Well maybe I'm oversimplifying things, but I think people's taste are restricted mostly by environment and habit. Play the same two kinds of music on the 4 or 5 major radio stations in your area and people will inevitably respond like hypnotized chickens and like it and buy it up. Than those people have kids and the format changes a bit, and the kids think the parents are uncool while the parents are always nostalgic about the music of the past.

It's hilarious to me. Predictable.

All I know is that once I began my own musical journey, everything just flowered and I became more independent.

Right now I'm in love with Daniel Lanois. He's known for his producing efforts, mainly for U2, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Peter Gabriel.

He produced Robbie Robertson's first disc, and someone was talking about native music in a recent post, so here's a clip of a great tribute song that Robbie wrote about a member of the Band who committed suicide. I love pop music that expands into other categories such as this song. Probably one of my all time fav songs.

YouTube - Robbie Robertson - Fallen Angel

I haven't finished my book. I usually have four or five going at a time - one in every room...

Last night I was reading some more from this book "Your Brain on Music" and it's really getting interesting.

The author talks about how it is the surprises in music that keep you listening, waiting for the resolution. This I understood.

The author then goes on to talk about how music crosses both hemispheres of the brain. One side listens and creates mental pictures based on prior perceived realities, one side measures and interprets. To learn music theory crosses the hemispheres again.

Then I realized that I had known that as well. Real musical genius is an intentional manipulation of listeners wrought of both hemispheres of the brain of a composer/performer.

To me, understanding this manipulation does not ruin the experience. Rather, it is enhanced. I guess it would be akin to wanting to learn the tricks of a magician.

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...the government...is caving in...with their specious arguments couched in the...language of civil rights law, and that the churches ... likewise crumbling to...rhetoric which is nothing but heretical sophistry -- ~F Phelps
Platitudes like the one you offer are no different - and no less incorrect - than the jackass part-time Christian who says, "I'm going to heaven because I'm nice to people." It so misses the point.~Impugn

That reminds me of my 4th grade science project, I think it was about comparing how music effects your heart rate. Whoot, I won 3rd place, and 5 whole dollars! Wowzier! Though, too bad I didn't have access to a brain machine then, maybe I would of won first.

A brain machine... I love you man.

That sounds like a neat project. I'd like an EEG (electroencephalogram) machine for a similar project. That's primarily what is used but I gather it's really difficult to pinpoint specifically what neurons are firing or even from exactly where let alone whether they are producing inhibitors or the opposite (can't remember what thats called). There's got to be a better way.

__________________
...the government...is caving in...with their specious arguments couched in the...language of civil rights law, and that the churches ... likewise crumbling to...rhetoric which is nothing but heretical sophistry -- ~F Phelps
Platitudes like the one you offer are no different - and no less incorrect - than the jackass part-time Christian who says, "I'm going to heaven because I'm nice to people." It so misses the point.~Impugn