Today for the first time in...well I don't know how long....I listened to an album...all the way through! Yes all the way through. No skipping, jumping, random shuffle. Just 60 mins of music. It struck me that I get the feeling that people don't tend to do this much any more? Why? Maybe it is just me. Is it because we don't have the time any more? Is it because most albums now really consist of one or two great songs and the rest are fillers? Is it because CD are longer, maxing out at 74 mins which the record company try and fill.

Do we appreciate music any more, I mean yes we do, but has it changed. Top 10 music is on a whole pretty dire, and as each year goes by, the turnover gets greater. I am not going to start an arguement about the 'quality' of music today verses that of days gone by...as there are still many talented people out there and some really good bands/composers etc. But they struggle to make it into our lives as they are competing against what I would like to call 'product', 95% I would say of 'pop' artists are manufactured product, like a McDonalds BigMac or gap teeshirt or an underarm deoderant.

We need the quick fix, and we need to know that we are listening to 'whats in'. We don't have time to develop relationships with music any more, or artists. We just get our quick fix on a song from a manufactured celeb who will disappear in to the hole they came from as quickly as they appeared.

What am I trying to say? I think that I wish I had the time to sit a listen to music again. Not on a walkman, but at home on a stereo. I agree that music is competing against other distractions (TV/games/internet) and I could easily turn the TV off and listen to a cd, but I just don't get that excitement of running home with the latest CD from my favourite band, or an album recommended/lent to me by a friend and sticking it on and basking in its aural wonder. It just doesn't seem to happen any more. Of course I have the old favourites, but nothing new. The bands I loved seem to be all turning out mediocre efforts these days, pastching themselves even. Does truly great music come from those who are struggling to 'make it', and when they have they stop. I guess not, Peter Gabriel is one example that springs to mind, but then again he only puts out and album once every 10 years these days!

Look at the Rolling Stones and be honest....what have they done lately? They are still playing the first tunes they had written (classics of course), but their 80/90/00's efforts are well...terrible!). I guess I could role off endless bands who have fallen into this. I guess once you have the rewards (£'s) then the motivation/invention/inspiration goes. I mean many Classical composer were never famous or wealthy during their lives and continued to create timeless music until they die. Is that another question? Does weath stifle creativity? Do you have to be poor to produce good art?

Or does this relate to 'quality'? When you are stuggling to make a work of art and have no income, you want to make it the best piece of work possible. When you struggle to do a day job and produce your art in your spare time, do you put more effort into it? Enjoy it more for the escape that it is. I guess the Blues is testiment to that!

Nowadays I might listen to a couple of songs, flicking through before they get to the end. Is it just me?

Will listening to an album ever be cool again?

Peace

N

Ps The album I listened to was Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden