When you think of the common mid-century music fan, the image that probably comes to mind is someone like my dad: a person in their mid-50s to early 70s who’s been to all the concerts, and, yes, bought the t-shirts. Someone who can tell you about the time they saw David Bowie or Santana in concert at King’s College (before it was even called that) and how awesome it actually was. Someone who can show you their vast collection of LPs that are tattered from being played endlessly over the years and who still has ticket stubs that read “$6.87” as the price of admission.
But I wonder, would you picture someone born in the early to mid-90s? Someone who grew up in the era of iPhones, Starbucks, and streaming music on the internet. Someone who wasn’t even a thought in the back of their parents' minds when these musical geniuses set out to change the world forever.
The answer is probably not. And that’s okay, I won’t take offense.
Being 20-something and loving classic rock is one of the things I know best, and I have my dad to thank for that. For as long as I can remember, he’s been playing all kinds of cassette tapes and records of music from his youth, from Billy Joel and Led Zeppelin to Janis Joplin and Springsteen. Because of the technological age we live in, over the years I’ve discovered through the internet that I’m not the only young person who fell in love with the greatness that is mid-century music. There’s an entire community online dedicated to nurturing the passion that we all share. On occasion we run into some haters when discussing our tastes. And sometimes being a real classic rock fan means dealing with some unfortunate judgments. But there are also some really awesome perks to being a hardcore fan!
For instance, the knowledge you gain. Listening to music from a different time transports you back, and you are fortunate enough to get a small glimpse into the past and the culture that existed then. It also gives you insight into what has influenced today's musicians and helps you understand the progression of music throughout the decades. This is something that is lost to a very large portion of millennials. This small group of fans, however, is blessed with knowing the ins and outs of the music world.
Growing up listening to the music of my parents' youth made me develop a unique bond with them, as well as with seasoned fans of classic rock music. It isn't uncommon for me to be the youngest fan attending the concert of artists like Fleetwood Mac or The Eagles. Almost all of the other die-hard fans are older people, and they are always impressed with my taste in music and have welcomed me into their fandom with open arms. To me, this is another huge perk. Parents, relatives, and all older fans in general have amazing recollections that they just love to share with younger classic rock fanatics. These people are basically like our passport to our favorite music! We are a beacon of hope to the older generation proving that their music meant something and that there is still hope for our generation.
Meeting fans who are older than you is one thing, but it's another to actually find someone your own age who shares your taste in music. You can easily find a 20-something who listens to Beyonce, Taylor Swift, or The Weeknd. It's a rare thing to find someone your age who knows more than the three or four overplayed songs by Journey or who understands why The Who is amazing as much as you do. No matter how many times you meet older-generation fans or have jam sessions with your parents, you always feel a little bit out of place until you can find someone your age who loves the same bands as you with the same amount of enthusiasm.
There are endless things that are great about being a classic rock nerd. The best one among them is the fact that you are cultured and passionate about music that will live on forever. So next time you're in the car with your friends, don't be afraid to change the station when Justin Bieber comes on, and rock out to some Led Zeppelin. Embrace the music that you love.
