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You know you are getting old when:

Alice Blue

One of the Regulars
Messages
153
Location
Western Massachusetts
... I try very hard, but I don't like almost any new music (and I never wanted to be that person that only likes the music he grew up with).

All of the pop and country music on the radio sounds like it was written by the same committee or computer. I thought I was just getting old and cranky, but according to NPR a Nashville songwriter did a mashup showing that they really are the same.

[video=youtube;FY8SwIvxj8o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY8SwIvxj8o[/video]
 
Messages
17,193
Location
New York City
All of the pop and country music on the radio sounds like it was written by the same committee or computer. I thought I was just getting old and cranky, but according to NPR a Nashville songwriter did a mashup showing that they really are the same.

[video=youtube;FY8SwIvxj8o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY8SwIvxj8o[/video]

This does make me feel better as I have genuinely tried to appreciate new music, but it all sounds so bland, pop and generic. Is there a song occasionally that I like and think is really good yes, but is there a group that consistently puts out strong albums or even a genre of music that sound truly interesting and inventive like when I was growing up - not that I see.

The funny thing is that I liked "my Fathers music" growing up and still do today - Big Bangs, the 50s crooners, etc. - (hence, it's not just about what was popular when I was a kid) and I like the music I grew up with - '60s and '70s Rock - but just can't get into today's music.
 

omgur2

New in Town
Messages
15
Location
South Central Pennsylvania
People still laugh at me because I listen to AM, but that is where all the old and independent artists are. We have two really good ones here in south central PA 1000 & 1510 on the dial. I lived in Pittsburgh for 6 years in the early 2000s and there was a good one around 1350 on the dial, they didnt call it oldies, it was a nostalgia station.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,717
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
The first Petrillo strike -- which I believe was thoroughly justified, it revolved around payment of royalties to musicians for public performance of phonograph records -- put a final end to the Golden Era of orchestrated American popular music. As a result of the strike, which prohibited any AF of M member from making phonograph records or radio transcriptions, the emphasis in popular music shifted to vocalists and vocal groups, which, in turn, led to less emphasis on the musical component of popular songs in favor of simplistic melodies and repetitious lyrics.

The war was also a factor, with the draft making it difficult to stock popular dance orchestras, as were travel restrictions and fuel rationing, which put an end to touring by bands for the duration. But the Petrillo Strike was the definitive blow. By the time it was resolved in 1943-44, public tastes had irrevocably shifted, and that shift paved the way for what happened in the postwar era, the less said about which the better.

American popular music was at its creative peak between about 1929 and 1937 -- the era which gave full form to the Great American Songbook. Any era in which the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Kern and Hammerstein, Warren and Dubin, Robin and Rainger, Fields and McHugh, Arlen and Harburg, Razaf and Waller, and, yes, even Irving Berlin were among the dominant songwriters can't help but stand head and shoulders above anything that came before, or has come since. This is America's "classical" music.
 
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2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
The first Petrillo strike -- which I believe was thoroughly justified, it revolved around payment of royalties to musicians for public performance of phonograph records -- put a final end to the Golden Era of orchestrated American popular music. As a result of the strike, which prohibited any AF of M member from making phonograph records or radio transcriptions, the emphasis in popular music shifted to vocalists and vocal groups, which, in turn, led to less emphasis on the musical component of popular songs in favor of simplistic melodies and repetitious lyrics.

The war was also a factor, with the draft making it difficult to stock popular dance orchestras, as were travel restrictions and fuel rationing, which put an end to touring by bands for the duration. But the Petrillo Strike was the definitive blow. By the time it was resolved in 1943-44, public tastes had irrevocably shifted, and that shift paved the way for what happened in the postwar era, the less said about which the better.

American popular music was at its creative peak between about 1929 and 1937 -- the era which gave full form to the Great American Songbook. Any era in which the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Kern and Hammerstein, Warren and Dubin, Robin and Rainger, Fields and McHugh, Arlen and Harburg, Razaf and Waller, and, yes, even Irving Berlin were among the dominant songwriters can't help but stand head and shoulders above anything that came before, or has come since. This is America's "classical" music.

In the past when I listened to music of the time period that you described, every now & then
I would for a moment wonder what it was about the music that made it so pleasantly nice. Not fully understanding what it was nevertheless I enjoy it. Your thoughts on this subject has enlightened me. Thanks ;)

 

vitanola

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,254
Location
Gopher Prairie, MI
No. August 6, 1931.

bix-beiderbecke-05.jpg
 
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GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,775
Location
New Forest
This thread has been an amazing anecdote of getting older, or as I prefer, notching up more life experiences. A senior manager that I once had the privilege to work with, put the damper on a moment of joyful anticipation, when a bunch of us in the office, one Friday afternoon, were asking each other our plans for the weekend. Said manager came up with the line: "Before you all get over excited, just remember, that we are all another week closer to the grim reaper." Nothing like saying it as it is.

Just changing the direction of this thread, sometimes I feel like I'm the only one being left behind by technology, and it frustrates me. For example, years ago, I didn't know that you could type into a search box: "How do you...............?" For years I had no idea what or how, cut & tape meant. When I asked others the explanation was: "Oh it's easy." Right, so that will help me cut & tape. It took me forever how to work it out, and on the route, I learned more about the search facility, but nobody ever actually explained.

