Do we stop discovering new music after our thirties?

JoeH

Boo Radleys - Giant Steps.
One of my favourite albums ever.

My answer could have been the one BigH47 has given. Desribes my situation, exactly. (Just replace 50 with - say - 43...)

But, I'd say: The general answer is: YES. Just don't ask this question in a Naim forum. Many here (although it still astonishes me why not EVERYBODY, here) is in for the (new) music.

So am I,
Stefan

quote:

Originally posted by Alan Paterson:
JoeH

Boo Radleys - Giant Steps.
One of my favourite albums ever.

Mine too. I also love 'Kingsize', their last album ever.

To the original question no. Absolutely not. Music has always been a passion, something that glues my life together (albeit one of many things). I never stop exploring and enquiring. Music means more to me than what it’s played on and the fact that I am so lucky to have the system I do, while not a coincidence, makes no difference.

Cheers

I've read that article in the New Yorker. I'd agree in the sense that the style of pop progresses and my tastes don't progress with it anymore. I'm 52 and came of age in the 60s. I enjoyed some of the 80s, but when grunge came in and then rap my ears began to bleed. And now today's groups just aren't interesting to me. They are not profound with a message like in the 60s. They sound like angry brats with no musical tallent (OK, HUGE generalization). I don't have the interest in chasing down the latest pop hit. I've seen too many one hit wonders in my time.

However, in my 40s I tuned into things like 40s big band, classic singers like Ella Sarah and Judy because they knew intimate phrasing, had great voices, and there were subtleties of expression and lyrics and MELODY. I also turned on to classical at that time to my friend's dismay because it was easier on the ear and mind. Tho i do love a good agressive piece of 20th C to bend my head. I don't want the latest distortion, reverb or pounding bass and synth drums to wreck my nerves. I'm all game to hear various world music and often find interesting sounds in the world around me, so for that I've expanded my boundaries. I"m sure I'm missing out on some great stuff. But, I only have a limited income so buy only what I know I'll like and play over and over.

I have to say that the radio here in LA is awful. Clearradio has declared that they are not in the entertainment business, but in the advertaising business so music play is just a numbers game to keep people listening to their ads so I don't listen to them. I play my small selection of 60-80s vinyl and CDs. Screw them.

I did have a new friend over as he was interested in my vinyl. Had a beer and a talk, then I put on Steely Dan's AJA and with Black Cow he really sat up and said he'd never heard the original, but it was sampled in lots of hip hop and Rap. I said he was young. But he liked it, good for him. I'll have him back and play some early Fleetwood Mac, or Traffic, Neil Young or heaven forbid, John Adams' symphony Nieve and Sentimental Music to blow his socks off. Or set the stage and do a Stravinsky hour ending with Rite of Spring. Set my annoying neighbor's teeth on edge.

There's no need at all to turn away from discovering and enjoying new music, whatever your age. A few years ago, when I was 25 (the year that Fredrick was born?) I might have imagined differently. I hope that I haven't turned into a hidebound old git just yet. However, the term "hidebound old git" only applies to those a few years older than ourselves . It's just like "old", it is somewhere in the future.

yeah, I mentioned being old to my dad and he told me to watch it, he's 84, to him old is 90...

I just think that at some time in your life you don't want to go chasing the latest thing. Happy to let the world pass you by.

Wolf,

I'm still a mere 70, but I'll let you know when I lose interest (if you're still around).

A few years ago, a lady of the same age (84) as your father told us that she had just got a job looking after "an old lady". She did the job for about 5 years, too.

Apart from phyical limitations (bits wearing out or dropping off), age seems mainly a question of attitude.

No way. i'm always on the look out for new music. my newest discovery is oscar peterson and i never thought i'd ever like jazz, thanks to this forum they are pointing in the right direction of which cds to check out.

quote:

Originally posted by Chillkram:
I suppose it depends on what the writer of the article means by 'new' music. If they mean 'of the present time', then I haven't really listened particularly to contemporary music since my early twenties.

If they mean 'different' then I would say it is absolutely the opposite.

Now in my forties my musical taste has widened dramatically and I find myself listening to and enjoying jazz, classical, opera and many other musical genres I would not have entertained when younger.

The thing is that there is such a wealth of music already in existence for me to discover that I do not feel the need to listen to 'modern' music, which is mostly a rehash of that which has gone before, although I would buy it if I liked it.

Mark

Can´t agree more, except that I have tried to widen my musical horizon all my life. The limiting factors are time and money, and the fact, that you (= I) develop your taste in leaps, in between using long periods to investigate certain composers, musicians and styles.