Paying Homage

This past weekend was the annual Record Store Day.  It is intended as a way to “celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally.”  When I hear about Record Store Day it conjures up images of buying music on vinyl records.  And that leads to thinking of nostalgia.  Notice I didn’t say memorabilia.  There’s a difference.

When I say ‘nostalgia’ I’m thinking more about music lore.  I’m reminiscing about those that contributed to the path that musicians today are able to ply their trade on.  And it saddens me when people making music today have no idea who they are.  Those are likely the very same people wondering, “Record Store Day?”

On the episode (#63) of “Now Hear This Entertainment” that will come out the day after tomorrow (on April 22) my guests talk about having gone to the Ryman Auditorium while they were in Nashville.  I ask them if they understand the legend of that fabled venue and those that have graced its stage over the years (or whether it was just a tourist stop for them).  I was pleased to hear their answer because I remember telling one of my clients one time about someone we’d met at a songwriters festival and how he’d played at the Ryman.  She then asked me, “What’s that?”

Immediately I decided she needed some music history and started making CDs of songs/artists she needs to know.  All I could picture was us sitting in a guitar pull one night and someone bringing up Roy Orbison’s name and her asking, “Who?”  So, I took steps to make sure such a scenario never transpired.

But as Record Store Day 2015 comes and goes, how good do you feel about your knowledge of the greats (and even the not-so-greats)?  If you’re uneasy thinking about your answer, I’d suggest using this as a rallying point to study up.

Imagine being out performing and an “old-timer” comes up to you and starts talking about how/when he used to dabble.  Maybe he performed, maybe he wrote, maybe he did both.  He starts dropping names on you that you ought to know, and his words are met with a blank stare from you.  Not good.

Those in their, say, 20s, are probably playing cover songs that are only from the 1990s.  Challenge yourself and dig deeper (please).  Go back to more like the 70s and the 60s.  And don’t just learn the chords and the lyrics, learn the artist(s) too.

Yes, the Foo Fighters played at a small shop in Ohio for this year’s occasion.  But next year on Record Store Day, actually go to one of the participating retailers and feel confident as you browse through titles that were released well before Dave Grohl and his bandmates ever played their first song together.