More Zonkyness

It is not often I think how old an album is; to me a great album just is whether it is young or old, but I got reminded recently that Nirvana’s Nevermind album is coming up to 20 years old. When it was first released, I was in two places that stopped me from appreciating the album properly.

Firstly I was too old … even being in my early 20s to fully appreciate the impact of those filled with the rage of the misfit. Secondly I was not really listening to music – in particular new music – during that period because, well frankly most of it seemed like crap to me. But it gradually crept up on me – tracks from the album kept being played in the unlikeliest places, and I eventually got a copy to listen to properly.

Of course “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was played too often especially in the “unlikely” places, which is why I’ve chosen “Come As You Are” although I could have chosen many others.

It is interesting reading about the feelings of those who had their “rage of the misfit” moments listening to Nirvana. They would have you believe that this was a special moment in the history of the music industry and teenagers were in the middle of some kind of ‘special moment’. Well, they’re entitled to their belief but as you can guess I think they’re pretty much totally wrong.

That’s not to say Nirvana wasn’t a special band, and Kurt Cobain wasn’t a special person. They (and he) were.

Firstly the music industry are always keen to pick up on any bands that are appealing to a significant demographic (i.e. making money). Sure they’re also manufacturing bands that have about as musical merit as the sounds effects I make in a boring bath. Sure you can point to individual instances where bands that have later become popular were ignored by the “industry”, although when you look closer it turns out they were ignored by particularly dumb individuals who even the music industry doesn’t like.

Not that I think the music industry is good mind you, but hit them with a 2×4 made out of dollar bills, and they’ll get the point … eventually.

Secondly there seems to be some sort of idea floating around that post Reagon teenagers were somehow “special”. Bullshit. All the best teenagers rage against the conformity of the small town and small thinking. It’s part of growing up for anyone who is inclined to shout “Fuck You” at the establishment. If they’re lucky such teenagers find a contemporary kind of music that appeals to them; if they’re not so lucky, they tend to find something from the past. But either way there’s music there.

It’s easy to look at someone from a different generation and think that they’re so different. I tend to look and see the similarities … well if they share the rage of the misfit of course!