Part Three: This ain't the summer of love.

So today I'm wondering what band I'm going to write about while I'm shopping in the Asian food bodega we call a grocery store here. Through out the store you can hear this cheerful sounding elevator music which is pretty typical for most grocery stores but today is different. As I'm deciding whether or not to buy apples or junk food I figured out what was playing. A cowbell-less, saxed up version of Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper."

Now I've known of Blue Oyster Cult for a long time but it wasn't until a few years back I picked up a "Best of" that I wanted to hear more of their music. Of course I knew "Don't Fear The Reaper" because of the SNL skit and HIM covered it but I really didn't know much else by them.

So it was off to Turntable to pick up some records and I got to talking to the guys there about the band and they told me some interesting stories from they had heard over the years. I can't really remember much about those stories and that doesn't really matter either. It was at Turntable where they told me about the concert coming up at Bear Mountain Arena with BC/DC.

Just like that I was off to get tickets to the show for myself and a couple friends. When we arrived it was a mixture of people are age and people a hell of a lot older then us. It didn't seem to matter though because once the band started playing everyone was enjoying themselves.

There was a defining moment in the concert where I knew I truly liked this band. They started playing "Godzilla" a big hit by Blue Oyster Cult but in the middle of the song there was a five minute bass solo then what seemed like a 10 minute drum solo. When you are young that kind of blows your mind you don't see things like that at concerts often. To this day Darryl and I still reminisce about that concert which is pretty impressive seen we have been to so many over the years.

I never make a road trip cd with out their song "Burnin' for you" in my opinion one of the best driving songs out there. Plus it's about selling your soul to the Devil to be famous.

Till next weeks installment.

Part Two: Gathers No Moss.


I feel that the music you listen to now is directly linked to your personal upbringing. In many cases linked to specific family members who love specific bands. In my case I've inherited my Grandpa's love and respect for The Rolling Stones.

A few months ago my grandparents were living down in Victoria (they regularly live in Nanaimo) why my grandpa was receiving treatment for prostate cancer. One day we decided to take them to Floyd's for breakfast and as I'm talking to the one of the waitresses I notice out of the corner of my eye my Pops doing this dance.

Now when I say dance it's really the only way to describe it. It's more like a shuffle mixed with air guitar and him singing along to the lyrics. Pretty amazing if you ask me. This continues through out breakfast as they seem to be playing the entirediscography while sit and eat our exceptional breakfasts. My grandpa has seen them several times live over the last handful of years and loves every moment of every concert.

The Rolling Stones were one of my first experiences with rock'n'roll music and I'm thankful for it. I have several dubbed cassette tapes made for me that for a long I listened to non stop. And as technology got better several burned CDs.

Every time I hear their songs on the radio I hum along to the songs even though I know all the words (I can't sing).

When my Pops gave me his old Fischer record player I was given my first new (reprint) album by my aunt "Hot Rocks 1964 - 1971." I swear to god that album is worn out after how much I listened to it. I also inherited my parents record collection which almost has their complete discography.

In 1997 I went to my first concert ever! In "Winterpeg" it was for "The Bridges to Bablyon Tour" it seemed to be a family affair.

Later in 2006 I finally repaid my grandpa by taking him to the "Bigger Bang Tour" in Vancouver. Where we stayed in a semi-seedy hotel and all the restaurant were closed so we ate food from 7-11 as snow fell on a city that doesn't usually get snow. We had an amazing time and IF The Stones ever tour again I plan on and look forward taking my Pops again.

I guess what I've been trying to say but not really knowing how to phrase it is that The Rolling Stones popped my music cherry and and will always have a soft spot in my heart.

So look back on the music of your childhood, the music your parents, grandparents, and other family members listened to and I'm sure you will see that it reflects on the music you listen to now.

Every Thursday look for another installment to "Discovering "New" Old Music."

Part One: An Introduction.

Remember the first time you listened to Led Zepplin?

Well not the first time heard them but the first time you LISTENED to Led Zepplin. It doesn't have to be Led Zepplin maybe it was the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Supertramp, New Order, The Misfits, or one of countless bands and artists from our parents youth and older.

Remember when you talked to your folks about how radical this band called The Who are? Only to have your dad tells you that has been one of his favourite bands since he was your age.

A few years ago I was one of those scenester indie kids (sans tight pants and thrift store sweaters because let's face it I'm fat) and I prided myself on listening to all this "new" indie rock. I would buy albums not solely based on the music but obscurity. And you know what I enjoyed a majority of the albums, but there were some I didn't. It also bothered me when people started listening to what I was listening to or all of a sudden it was on the radio. That didn't last to long though.

But you can only listen to so much "new" music before you start to wonder what and who inspired the musicians. I didn't have to look far. I inherited my parents record collection. There were many of days and nights of putting on my big headphones and listening to nearly the complete discography of many artists. It opened my eyes some of the amazing and not so amazing artists of the past. These nights spanned genres from rock to new wave to country and back again.

I now didn't feel so isolated with my musical tastes and ideas what good music was. I began looking into and enjoying different things I wouldn't have as little as a year previous. From down tempo techno, pop, rap, instrumental surf rock, and classical.

So over the next few weeks I plan on writing about the "old" music that is and was "new" music to me over the last four years. My first real experience with their music and how it has affected my musical taste now.

Next weeks feature is "The Rolling Stones."