Music, does it decide our life styles ?Music

[GilesGuthrie]

I have to say that it doesn't, because I go through phases of listening to one kind of music, then I get bored with it and move on to something else.

 

[Duke]

Well, I voted no, because either way you look at it (music affects lifestyle vs. lifestyle affects music) my perceived lifestyle doesn't match much of the music I listen to. It all matches, once you get to know me, but little of it does at first glance.

For example, my mother was trying to order some of the CDs I had on my Christmas list, and the clerk asked her "Is your grandson over 18, ma'am?" and she had to explain that her son is 38 and has 2 kids...

 

[Pako]

Well that was fun reading posts from 8 months ago, and realized that I still haven't officially voted. I suppose it's time to hit the little radial and pres the button, eh?

For the recorded, I voted a bit of both as I believe it depends on the individual. For me personally it would be No, for others it would be yes.

Something that makes me chuckle is when I see kids hanging out , with their gold chains, oversized pants, hats cocked to the side all grabbing their crotches saying, "Yo! Wasup, homeboeeee?" knowing full well that we're not in a big city, and many, many miles from any "home boyz".

 

[Pupik]

No. My music choices varies from one hour to the next. I can't imagine what lifestyle someone who listens to Dvorak, Pharcyde, Orbital, Ministry, and Billy Joel all in the same day.

There's no way focus groups could do anything with that data, at least!

 

[Duke]

There's no excuse to ever listen to Billy Joel. Ever.

I have been known to listen to Rachmaninoff, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Morphine, Nine Inch Nails, and They Might Be Giants in one day. In fact, maybe even back to back.

 

[Pupik]

Sorry, grew up with it. I could have been brainwashed by Joan Baez, but when you're 6 years old and finally getting to pick the music you're mother lets you in her car, then it wasn't an awful choice.

Trust me, I'm not starting a Billy Joel thread.

 

[milefile]

I'm with Pupik and Neon. My musical tastes are so varied if I had to emulate the styles I'd need another house just for clothes.

I used to try and project some image that told everyone what music I liked, back when I thought I was cool. And I'd have to say that elements of the styles have been permanently integrated into my "look." But I've always prefered to look pretty generic. I don't want to be labeled on sight.

One interesting way to observe the phenomenon is by going to shows. When I was way younger and going to big giant concerts in big gaint concert arenas named after big giant corporations there was definitely a homogenous look to most everyone there. And of course they even sell that look.

But since I've started listening to more independednt, non-popular music, and going to their shows in cozy bars and small venues, the phenomenon of imitation is mostly gone. The last show I went to, The Sea and Cake at Nita's Hidaway in Tempe, AZ, had an audience of about 200 spanning ages from about 17 to, well, probably 40 or so. All the youger people were dressed the same. All the girls had horned rim glasses. All the guys looked like mod nerds from the early sixties wearing Dickies and stripes (like that record store guy on that American Dreams show). My wife and I looked like we always do, casual and comfortable. And the rest of the adults did, too. And the funny thing is that the band looked nothing like their fans. One was just some dorky guy with jeans and an oxford shirt (synths, hand held percussion, organs, trumpet); one was an American Indian, long hair (elec. bass). One was wearing jeans and a sweater which he took off to reveal a plain t-shirt (elec guitar). One was wearing black jeans and a denim jacket (elec. guitar). And the drummer was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, his arms from cuff to shoulder covered with tatoos (duh). A truly mismatched group if you're looking for a coherent image. But then they're all around thirty.

I think it's an age thing. Younger people are searching for an image, and during that search they're prone to change dramatically and quickly, basically being followers. As one matures over time, elements of that process fall away and others stick. And Voila... a carefully crafted, time tested image

 

[Giancarlo]

I say no. Not to me anyway. People don't let it govern their lifestyle. They act as they want to. But when they start labeling other people - such as the example of Metal lovers being suicidal maniacs - that's when it goes too far.

 

[Pupik]

Sometimes, kids with an unsure "identity" allow themselves to dress and act like the crowd they want to emulate for acceptance.

Listen to the music, dress like the ads that play the music, act like the singers, act like the fans, do what the others do...it's easy to fall in that trap. MTV has a lot to do with that, too. A music video is a slick package of what's hot and what's not, encapsulated with sound.

Sound can decide a lifestyle, but the more your tastes vary, the more you start to blur "the norm". When I was about 17, I my friends all listened to different music: they ranged from very popular to invisible (I suppose I was translucent at the time, barely on the radar map); they dressed different, acted different, had different things on their mind, came from differing backgrounds. It was acceptable to be what ever you wanted.

What's funny is how some of the music in my collection others avoided in my collection eventually became hard to pry out of thier fingers 5-10 years later!

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by Puffy
well anyways how do you spell massakist*(wrong) massokist , i give up does any one know

Masochist is the correct spelling.

*edit* I went back and really read the rest of the thread and found out that you already know how to spell masochist*

I think that we are somewhat affected by the music we listen to. I do believe however, that the way we are also influences what music we listen to.
For instance, I'm a black man that grew up in suburbia. I love motown music, but I am also a fan of the blues, country, and the music that defined the late '70s and early 80's among WHITE kids, cause that's who I hung out with.
I like the Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye and BB King, but I like Nazareth, Blue Oyster Cult, and the Eagles too.
My parents were into Jimi, but there's also a lot of Tom Jones and Herb Alpert lying around their house.
I guess that if you are exposed to a wide variety of music as you grow up, and you realize that it is "just music" you are more likely to have eclectic tastes, possibly without the weird extremes in fashion.