Parents buying music of/for the kids

[Big Al]

Was wondering if any of you, your parents bought the music that was popular when you were growing up (or “your music” for lack of a better term); or, have any of you bought music that is popular among your kids? Give you a couple of examples:

When I was a teenager in the 80’s, imagine my surprise to find that my dad had bought a Billy Idol tape. Now, I like Billy Idol, but never had the urge to buy any of his album. But here’s my dad, who taught me everything I know about good music (Chuck Berry, Art Blakey, the Stones, etc) listening to post-punk! He said Idol reminded him of early Elvis. Still don’t see THAT connection, but hey, he likes it. Cool with me.

Fast-forward about twenty years, and me, still pissed off about Rummy’s flippant comment to the troops who are gonna get their asses shot off in the battlefield….but I digress. I procured a copy of Green Day’s AMERICAN IDIOT. I like the title song (and was feeling in a “fuck the American Idiots” mentality anyway), and had heard good things about it, so I thought, “Adulthood be damned!” and got me a copy. What can I say? It’s like Quadrophenia meets the Clash’s Give ‘em Enough Rope. It is political, but the rest of the album isn’t totally political as the title track, although that track definitely sets the mood. I like it a lot: it’s loud, fast, and tight. My kind of rock & roll.

So I’m driving my daughter to school and she asks what I’m listening to. I told her what it was, and she just said, “Hmmm.” Not sure if she thought anything of it, but it reminded me of my dad.

Have any of you had a similar experience?

[Alexander]

Well, being that my daughter is only four, I haven't bought any of "her" music (she's mainly into Disney Princesses and Sesame Street), but I do have some albums that a lot of people would consider "kid" music.

OutKast (Stankonia and Speakerboxx/The Love Below)

Joss Stone (The Soul Sessions and Mind, Body, and Soul)

Angie Stone (Stone Love)

Can't think of anything else off hand (does the new U2 album count?), but my point is that I think I'm open enough to good music to find it anywhere...

I'm certainly not one of those "music was better in the old days" people...

[Dan Gould]

No kids yet, but I intend to be a complete fuddy duddy when the time comes.

As for my parents, my Mom has always had younger taste than my Dad, and in fact she quite enjoys Delbert McClinton when I've played it in the car when I'm home. Its funny, cause she really enjoys "Never Been Rocked Enough" (an ode to needing the right man to push those buttons) while, in my high school days, she absolutely hated the only slightly more explicit, "Feel Like Makin' Love."

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Bought my 69 yr old mother the new U2 over Thankgiving visit. A bit too same-o for me but mom digs the Edge!

[Uncle Skid]

My 13-year old son has been into "non-wussy" Metallica lately. I gather that anything later than the black album qualifies as wuss rock.

This is definitely some "loud, fast, and tight" stuff. I find myself enjoying it at times, but I'd still much rather listen to Joe Pass with the Gerald Wilson orchestra than to Kirk Hammett's fretboard pyrotechics.

After reading that last paragraph, I just realized something - it's official: I'm turning in to an old fart!

It's also a little strange to consider that most of those records he listens to came out over 20 years ago -- when I was in high school!

[Big Al]

My 13-year old son has been into "non-wussy" Metallica lately. I gather that anything later than the black album qualifies as wuss rock.

You are CORRECT, sir!!!! B-)

[BruceH]

My kids so far tend to like They Might Be Giants and Fountains of Wayne...do you think I might be influencing them slightly?

[Brandon Burke]

This is interesting. I'm going to be 31 in a couple of days and have no children but couldn't be less interested in this kind of music. To my ears anyway, today's rock music climate is either too steeped in retro irony (all of this back-to-the-80's business) or too damned dramatic (Radiohead, emo).

I'm good for between four and five "new" records a year: Basically the new Clientele record and maybe a couple of straglers here and there. And probably twice that number in 12-inch singles (gotta have those Pete Rock instrumentals!).

Edited December 10, 2004 by Brandon Burke

[Rooster_Ties]

When I was in high-school (in the mid 80's, I graduated in 1987), I got into a bunch of the music my parents would have been into --- if they had been fairly young (early 20's) when I was born.

BUT, my folks were old enough to be my grandparents when I was born (my Mom was almost 40 when I was born in 1969), and my Dad was almost 45 then.

I went through a huge Hendrix phase in high school (again, we're talkin' mid-80's here). Had all the official releases, and two or three dozen bootlegs too (back when they were still on LP).

I went through a fairly big Beatles phase before that, when I was in junior high (circa 1980-83).

[Big Al]

When I was in high-school (in the mid 80's, I graduated in 1987), I got into a bunch of the music my parents would have been into --- if they had been fairly young (early 20's) when I was born.

BUT, my folks were old enough to be my grandparents when I was born (my Mom was almost 40 when I was born in 1969), and my Dad was almost 45 then.

I went through a huge Hendrix phase in high school (again, we're talkin' mid-80's here). Had all the official releases, and two or three dozen bootlegs too (back when they were still on LP).

I went through a fairly big Beatles phase before that, when I was in junior high (circa 1980-83).

Same here. I graduated in '88, and went through a very similar experience.... except that my mom & dad are 27- and 30-years older than me, respectively.