If they could just teach my dark heart to feel
Suddenly I’m old.
It’s not how I feel but it’s so obviously reflected in how people view me.
I can cope, I think, in seeing Portland Bill and thinking “I don’t remember this. This was for kids when I was in secondary school.”
So I sat and patiently watched an episode with one of my children.
As the end titles rolled I glanced at them and caught © MCMXXXIII.
1983, I thought. I’d like to thank Mr Jarvis, my classical studies teacher for my retention of Roman numerals through the years. Now he was a teacher who used a unique premise to inspire children to remember his lessons.
Not so much fear as in “I’ll be in trouble if I forget this in the test” more fear as in “he’s a vampire and I know the one thing that will attract him above all else would be blood owned, or more possibly soon to be formerly owned by someone who failed Roman Numerals.”
1983. 22 years ago. I don’t remember it, except that was the year I crossed the boundary from “still almost the new boy” second year, to “almost upper school, allowed to buy from the tuck shop at break time” third year.
I mentioned the age of the programme to my eldest. I explained that it was not only 22 years old (which to a 9 year old must sound like eternity) but that I was 13 years old at the time.
Masher looked at me with wonder. I could see him thinking “13? I’m not thirteen yet. I won’t be for ages. Dad, you are old.”
It’s true, I am. I watch 80’s vs 90’s and reminisce. That is the word for what I do. I watch Duran Duran (who I vaguely recall hating during the pop-stardom) and think “wow, listen to that bassline. These guys were good.”
I don’t just listen to 80’s music, I’m enjoying it, whole-heartedly, and I have to fight to prevent myself thinking the same thoughts my parents had about the music of the 80’s when I hear the music of the noughties.
I’ve given up trying to bluff it. I cannot talk to someone about modern music with any form of conviction.
True, there are a few bands I do like - but some of those - have actually been knocking around for years - they do not have a fresh new sound - they have merely reached a point where they are commercially successful. Hence I hear them. It probably doesn’t help that I mainly listen to Radio 4, and therefore with the exception of the theme to The Archers, I don’t actually hear any broadcast music.
On the occasion that I do encounter, thanks to a combination of children and cable TV, something else, I’m lost.
Sorry. I do know in my heart that Usher, R Kelly and Nelly are entirely different artists. I know they all sound differentish. And one of them always mentions hotels in his songs, another wears an Adam Antesque white stripe, and the third chap…..well..I don’t know. Is he the one with the really unique voice, or the one who dances? And it’s not just that one genre. I have the same problem with Busted, McFly and various others. It’s not that they sound the same, but that I cannot distinguish between them. They all sound kinda the same.
No-one would confuse The Specials with Madness, would they? How about Falco with, oh, okay. I’ll admit it. I still confuse Spandau Ballet with Duran Duran.
One day I’ll listen to Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and think “my dad was right.”
Pah, getting older, who needs it?
Add comment April 24th, 2005
