It is nearly impossible to make it through life without hearing a song you don’t like. Hell, it’s tough to make it through a week without doing it. Seeing as I used to hate all kinds of music (I only ever listened to hip hop – and Britney, when I was definitely alone), I have begun wondering why my opinion has drastically changed. Hell, fifteen year old Luke would never listen to Mumford and Sons.
I have figured out three different cheat codes to trick yourself into liking new music. Sometimes it is just getting over your stubborn attitude towards the new singer on the block, but other times it is about understanding the genre, rather than criticising it. So maybe if your new boyfriend or girlfriend is a little too into heavy metal, or you are being dragged to a jazz concert, try these little tricks to help make your life that little bit easier.
3 – LISTEN TO THEM LIVE
Once I went to a gig in France: Les Vielles Charrues. Despite most of you never even hearing of it, it does bring in a few big names. On the year I went (I am going to guess 2006), the line-up promised me both the Kaiser Chiefs and Lily Allen. However, it turned out that they decided to not turn up – or more likely the head of the festival lied to everyone to get us to buy their tickets. Basically, I ended up in a festival I had no desire to be at.
If you weren’t here to see me live, you’d never see this funky dance move I’m making up as I go along.
The one vaguely good musician there was Brian Ferry, although at the time I had no idea who he was. However my Dad really wanted to see him (yes, I went to this festival with my Dad – I never said I was the cool stoner festival type!), and I needed some justification for a thirty quid ticket, so I went along to see him. And you know what I learned: even a band you don’t necessarily like can be good live.
Some musicians just can’t convey their full selves from behind a studio or in a music video. There is a performer’s element to a live show, however, so the musician can just be themselves on stage and make people love them for it. I would never listen to Heavy Metal on a CD, but when you go to an actual live gig, they do have a way of getting you into the atmosphere. You feel a part of this musical moment and it is hard not to get carried away with it. As long as you are willing to try and enjoy yourself, you will.
2 – FIND AN ATMOSPHERE TO SUIT THE MUSIC
I have decided that there is no such thing as a bad genre of music out there. There are just certain places that can suit the genre better than others.
My Mum sails for a hobby and there was this one time, where she sailed partway around the world, as a part of a team for Clipper. It was kind of a big deal and the closing ceremony was in a posh city hall in Liverpool. I was a bit younger (it was 2008, when Liverpool by some miracle won the cultural capital of the world award), so I hated these events. Especially the electric Jazz band that played lift music on the upper balcony of the hall.
But you know what? When I got there, it just worked. Jazz just made the atmosphere feel a bit more complete. It has happened several times to me over my life. Classical music works at a fancy church event, heavy dub step comes to life in the right club and I am sure ‘Friday’ sounds amazing at the Rebecca Black cult meeting. You have probably partially experienced it yourself. It’s why Quentin Tarantino can get away with playing songs you would never choose to listen to and getting praised for it. Because in that scene of the movie, the song makes the tone.
1 – OVERLISTEN TO THEM
My little brother loves Metal music. He started playing the bass guitar and after toying with the idea of traditional rock and roll, he found Linkin’ Park and got more and more metal, until we had to remove all razors and sharp objects from his room. When his birthday rolled around, I made the fatal mistake of buying him a Slipknot CD.
I’m a nice guy, really…
He played it all the time. On full volume. In his room. In the car. Sometimes on the street, where he would busk, looking a little like a violent James Arthur. I had to endure hours upon hours of the same screaming voice, bearing in mind that every one of their songs sound the same to me.
However, like the mind of a torture victim, I began to focus on the positives. Those guys can really play their instruments. They make acoustic guitar players look like amateurs. Also Corey Taylor, the lead singer, has an awesome range of vocals. Soon, I found myself, singing along to ‘Psychosocial’ under my breath, like some Emo version of Emma Stone out of ‘Easy A’. Basically, I can see why people like the genre, it’s just not for me. I definitely don’t have anything bad to say about them.
Oracle of Film 