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The Music Syndicate
Published in the Grand forks Herald, September 1999
I love rock and roll music. This is not just a mild "like." This is the real "love."
I listen to it all the time, but that's not so unusual. I actually study it. I think about it. What may be considered useless little pieces of musical trivia stick to my brain.
"Do you believe in rock'n roll? Can music save your mortal soul?" Don McLean asked in his epic song "American Pie." I'd have to say an unequivocal "yes" to both questions.
Music is a very powerful medium. Through popular music, we encode complex personal memories. Think about it. Doesn't everyone remember a song that was playing when they went on their first date, or one that was a favorite at the roller rink when they were in junior high or something like that? At my shop we don't hire any kids unless they can talk about some song they remember their mom singing from their childhood. You'll hear a song and-ZAP! You're remembering hearing that song at someone's wedding a decade ago, and remembering what you were wearing and who you were with and who sat where in the car on the way over. All that encoded in that little pop music ditty.
On top of that, I think music both reflects and leads current popular culture. That's not just the old peace and love hippies singing about flower power. That's the alienated youth of today intrigued by images of guns creating respect, too.
I think about all this stuff. Along the way, I think I've always been able to stretch the perspective of my loyal Grand Forks readers, and help them apply some of their own reference points to the current musical trends.
That's why this particular column is kind of hard to write. I've been informed that after fifteen years my weekly missives would no longer meet the needs of the Herald. I've had a couple of weeks to let this digest. It personally doesn't sit well, but I guess that's the way things go.
I figure that over this period of time I've written about seven hundred and eighty-five columns and related articles in the Herald. I don't have a precise count. I have clippings piled into boxes, but there didn't seem to be a point to coming up with an exact number.
While I received very modest payment for my efforts, I obviously never did this for commercial reasons. Rather, it gave me an excuse to reflect on musical happenings and organize my thoughts and reactions.
Since the cancellation notice, I've been plagued as ideas creep into my consciousness for "columns yet to write." I've only touched on MP3 transmission of music on the Internet. We have a situation where technology may make traditional music products all but obsolete. At the same time, we have developed a recording industry which has become more and more conservative, shutting out all but a handful of recording artists.
Technology will create a vast avenue for recording artists who would otherwise be shut out of distribution channels. Anyone that has a web-head for a friend and a very minimal budget can get their music out to the world.
These are columns yet to write. All these are ideas which will sit on my shelf.
Somewhere down the road, I may well have the opportunity to visit with you all again in these pages which I've come to view as a home of sorts. If not, you'll have to work a little harder to find my views on the musical topics of the day, but I do plan to continue writing on music at least intermittently.
If you have any thoughts, you can write to me at my home, 1132 North 4th Street, Bismarck ND 58501. You can e-mail me at music-syndicate@bis.midco.net
The Herald will be open to your suggestions for alternative coverage.
Copyright reserved, 1999, the Music Syndicate.
NOTE: The Herald relented after a few months, and a more truncated column still appears there.
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