One of the better things about getting to be, shall we say, “advanced in years,” is that when things go around they tend to come around again, usually in a different format: everything old can be new again.

It’s crazy that the pop stuff I was listening to in the late ‘70s and ‘80s whose sound was called rock back then is now called country: folks like Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles are now country acts. Weird.

I like the fact that new generations are discovering jazz and trad brass band music, old pop music, tweaking it, and making it into something new.

I do enjoy listening to the old stuff, but I also like discovering new music and it’s interesting how you discover it. YouTube is probably my favorite way of find new and interesting music. I found Scott Bradlee and the Postmodern Jukebox like that. He takes pop songs and imagines and arranges them in a totally unique way. Check out Lorde’s (overplayed and overhyped) song “Royals” performed by Puddles Pity Party, or Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” featuring Miche Braden, or George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” with Dave Koz. Cool stuff.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/VBmCJEehYtU[/youtube]

Have you seen Live From Daryl’s House? Have you seen or heard Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers (heading to Tipitina’s in October) cover Hall & Oates or Boz Scaggs or even Kenny Rogers in their “Van Sessions”?

[youtube]http://youtu.be/WYJoSAKoalI?list=PL299B353C8108896B[/youtube]

So many great songs…not that I have anything against original music, for sure. But it’s pretty interesting to see what a younger generation can do with an old tune and lyrics. I always wondered why no one was doing this more.

I’m lucky to be in a business that’s always getting to be exposed to new music, new bands, new ways of doing things.

Look around and listen. When you stop anticipating the excitement of the new…then you are genuinely getting to be old.

Go out and listen to some live local music, and see what you can discover.

 

Speaking of “new”…how do you feel about the new wave of “e-cigarettes”? Do you partake?

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