How I became a Music snob without changing my wardrobe and adopting poor hygeine

Yes, I'll admit to being a music snob. I don't know how it came to be, but as with most questions when people ask why I'm this way, or act that way, it can usually be answered with "Well, he's got ADD and probably OCD"

So in a way, my lack of attention span has made me tire easily of listening to the same old thing, time after time. One thing I've discovered with music is this: Finding a new band is like finding a new member of the opposite sex that just fascinates you to the point of wanting to spend your precious time with them. With music though, you don't really have to go through the awkwardness and pain inherent with people. Hopefully this insight won't scare potential girlfriends away from my potentially fleeting devotion, but girls kept on their toes do tend to work harder for your affection - or so I've heard.

Most of the music I listened to growing up was a direct influence of my older brother Trevor. He got me into everything from New Wave, Rap, Reggae, and Ska. My dad's influence pretty much spanned across a few artists like Gordon Lightfoot and Leo Kottke, as well as some Paul Simon and whatever else his easy-listening palate could tolerate. My Grandfather (and my limited allowable tastes during my 2 year Church mission) are responsible for my deep love of Classical Music.

My mom (which I didn't discover until later) actually grew up on cool music. She was raised in West Hollywood and had seen bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin live at The Troubadour. I think it was shortly after my parents got married that they got rid of a lot of these gems. My brothers and have often reflected on how our dad made a dork out of our mom once they married. I can still remember a few LPs from their collections, the one that sticks out was a Rolling Stones album that had a zipper on it. Apparently Mick (or maybe it was Keith, I don't know the other "blokes" in the band) liked the idea of millions of fans groping his crotch. Yes, the zipper worked.



So with my older brother's mentorship, my first CD purchase was Milli Vanilli.
A proud first. I didn't find out until years later that I was entitled to a refund.

Almost 20 years later, I've found myself now and then at the vanguard of what's cool and hip in new music. I know for a fact that there's quite a few out there who know more than I do, but for the majority of you out there, you'll never come across someone who appreciates and collects as much music as varied as I do.

For those of you who want to know how to become a music snob... it takes a lot of time, but more importantly, it takes friends and good resources. I've compiled a short list of to-dos if you'd like to expand your musical horizons.

Music Snobbery for Dummies

1. Get recommendations from friends. Don't be fooled into thinking that MTV, the Radio, and the Gray's Anatomy soundtrack are your only portals for new music. Friends who aren't music snobs rarely have good input, but don't close the door on them. You'll eventually discover that most of the stuff you come across passively has been actively marketed to you. Most things that are actively marketed are done so to compensate for their lower quality.

2. See what the critics are saying. I've even discovered new artists in the pages of Time Magazine. Pitchfork, Spin, The Reader, and other papers frequently will review albums and shows. I prefer to consult with MetaCritic because they pool all the reviews from the credible and respectable publications. Most of the albums reviewed are of artists I've never heard of before, but when it gets critical acclaim, it's worth my investigating.

3. Try some local radio stations. A lot of NPR stations play interesting stuff. For people in Southern California, KCRW is of legendary status. The easiest way to get access to these stations though, in my opinion, is through the Radio Stations feature in iTunes.

4. Go to a real music store (if they still exist in your area) and check stuff out. I haven't been to one in a few years, but I am a real fan of everything I found at Amoeba music.

The only other store that comes close is HMV, but I've only seen the store in Montreal (one whole floor for Classical music!) and Tokyo. This one below is where I first discovered Franz Ferdinand and Ratatat.


It's a shame that Tower Records is now defunct... they were cool once upon a time.


5. Download at will with a good BitTorrent client. I've included instructions on how to use BotTorrent to download TV episodes on another post. I avoid using the other P2P crap like LimeWire, eDonkey, BearShare etc... they aren't worth all the spyware, malware, and other crap that come with them. Plus, the RIAA will get you more easily on these channels than they will on a BitTorrent client.

If you happen to be straight laced and want to buy the album on iTunes or at a music store because you want to "support the artists", go for it. But for God sakes, please don't sacrifice your ability to pass a job interview for your love of music.