Saturday
Mar282009
And That's When I Realized That I've Totally Failed As A Parent
Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 7:15PM | Mr Lady
We have 5 FM stations programmed on the radio in the car. The first is the Top 40 Pop Parent Torture Station. After that, there's a local college radio station, a classic rock station out of Seattle, an oldies station and then one that's kind of an alternative top 40, I guess is the best way to describe it. We flip through the stations in the car and I occasionally will explain who this band is or why that band is significant in music history or what iconic song the latest anorexic over-synthesized blond girl is sampling all the way to the top.
Like today, when we hopped in the car and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was on and we got to talking about the Beatles (again, mawm, seriously? *eye roll*) and then about how the albums that came out when I was young actually told stories, rather than just being a bunch of tracks slapped together. We talked about the Sgt. Pepper's movie and then moved onto The Wall and then how War of the Worlds went from radio to album to movie, then how I Robot went from book to album to movie, and so on.
I can talk music awwwwl night long.
On the way home, the new Black Eyed Peas song was on the Station of Doom and one of the boys said, "Mom, this is the new Black Eyed Peas song!" and I said Mmmm Hmmm. They said, "Oh. Emm. Gee. I loooove this song" and I said, "Yeah, I kinda like it too. *sigh of resignation* When it was over, I flipped to that Seattle classic rock station, which is beautiful in its complete, undying devotion to all things grunge still, after all these years. Pearl Jam came on the radio; Evenflow, from their first album, and I turned it up a little. One of the boys asked who it was and I said, "Um, Pearl Jam, duh" and they paused for a minute, then asked,
"Mom, who's Pearl Jam?"
Like today, when we hopped in the car and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was on and we got to talking about the Beatles (again, mawm, seriously? *eye roll*) and then about how the albums that came out when I was young actually told stories, rather than just being a bunch of tracks slapped together. We talked about the Sgt. Pepper's movie and then moved onto The Wall and then how War of the Worlds went from radio to album to movie, then how I Robot went from book to album to movie, and so on.
I can talk music awwwwl night long.
On the way home, the new Black Eyed Peas song was on the Station of Doom and one of the boys said, "Mom, this is the new Black Eyed Peas song!" and I said Mmmm Hmmm. They said, "Oh. Emm. Gee. I loooove this song" and I said, "Yeah, I kinda like it too. *sigh of resignation* When it was over, I flipped to that Seattle classic rock station, which is beautiful in its complete, undying devotion to all things grunge still, after all these years. Pearl Jam came on the radio; Evenflow, from their first album, and I turned it up a little. One of the boys asked who it was and I said, "Um, Pearl Jam, duh" and they paused for a minute, then asked,
"Mom, who's Pearl Jam?"
Reader Comments (56)
For shame.
Well, that's it. You've wrecked them. It's official.
well if the boys can't appreciated it for ya, I will...Pearl Jam Rocks! We have a station here in the BFE that plays alot of the "old" really good alternative rock, and best part, they play a lil of everything...no top 40 crap unless it was super cool! lol o' I feel like I am back in high school when I listen to this station...and even my 2 year old ignores this stuff...she'd rather listen to country. Except the other day she got into green day time of my life...I smiled!
Yep. Big fail.
Uh oh, the misses believes God himself wrote even flow for her. It's ok. I think there are better tunes on the record.
*tsk* *tsk* *tsk*
Well, get to rectifying that ASAP, lady! ;)
Shame on you. Don't you know that Rock Band and Guitar Hero exist specifically for the purpose of exposing our children to our music? (And that admission right there makes me weep.)
(gasp) No NPR?
NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have Weezer memorized and do not know Pearl Jam? The horro!
Shannon, Shannon, Shannon. ;)
LMAO-- no really. The poor kids!! Yes, I'm siding with the yung'uns :)
I was just in my neighborhood Seattle independant Record store this afternoon and saw that the remastered edition of 'Ten' was out. Damn if I didn't have to buy it, even though I have about a hundred of thier albums. I will post some day about how I nearly ran over Eddie Vedder and his VERY pregnant wife just a few storefronts down from said record store (where Eddie does all his Christmas music shopping after hours, or so I'm told). It may be a short post though since I didn't hit them and that is about where the story ends.
