As I'm not a radio or television person, I usually am really behind the times when it comes to being aware of the "latest thing." Over the past week I got to turn on to a new group that's been around for awhile, but I never heard - Oasis. What fun. Like Blur, but better! I've been playing the 1st 2 albums alot. While I wouldn't rank them with the Beatles/John Lennon or the Cure (my 2 favorite groups of all time), they are really enjoyable - much like Green Day.

Another album I just listened to, although it came out 7 years ago, is the Cure's Bloodflowers. I have loved this band since early 1981, but pretty much figured they were finished back in 1994 after Wild Mood Swings, which I didn't care for too much. Now I am kicking myself after hearing Bloodflowers. This is the most beautiful music that I have heard in recent years and it brings tears to my eyes it is so majestic. It is everything that I wanted Disintegration to be. (Yeah, I know many people love Disintegration, but I'm not fond of it because it has too much synthesiser). This is one of those albums you have to listen to the whole way through - not just a track or two. To think that I missed the tour that went along with this album makes me sick. I've seen them live in the past and they are always a treat.

At least they released Trilogy which has Bloodflowers live. Simon Gallup, the bassist, is amazing in this DVD set. Probably the best bassist since the late John Entwistle of The Who. This concert series is just incredible. I am convinced that Robert Smith is the most talented man alive today. After all these years he and the Cure still amaze me. If you haven't heard this album and you want to hear some moving beautiful music - get it now! It has fantastic guitar work in it as well for all of you guitar fans (Hendrix fans take note). It's especially great to listen to in tandem with Pornography and I guess Disintegration for those who like that LP (listen to Pornography 1st, unless you want to be left in a depressed mood).

Ironically I've given Wild Mood Swings another spin 12 years later and it actually has some good tunes on it that I've come to like afterall. The last self-titled album wasn't bad, but not as great as Bloodflowers. There will be a new one next year and now I am looking forward to that - I will NOT miss the tour the next time around, God willing. Smith has aged exceedingly well.

Also checked out Radiohead this week, but didn't really care for them that much. Other sounds checked out were Morrissey (I decided I only like him in the Smiths and not solo) and Johnny Marr and the Healers (J. Marr was the guitarist and melody writer of the Smiths) who actually are pretty good and worth a listen.

Preyo, I can really relate to your experience of finding new music out there to like and old music to discover. The longer one is on the planet, there is more music to remember and collect for the soul. Musical style and fashion comes and goes quickly, and unless you have the time to go to clubs and read music reviews and magazines, it can be hard to latch onto the latest scene and stay current.

There is this tendency to like only the music of ones youth, the music that defines your coming of age, the sound vibrations that define one becoming an adult and individual. I think it’s important not to get too stuck on that period of ones life, and continue to grow with music and have an experimental ear. Which may be well the reason I’ve never come of age and don’t like the definition of what an adult is supposed to be like (maybe why I hate classic rock radio stations and most current commercially successful music).

I recently watched the MTV music video awards on TV, mainly because it featured Jack White(of the White Stipes) now with the Raconteurs on it. They ended up being the house band that were shone only briefly between commercial cuts, though they opened up the show with Lou Reed sitting in and later ended the show with ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons also playing with them. I thought that mix of new and old was the best part of the show, most of all the other groups that performed and won awards where highly polished/produced and over hyped, a lot of popish hip hop and a little sample of slick overproduced rock and roll. I can only imagine all the new and old music out there that is in need of recognition but is not sponsored by the right corporation for commercial success!

Anyway, I like the spirit of your continued experimentation with music!!!