Off the Deep End – Return to Your Roots
written by Chris van Staalduinen
On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was happily granted a reprieve from the “music” that is usually forced upon me – Taylor “Not So” Swift, the 5 Maroons etc. I was shocked to hear an oldie, but a damn goodie. To my shock, The Who’s classic “Won’t Get Fooled Again” was playing and I was singing along, as is my wont. I haven’t listened to The Who or a lot of my classics in awhile, yet I knew every word.
The song is from 1971’s “Who’s Next”, while I am from 1972. Nevertheless, I have loved it since it was introduced to me in my teens. I didn’t find solace in the seemingly empty, flashy music of the 1980’s, but instantly felt connected to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors and The Who, among many others. While singing along in the grocery store, I reflected on the theme of the song, with words like “fighting ,change and revolution” throughout. This seems to be the common theme to most of the music I like best. Sure, there are great love songs, amazing road songs and great party songs amongst my favourites, but much more common are the revolutionary ones.
There were different ways of being revolutionary in music, but I liked them all. Pink Floyd was experimental in sound and anti-establishment in their high-brow lyrics. Led Zeppelin was recreating an entire, accepted genre of music with their own twist, come hell or high water – and for the record the establishment expected it to go over like a “lead balloon” (famously leading to their name). The Doors took the American angle on experimentation and excess to the point that pretty much everything Jim Morrison did angered the status quo. The Who were like the rallying cry of the disengaged youth, the theme song to a riot and a scream against the government at the same time. I was all-in and ready for more.
More was to come, but I needed the smooth introduction of classic rock, as I wasn’t quite ready to start with punk. Soon, the angry, teenage anarchist needed some new fuel for his fire and I found some punk rock. This time I connected with the angry, anti-everything vibe more than the music itself. Later, grunge and alternative were happy additions to my angry music family. I want to hear music about stuff – real stories; real people; real issues; real feelings of apathy, anger and being disenfranchised – not songs about dancing, money and breakups.
I guess that’s just me, though – some old guy who likes his old music and old themes in his new music. I can’t help it and nor will I try. Instead, I’m going deeper into my music collection, back to my roots. I’m going to put together an old school playlist and maybe get a headband or a poncho. If anyone needs me, I’ll be out in the garage returning to my roots.
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written by Chris van Staalduinen