mentioned above and spend a few weeks listening to Frank Zappa, The GTO'S, Captain Beefheart, The Residents, Throbbing Gristle, Charles Mingus,  Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and John McLaughlin. Then I spend a weekly period listening to Avant-Garde 20th Century composers Varese, Cage, Crumb, plus,....a lot of American electronic artists from the 60's like Wendy Carlos, Ruth White, Mort Garson, Beaver & Krause, and Terry Riley (don't know where he hails from?) etc.

Then it's Mike Oldfield and David Bedford night and sometimes my favorite film score in the world "The Day The Earth Stood Still" by Bernard Hermann. I greatly enjoy Conventum and Harmonium from Canada, Goblin and PFM, from Italy and Univers Zero and Art Zoyd etc. The list never ends. I have many traditional folk recordings. Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, Pentangle, John Renbourn etc. Modern American folk like Sara Hickman, October Project and the weirdness of Nick Drake.

I have hundreds of Blues cd's ranging from the Delta style to Chicago. Howlin' Wolf, Son House, John Lee Hooker, and Robert Johnson and so many more. British Blues I greatly enjoy also. The Yardbirds, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Climax Blues Band, John Mayall, early Rolling Stones, Rory Gallagher, even the Free albums which are harder edged. I never liked Ten Years After but, I love the early Jethro Tull. Also Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Canned Heat, and the early Johnny Winter.

I can go from Jazz or Blues to Classical music in a heartbeat. I suddenly might desire to hear one Bella Bartok piece  and just continue listening to his music for the rest of the night. Of the newer prog bands today....I love White Willow and Karda Estra.  I also listen to crossover bands of the 70's like 10CC and Supertramp. I like The Beatles and The Kinks and the bizzare Smile album from The Beach Boys. Friends in the past have asked me "How can you go from one style to the next?" or "It makes no sense whatsoever" I guess I'm a freak however, it doesn't seem un-natural does it? I mean.....is this too out of bounds or is it common? I love music.