U2 'Achtung Baby'

Do you like music?

Just about everyone will answer “yes” to that question, but they’re lying through their teeth.

The truth is this… People say they like music, but that doesn’t mean that they like to discover new or different music. Some folks have blinders over their ears and they’re fine moving through life that way.

I prefer to be adventurous. I love music. I love just about every genre with the only exceptions being reggae (and the related ilk), most of what passes for “country” music these days, hardcore rap, and screamo metal.

I purchased an Ion Tailgater late last year. The maiden voyage for my new toy was the trip Tim Beeman and I made to visit Brian Attridge in Richmond. We took it to the last Redskins game of the season where they were WHOOPED by the Cowboys.

The Ion Tailgater worked beautifully. The Redskins… Well, that’s a different story.

Chigs and I like to sit out by The Cabin in the backyard, drink some alcohol, and enjoy some tunes with it. It doesn’t come with a remote control and that’s my only complaint. But it sure makes for good background tunes while we have some verbal intercourse by the fire pit.

We’ve been experimenting with using it for radio remotes for 600 WSJS. And with the built in radio, it works again, beautifully. It’s lightweight and it can get LOUD.

If you’re thinking about such a piece of equipment, I highly recommend the Ion Tailgater.

So with all that out of way, lets get back to the subject that I opened with…

Chigs took it with her on a bluegrass trip to Galax, Virginia. They were staying in a cabin complex near Cana and I thought it would be cool for them to take it with them.

You can Bluetooth connect with the Tailgater or plug a tablet or MP3 player into it. I knew they would enjoy a piece of equipment to play some music on. It’s versatile and I sent all the necessary wires they would need with it.

When I arrived for my part of the weekend, everyone was enjoying tunes from their phones. I was totally cool with it. Everyone was having a good time and I didn’t mind someone else choosing the tunes. I was good with the conversation and drinking aspect of the evening. I was able to kick back and leave everything back in North Carolina. Someone else was handling the playlist and I was totally cool with it even though they were using my toy.

Why?

Because I know that my tastes are very eclectic and I also know that people that claim to love music have no patience or tolerance to hear something they don’t know. They only love music that they know.

So I steered clear of even attempting a playlist takeover. Three minutes of something foreign to these self-proclaimed “music lovers” only gets you an earful of What the hell is this?? Why don’t you play something we know??

Instead of dealing with the “music lovers”, I just don’t bother. But someone insisted that I play something from my MP3 player through my Tailgater that they’ve been enjoying all weekend.

I didn’t have a playlist ready to go on my MP3 player, so I thought I’d wing it.

I was put on the spot and my mind was blank concerning the 4,800 songs in my hand. So I scrambled through the artists and found Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers ‘Southern Accents’ album.

I thought I’d be safe with just about anything with ol’ TP and the H breakers.

I wanted something more upbeat than the played out “Don’t Come Around Here No More” and I went with one that I thought everyone would be familiar with… “It Ain’t Nothin’ To Me”.

I was more wrong than a left turn on a red light.

Before the five minute song was halfway over, the self-proclaimed “music lovers” were complaining. So before the second song, I unplugged my Gretchen II (my Zune) and handed the reigns back over to my friend with the current, hip playlist on his phone.

I wasn’t even given time to establish a decent mix for my self-proclaimed “music loving” friends. They turned on me like Warner Brothers television turned on The General Lee.

The bottom line is this… People generally don’t want to hear something new no matter what they say.

And you should never ask a TRUE music lover to handle a playlist with friends and family. They will disappoint you with something that you may like, but don’t want to take the time to listen.

For me, it’s crazy. How do these “music lovers” find new music to enjoy if they don’t listen to anything new?

I just don’t know.