Similar to a lot of people, I established my main musical tastes quite early on in my teenage years (my teenage years occurred in the early to mid 1970’s). And – similar to a lot of people – my taste in music has naturally evolved over the last 50-odd years as I’ve heard new material. And there’s a lot to choose from! Whole new musical genres have been invented, a lot of bands have been created (and destroyed) and artists of every nation have presented themselves and their talents to an ever changing (and fickle) world. In the last 50-odd years, there must be millions of bands\artists that have popped up: some endure the test of time (as it were) and continue to be around now, whilst others basked in their moment in the spotlight (sometimes very briefly) before heading off to the musical sunset.
I do love me some music. And I do like to “follow” certain bands, musicians, artists. If I really like the music of a particular band or artist, I’ll invest in that musical journey. Sometimes, that’s a long journey, sometimes it isn’t.
So what’s all this about musical disappointment? For me, there is a clear distinction between the frustration of being musically disappointed and plain old musical disappointment:
For example: Jean-Michel Jarre is my favourite artist of all time. I’ve been a fan of his work since 1976 (when I bought his first album) and I’ve been a fan ever since. I’ve collected all of his albums over the years in various formats and I have to say there is very little that I don’t like. But there are some tracks – and even a whole album – of his that I’m not terribly keen on. In a similar fashion, Sparks (who have been musically active for as long as Jean-Michel Jarre – and therefore have an equally large portfolio of music to choose from) have also made some tracks (and a whole album) that I’m not so keen on. But these things that I’m not so keen on are still recognisably the artists, it’s just that my personal taste and theirs haven’t quite aligned at that moment. It’s not about the change of musical style. Both Jean-Michel Jarre and Sparks have changed their style of music many times over the last 50 years – and amongst some of those style changes are some of my favourite tracks. For a more modern example, you only need to look to Taylor Swift (pictured, so you can look at her). She has successfully managed complete style transitions between country, folk, rock and pop with no issue at all or any loss of fan popularity. Including mine!
This is about listening to the tracks\album I’m not so keen on and experiencing a personal musical disappointment because it isn’t pleasing to my ear. It doesn’t frustrate me to experience that disappointment, but it is a disappointment nonetheless. From experience however, you know that the next one could be the chosen one!
My frustration bubbles to the surface when the artist departs either such a long way from their established style that it is barely – if at all – recognisable as a piece of their work, or conversely, (and this has happened recently) an artist just repeats the exact same song format over and over again, for albums at a time! (I know, you just can’t win!) And there is no evidence to suggest a return to something I’m less keen on in the future.
It would be unfair to cite named examples. Safe to say there have been at least a few bands and major artists where I’ve invested in their musical journeys and have been disappointed to he point of frustration. One of them had three superb albums under their belt, the other with nine albums, the former – whose new album was so far away from their previous three that it just wasn’t my cup of tea at all! The latter – their last four albums sound exactly the same as each other, so much so that it’s given me pause for thought. In the case of the latter, they’re still good albums (and very popular) – but for me it’s very frustrating that there’s nothing different, fresh or new.
Thought and frustration. You know that the band or artist can produce the music that you like (regardless of style), but they haven’t. And there’s no evidence to suggest that they won’t return to something a bit more Mortist-friendly. But they’re still going to sell albums and they’re still going to tour, regardless of what my opinion is. Part of my frustration is not so much the investment – both musically and financially – that I’ve already made, but knowing what to do in the future: do I continue to invest in them, or not? Do I continue down that musical path, or do I take a turn down the bifurcated trousers of time to somewhere else?
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to tell until their next magnum opus is released.
Undoubtedly, this is a first-world problem of my own volition, and it matters to no-one else but me. Blimey. I must be getting grumbly in my old age!