Today and the recent past, I own an Apple smart phone. It's a necessity for my business. Not so much the smart phone, but the reason we have smart phones is so that my brother, who is also my business partner, can use some GPS (if that's the right acronym,) app to establish the distance on the golf course. For the life of me I cannot fathom this phone, yet kids seem to grasp it like they were born with the knowledge. I have no idea how to connect to the internet on it, no idea how to use free wifi, no idea what an app is, how to download it or use it once downloaded. But the real frustration came with the one sheet instruction that started with:

The instructions for use, if you need them. If you need them? Talk about rubbing salt in the wound. From what I can observe, computer science is founded on two basic sciences. Mathematics and Physics. Both of which I excelled at when at school, yet technology baffles me. I guess it's like knowing the machinations of the internal combustion engine, doesn't mean to say that you can drive.

Sometimes I wonder if people learn, or pick up, the why's and wherefores of today's technology from their kids. After all, I'm told that computer science is on all school's curriculum these days. My wife and I are childless, could this be why smart phones go over my head? Or maybe it's because I relate more to what was. I don't know. But I wish I did. Perhaps I really am getting old.
 
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Messages
12,005
Location
Southern California
...Today and the recent past, I own an Apple smart phone. It's a necessity for my business. Not so much the smart phone, but the reason we have smart phones is so that my brother, who is also my business partner, can use some GPS (if that's the right acronym,) app to establish the distance on the golf course. For the life of me I cannot fathom this phone, yet kids seem to grasp it like they were born with the knowledge. I have no idea how to connect to the internet on it, no idea how to use free wifi, no idea what an app is, how to download it or use it once downloaded...
The last couple of times it became necessary for my wife and I to upgrade our cell phones, the salesperson/representative/associate/whatevertheycallthemthesedays went on for about 20 minutes describing how versatile our new phones would be, talked about all of the apps we'd be able to download, the improved quality of the photos we'd take, how easy it was to access the Internet, etc., etc.. And when they had finally finished with this opening salvo of a sales pitch, I asked each of them, "Okay, but can I make calls on it?" and they looked at me stunned, as if I'd suddenly grown a second head, before continuing without once mentioning it's functionality as a telephone. :eusa_doh: :frusty:
 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
This thread has been an amazing anecdote of getting older, or as I prefer, notching up more life experiences. A senior manager that I once had the privilege to work with, put the damper on a moment of joyful anticipation, when a bunch of us in the office, one Friday afternoon, were asking each other our plans for the weekend. Said manager came up with the line: "Before you all get over excited, just remember, that we are all another week closer to the grim reaper." Nothing like saying it as it is.

Just changing the direction of this thread, sometimes I feel like I'm the only one being left behind by technology, and it frustrates me. For example, years ago, I didn't know that you could type into a search box: "How do you...............?" For years I had no idea what or how, cut & tape meant. When I asked others the explanation was: "Oh it's easy." Right, so that will help me cut & tape. It took me forever how to work it out, and on the route, I learned more about the search facility, but nobody ever actually explained.

Today and the recent past, I own an Apple smart phone. It's a necessity for my business. Not so much the smart phone, but the reason we have smart phones is so that my brother, who is also my business partner, can use some GPS (if that's the right acronym,) app to establish the distance on the golf course. For the life of me I cannot fathom this phone, yet kids seem to grasp it like they were born with the knowledge. I have no idea how to connect to the internet on it, no idea how to use free wifi, no idea what an app is, how to download it or use it once downloaded. But the real frustration came with the one sheet instruction that started with:

The instructions for use, if you need them. If you need them? Talk about rubbing salt in the wound. From what I can observe, computer science is founded on two basic sciences. Mathematics and Physics. Both of which I excelled at when at school, yet technology baffles me. I guess it's like knowing the machinations of the internal combustion engine, doesn't mean to say that you can drive.

Sometimes I wonder if people learn, or pick up, the why's and wherefores of today's technology from their kids. After all, I'm told that computer science is on all school's curriculum these days. My wife and I are childless, could this be why smart phones go over my head? Or maybe it's because I relate more to what was. I don't know. But I wish I did. Perhaps I really am getting old.

Hell...we are all getting old ! ;)
I also do not have kids & I have learned the language of computers (still am) because of my stubborn-stay-with- it attitude even until the wee hours of the morning... I didn't have no training or classes in school .Mostly because computers were not around like today. My last year at the the TV station as a news cameraman, the system went
to computer-chip video cameras. Talk about a nightmare . Having to learn the language & be ready to "roll" the video for the 5 o'cock headlines was torture. What frustrates me at times, is that most products online do not come with instructions. I usually go to "youtube" & hope to get an idea . It took about a year before I could go & post images
on a forum. One thing I have noticed is that folks text messages in very short phrases. I used to write text as if I was writing a letter...ha-ha. Sorry "TMI" (too much info & off topic)
 
Messages
12,005
Location
Southern California
...One thing I have noticed is that folks text messages in very short phrases. I used to write text as if I was writing a letter...ha-ha. Sorry "TMI" (too much info & off topic)
You know you're getting old when you refuse to use "textspeak" for text messages, e-mails, and Internet forum posts. :D Actually, that's probably an issue of "standards" more so than an issue of "age", but I still stand by it.
 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
You know you're getting old when you refuse to use "textspeak" for text messages, e-mails, and Internet forum posts. :D Actually, that's probably an issue of "standards" more so than an issue of "age", but I still stand by it.

Wasn't exactly sure what you meant by "textspeak" until I looked it up.
I was doing it somehow & didn't even realize it (e.g., on the radio in the news truck)

"unit 3 to base , I'm 10-8 ...10-4 ?

10-4 ...what's your 20 ?"

To this day I'll ask , what's your 20 ? forgetting that not everyone understands :D
 
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Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202


10-4 ...what's your 20 ?"

To this day I'll ask , what's your 20 ? forgetting that not everyone understands :D

I think if you are old enough to remember all the trucker movies, you know the phrase, "what's your 20!" If you watched Adam 12, then all I want to know is, 10-20?
 

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