How Cool Are Your Children?
When I was eight I was into Showaddywaddy. I didn't know any better. Having parents who are not into rock music in any form (my Dad is a jazz musician and rejects rock as devoid of musical value) I wasn't subjected to music from the heyday of rock. No Stones, Beatles (every cloud has a silver lining), Byrds, Beach Boys etc, etc. My only access to music other than jazz (which I now love) was Junior Choice with Ed Stewpot. 'The Runaway Train', 'Sparky's Magic Piano', and 'Puff The Magic Dragon' were my 'After The Goldrush'.
It took me until I was about thirteen to get it and find my way. Is it any different today? There has been a sea change since my parents generation and our childrens parents (i.e. us!) are more likely to have been into The Pistols than Perry Como. How has this affected our children/nieces/nephews musical taste? Have we been able to influence them in the wicked way of the 'devils music'?
My partners daughter is eight and over the last two years or so has, I am glad to say, been lapping up some great stuff.
It started when she heard me playing 'Cut' the seminal album by punky dreads The Slits. For some reason I have never fathomed it struck a chord with her and it is still on her playlist (much to her R&B loving mother's chagrin). She has subsequently discovered the joys of Japanese pop-meisters Pizzicato Five, Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura, The Kings Of Convenience, Teenage Fanclub, The Wonderstuff, The Lemonheads, Dinosaur Jnr's latest album,Ben Folds and more recently the new Bob Mould album and to my immense delight the great Leeds band Cud.
As soon as she comes to my house or gets into my car she asks for one of the above and plays them again and again. When I was eight I knew the words to 'Tiger Feet' but she can sing Evan Dando's 'Black Gown' from start to finish.
Not bad for an eight year old. I'd be interested to find out if anyone else's little 'uns are shaping up to be the next generation of The Word readership?
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My children
My daughter used to sing along to Warren Zevon's Carmelita when she was about 9. I begged her not to sing about being "all strung out on heroin" when she was at school. I took her to see Bob Dylan last year. She liked it. In two weeks we're going to see Brian Wilson. However, this Sunday I'm taking her to see the Britain's Got Talent concert: apparently no-one, Sicilian or otherwise, can refuse any request on Father's Day.
My son wandered into the room when he was about 3 and a half while I was watching Eat The Document. With no prompting whatsoever, he said, "Daddy, is that Bob Dylan? And is that The Band?" That's my boy.
What's the point of being a parent if you can't brainwash your children?
I have a problem
Much as I enjoy them sharing 'my' music, I don't think it's right. They should make their own journey from crap to poppy to different crap to discovering a certain style/genre that they love forever.
The absence is Top of The Pops is keenly felt in our house. We used to watch it all together and we'd dance around the room to Hung Up, and my wife and I would actually get to hear the number one or the latest holiday-classic or boy band. Now without that, show tunes from Saturday Night TV is all they have. I am even tempted to buy every Now That's...Music just to give them exposure.
She's her own girl.
My partners daughter made her own decision over The Slits. I actually turned it off when she came round (she is autistic and will only listen to what she wants. As soon as I turned it off she said "Can I listen to that music please" and that was that. An indie kid was born. If she doesn't like something she soon lets me know. I tried her with Blag Flag and Mudhoney to no avail but she likes Bob Mould so I'll give Husker Du a go at some point.
She is round tonight and is currently watching the Teletubbies on dvd to a soundtrack of Japanese pop from Pizzicato Five.
Cool
Aha! A gauntlet thrown down
Ok, then - if we're doing pictures...
This used to be my T shirt.
My daughter's nearly three
but has been "reviewing" records for a blog since she was 20 weeks old. Obviously, she didn't have much say in the early days as I foisted my favourites on her - plus she couldn't actually speak, but gestures and gurgles can convey so much. Or can be interpreted with poetic licence...
Anyway, she's way more opinionated now, and always wants to know who's singing. This can be a little wearing if I'm playing an album in the car and she asks the question with every track ("It's STILL Vampire Weekend, poppet"), but at least she's interested. Her current faves include LCD Soundsystem, Rihanna, Sam Sparro and, particularly, Estelle's 'American Boy'. Pretty cool, I reckon.
My 4 year old son asks for 3
My 4 year old son asks for 3 songs in particular, "go for a ride" - Teenage Wristband by the Twilight Singers, "vauxhall" - Touch Sensitive and Foldin' Money both by the Fall. I am quite proud of this but it is also slightly disturbing hearing a four year old singing You wanna go for a ride? I got sixteen hours to burn
And i'm gonna stay up all night. He is either going to be too cool for school or bullied something rotten, either way tricky times to come.