Monday 9 May 2011

Decades

i was born in 61
dief the chief was prime minister here in canuckville
kennedy was in office in the states
the beatles performed their first cavern club show
and the 60s began to evolve with us

here in the burbs the 60s happened on TV
'laugh in'
that was the 60s to us
we saw flashes of protests
but all the boys in the neighbourhood had short hair

the beatles were mythical
we knew all about them
we were young
but they were real to us
it was exciting
i remember seeing the performance of 'hey jude' on david frost
and while watching it i was rubbing my hands along the seams of my pants
while rocking back and forth
my dad told me to stop

but there was something rumbling underneath all the apple pie
and i was drawn to it
i was too young for world politics
or social consciousness
but something rumbled

it turned out to be nothing
another decade
the 70s
we hung out and listened to music
that was pretty much it

but we had the best music
and it was nice because most of us were discovering 60s music
the 70s was all about the music
it was a given
music was everywhere
bands playing everywhere
lots of shows
crazy shows
magazines were a big thing
vinyl covering everything
vinyl albums strewn about
it rained vinyl
and bands started to perform on TV with a bit more frequency
kiss was everywhere
everywhere
except on the radio

fm radio was a trip in the 70s
entire albums
the jock would take a bit while he flipped the album
no script
no hype
no commercials
no listeners
our parents were still tuned into am

then nothing
so we hung out and listened to music

in the 80s we were all on the move
i was playing 60s and 70s music in bars
gone
everyone i know rocks out to the 80s
guitars with tons of effects
machines started to take root
seeds for future generations

i watched MTV for two entire days when it came on
rumble rumble
the 80s
springsteen
reagan
i began to feel very american
american culture and ours began to blend
we were all wiring in
around the dial

i would love to live through one more upswing
some heavy music cultural left turn
but i don't think it will happen on line
it'll be a gathering
a changing of the guard
live music
the new church
we all arrive with our ideals
and rock out together

craig martin
may 9, 2011
oranges

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