Music and Growing Old

I have a theory regarding music and growing old. To begin with I consider having a varied and eclectic taste in music of the utmost importance. Growing up I noticed with some bemusement, that people around me tended to develop strongly biased opinions towards particular types of music.

Things have changed somewhat over the years but music snobbery still persists. To many Pop music is crap and too commercial, Classical is pompous and old fashioned, Electro Punk, just noise. As we grow up we tend to hold on to a period we are comfortable with and rarely move past it. I like to call this 'Old Rocker Syndrome' There are I'm sure many exceptions to this generalization and I'm sure many a Granny rocks out to Snow Patrol but I think it should be the norm not the exception.

My late grandfather was a great man, but a serious creature of habit. He was born and bred in Kerry but started a family in Galway 200 km away. All his life he listened to one station... Radio Kerry. Even though the reception in Galway was terrible still he persevered. At times he would be driving to nothing but white noise. Bar checking local traffic reports he would not change that station. I felt both admiration and confusion towards this most unusual of habits. Knowing my own stubbornness I also knew if not careful I would undoubtedly end up the exact same way!

My challenge is this. Buy/listen/relate to at least one album every year from the charts. If every year of your life just one single album peaks your interest, you're on the right track. (Plus you will have a music collection to rival your grandchildren's by the time you are 70!)

This applies to other areas also. Every year, make sure at least one item of clothing in your wardrobe is something funky and new. I know I definitely want to be the Granddad who wears beneath his tattered tweed jacket this seasons newest Liverpool shirt. Staying true to yourself is of course important, and growing old gracefully is an art in itself BUT there is a balance.

I'm proud to say my first three albums as a child were as follows: 'Beethoven's Symphony No. 9', 'The Beachboy's-Greatest Hits' and 'Ace of Base-Happy Nation'. This was 1994.

I'm also proud to say that this week along side 'Florence and the Machine' and 'Regina Spektre' I will also be listening to the soundtracks to Glee...CD 1 and 2!