Save the Music...That Depends

As a music lover, as I am sure most of you reading this right now are, I would applaud and champion the phrase "save the music" as a noble and necessary idea. Let's face it, music is the universal language (sorry "love," you've been demoted due to your many uses, especially the love of money and a ridiculously increasing divorce rate that apparently you cannot even save) of which we all connect and communicate with. But what does "save the music" actually mean? Whose music are we saving and for whom are we saving it?

It seems today, more than ever, music has become more a commodity than a release. More about marketing than emotion. More about accountants than about attitude. Trust me folks, I am not naive. I know that for some, music was always a way to wield power and cash checks. Ever since they started marketing Elvis to sing all of that wonderful, southern black music that those wonderful, black musicians weren't able to sing themselves because the white kids weren't "ready" for it, the music industry has been hellbent on stealing the weekly allowances of teenagers all across this country.

But popular music used to and still should be so much more meaningful. Music should be guttural. No thought, all instinct. All Iggy Pop, no Donny Osmond. Music should be about what it feels like to you, not what it looks like. It's not a fashion accessory. In today's world where the FCC controls everything (including the United States Constitution) and the religious right is busy telling us who to vote for, what to say and think, as well as telling us we need to repress our sexuality all the while keeping our underwear from popping out of the back side of our jeans, why should we save the music that tries to keep us in line instead of offending or energize us? Why should we do that? So it's saved for another Ashlee Simpson or Justin Timberlake. Hard to imagine. Who exactly will benefit from all of this saving? Parents, government, religious institutions? This current musical climate is meant to control our future generations. Emotionless, bland, boring, socially inept music, helps create emotionless, bland, boring, socially inept human beings. Human beings who will question nothing and do just what they are told. That's not music, it's brain washing...it's republicanism.

Depending on which generation you sprang from, don't you remember the first time you heard Chuck Berry, Elvis, The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Clash, Bad Religion or Nirvana? Don't you remember the feeling that was attacking your gut? The feelings of not knowing whether you should scream, laugh, cry, have sex, punch someone in the face, fall in love or throw up? That was music!! That was passion. No thinking allowed, no doubt about it, a primal reaction. A new brain inside of a new body. Doesn't anyone remember?

Saving the music is a noble and necessary thing for sure. But what is even more noble and necessary is finding out what kind of music we're saving and for what reason. I do not have any children and it's partially the fault of Justin Timberlake. If I had a child today, in ten years I would feel SO guilty if my son or daughter asked me if he or she could buy a ticket for the 5th O-Town farewell tour being supported by the son of rap superstar 50 Cent, Lil' Quarter.

This is in no way a knock on the Save the Music Foundation (I'm just addressing the phrase). Quite the contrary. This is an agreement of the dire need to save the music and the music loving public. It's for all of those people who do not accept Nick Carter as the reincarnation of Jim Morrison. So instead of blindly "saving the music," let's wholeheartedly save the feeling, the passion and the emotion of the music.

To all of the bands out there who continue to do music its true, passionate justice...thank you! To those of you in the MTV generation of music and fans, there is still time for salvation, but it's fading fast. Make the switch now or forever enjoy your institutionalized, sterile, right wing, muzak world where the only thing you will feel is a pain similar to that when you leave the proctologists office. And there will not be a doctor to blame, just yourself.