Had a really nice conversation today with Ben at Sam Ash, about music. I've said it many times in the last few years, but I REALLY miss having someone to speak to about music. Not just someone that likes music, enjoys hearing music, but someone that - like me - doesn't consider music as something that they really like or love, but rather as just a part of themselves. And important part.

For me, gone are the days of getting in the car with someone and just rocking out to music we both like and singing along like idiots. There are exceptions, to be sure, but when I look to 8-10 years ago the exception was NOT having that happen. I can't remember the last time I was in the car with someone and they actually got excited about me handing them the ipod to pick something to listen to. Now I just get the "oh you can put on whatever, I don't care" reply.

Passivity aside, this underscores a decline in musicblood (the phrase I am using for the rest of this blog entry to describe what I am talking about) that has permeated every facet of my life. When I first started working at Sam Ash I had lots of employees around me that liked similar music to me. Musicians, of course, and sometimes that helps, but sometimes it doesn't at all...point in case, the last few years of working there. Too many diverging musical tastes, all of which ended up being very close minded and unaccommodating. It's one thing to "not mind" listening to new music. It's another to actively seek the new music and embrace it.

Sure, there are many different musical styles and concurrent tastes in those. I'm not even talking about that, I'm talking about musicblood...the energy and spirit BEHIND the love of music, behind the appreciation and excitement of music.

Part of it is moving away from a lot of those people that were like that. Almost all of the newer friends I've made in the last 5-6 years have not really shared the musicblood. Sure, some of them are music fans, and some of them even really love listening to music but...it's just not there.

I miss being able to hang out with people and talk about music. About bands. Share them. Critique them. Go through an album and discuss the finer details. Jump in my car with someone and share a high spirited, belting out lyrics at the top of our voices, rocking out session.

*sigh*