Loyalty to bands/artists?

[Wmcmanus]

I thought this was a nice piece by NPR.

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2014/02/21/280715487/the-good-listener-for-bands-and-fans-the-no-fault-divorce?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

 

The Neil Young example is actually a good one, but he still produces some good work every now and then, it's just not anything that even resembles his top form work.  Johnny Cash and Dylan are exceptions in the sense that they both did (and Dylan still does) some of their best work in the later stages of their careers.  

 

But as far as adding purchased music to my collection, I'm just happy that there are so many ways to preview an album these days.  Even if all I can do is listen to the 30 second sound bites for each track at Amazon, it gives me a pretty good idea of whether to give an album further consideration, and this is especially true of the MANY old timers that I once loved who are still putting out albums... just because... they have nothing better to do!

 

Guys like Neil Young, Van Morrison (who actually titled a recent album "Born to Sing: No Plan B" and he really should develop one), Paul McCartney (sacrelige to say so or not, most of his past 20 years of production is sheit), John Fogerty, and dare I say Elvis Costello?  The list goes on and on.  

 

But of course, that said, I just bought a new Boz Skaggs album called "Memphis" even though he hasn't been relevant since the 70s (to the extent he was relevant then).

 

There is a desire, though, to want to keep loving bands and solo artists that you once were really into, and most of them don't ever completely lose it, so there is almost always at least a couple of tracks that will draw you in.  Still, there is so much else out there...

Edited February 22, 2014 by Wmcmanus