The Theory Of (My) Musical Adoration

I swear to you that I was going to post something last night, but then my computer froze up and I had to reset and by the time everything was cleared up I was dead tired and -- ah, it was all a huge mess. But thankfully I managed to save some of what I was going to talk about so the next time the occasion strikes, I can discuss what it is that I was going to discuss. Now on with the show.

I was experiencing a little bit of a continuing crisis of identity last night as well, which was actually my main impetus for wanting to contribute something herein, but now I know what exactly to contribute to combat this. See, I keep on thinking that I'm not "supposed" to like what I like about music, but now, after another day's worth of musing over these thoughts, I realize that I'm listening to exactly what I should be listening to with the background that I have. And I know I'm doing a lot of repetition herein, but I feel like this is a continuation of a topic I just barely touched upon in a prior posting. In fact, I think I didn't actually cover this so much as just hint at it.

Okay. Now. Let's look at some of the major characteristics of the electronic-flavored synthpop/New Wave music from around the beginning of the 1980s. It modeled itself primarily from the punk DIY ethos, which democratized the music-making process. This actually allowed for just about anyone to become involved with the art of creating music, which is perfect for someone with my background, seeing as though I don't come from a sociocultural/-economic background that would lead me to be a part of the actual power structure here in the U.S., or even in my home state. This freedom from the elitist constraints of the past is freeing to me. Then there's the injection of a healthy dose of funk/disco rhythmic action that appeals to the innate rhythm that resides deep within my Latina self. Try as one might, one cannot escape one's cultural/ethnic makeup as an influential force upon one's personal tastes.

And then there's the simple fact that this brand of synthpop/New Wave utilized then-emerging synth technology, in particular synths that were being made for the consumer market. The synth was the premier(e) instrument for a new era that dawned toward the middle of the 1970s, a post-Industrial era where the computer would reign supreme and technology, not industry, would be the primary focal point. In this era, the traditional epicenters of industry are slowly decreasing in importance as high-technology sectors in the regions of the country that have traditionally been disenfranchised, including the U.S. Southwest, have been making steady gains in their overall importance. This means that as we move further into the era of technology, those groups who have maintained a foothold on that region of the country, including the also disenfranchised Americans of Mexican descent (disclaimer: I am one), will also increase in importance. Already you are seeing the signs of this on one major national network, ABC -- "The George Lopez Show", "Desperate Housewives", "Ugly Betty", and "Grey's Anatomy" all feature Latinos as part of the central cast, and its news department consists of Latino news luminaries such as Elizabeth Vargas, John Quinones, Jim Avila, and Taisha Hernandez. Now, you may not think this could be relatable to the lowly synth, but if you'll note that the synth is the hallmark instrument for these new technological times, where knowledge is truly power and meritocracies can finally be instituted in place of sheer good fortune and power plays, then the synth is the ideal instrument for a time when people who look the way I look can finally realize their own destinies, and musicians who were synth pioneers, including Ultravox and Gary Numan's Tubeway Army, can and should be viewed as the new Beatles or the new Elvis.

So. I think I've made up my mind. It is completely natural for me to fall in love with music that places importance on this relatively new synth technology, to actively seek out mini-Moogs and/or Fairlights in my music. Since I am all about claiming a slice of the pie that will be dished up to myself and my kind when we as Americans can finally bury the last shuddering remnants of the Industrial Revolution, it would be natural for me to embrace the instrument that is symbolic of the new era of long-awaited progress and development for myself and my people. It's natural for me to fall in love with music that is rhythmically danceable, as that tribal beat is ingrained in my DNA. And the no-nonsense, anti-elitist punk DIY ethos fits perfectly with my blue collar roots. Hence, I feel that my musical tastes should not be viewed as surprising or antithetical to the being I am at the core. Wow. This theory (as it's still just a theory) totally works for me. Does it work for you?