I died a little inside just reading this.
I say bravo. Pearl Jam and Nirvarna and Alice in Wonderland or whoever they are totally wrecked metal. I mean, they ruined awesome bands like Warrant and Britny Fox. Its good that your kids don't know them, I say.
My husband is trying to keep my kids alternative music free, but since that, hip-hop and Christian music are my faves, he's fighting a losing battle. Wonder how they would react to Slayer?
As someone that just pulled the trigger on the collector's edition of the Ten reissue box set, I just died a little inside too. Yes, I know it was ridiculously expensive, but that album changed everything. Warrant? They ruined metal. Actually, I just realized something...the classic rock station is playing Pearl Jam...classic rock. I'll go find a rocking chair now...I feel very old.
Oh, cry me a river. I pay an exorbitant sum of money each month for the 9 YO boy's guitar lessons. "I'm a classical guitarist, Mom." Seriously, this kid is begging for a wedgie. So, you just go on with your little bit of dying while my kid shovels dirt on my grave.
OUCH!
Wow....Really, no PJ for them? Did they at least like it? You have failed... This is comming from the guy who can not play guitar, with the exception of the Wall and Ten album, took me like 2 years to get them down.
I SOOOOO wanted to flame Matt...(read: took me a second to realize not everyone liked Seattle grunge from the 90's) Alice in Wonderland... that was funny though. But really the comparison is apples and oranges. I don't think anyone jumped ship from metal for grunge. I never listened or liked metal and Eddie Vetter is my hero.
hehe, but you're doing a lot better than me!
EPIC fail...but there is still plenty of time.
A totally uncalled for comment here, but I had my first ever, er... happy ending... at the hands of someone who wasn't me to the tune of a Pearl Jam album.
I'm not a big fan though, oddly enough.
The radio in the car is my domain. I don't demand a lot, but we have my crap on in the car, my son's crap everywhere else, but the car is mine.
You should have asked them if Jeremy spoke in class today.
I'm sure there's still hope :-)
You can lock them in a closet and play Pearl Jam outside the door one day. That should solve it. We still love that album in our house.
My daughter asked for a Metallica and tootsie roll party for her 6th birthday so I guess we're doing okay. She also asked me if I had Snakes and Arrows on my iPod the other day and it took me a couple of minutes to realize that she wasn't asking for a game but for the latest Rush album. Her dad's a big influence
Um, since when is Pearl Jam classic rock? Oh my. I am OLD.
OUCH.
You HAVE failed! I am shocked by this revelation. But there is still time to remedy the deficiency....
parent FAIL.
oh god. evenflo is old? i am going to dig a hole for myself and wait to die.
hey, what's that a picture of in the address bar? is that an olive? a boobie?
Could be worse. They could have asked WHAT is pearl jam.
Aw, Middle-Aged-Woman beat me to it.
You crack me up!! Schooling your boys on classic rock n roll! Rocco is learning about "good" music from Hubbz. For my part, I am teachig him to appreciate dance-a-bility and movie soundtracks and to identify a Dixie Chicks song in three notes or less. He's going to kill in the future version of Name That Tune!!
I filmed this little clip with my flip, in the car..I should send it to you.. but basically, I say this.
"Olivia must not be my daughter. She said that {this band} sucked."
{this band} = Pearl Jam
FOR SHAME!
Who is Pearl Jam. WHAT? You need to get the kids the NEW Ten CD! It rocks. And y'know if they like Kings of Leon...they will love PJ.
Some music education is direly needed here!
Tell me they at least know of Nirvana.
My kid's favorite movie when he was little was Yellow Submarine. Major win right there. He also loves the few Nine Inch Nails tracks that I can play for him. BTW-Ghosts is instrumental awesomeness. Have you ever listened to Scott Weiland's 12 Bar Blues? OMG! The song Son will totally make you cry.
Not a big fan of Pearl Jam, but I'm so incredibly jealous of a Seattle oldies station playing Grunge wonderfulness. Pardon me while I dig out a flannel and put on some jeans that I haven't washed this month. Oh right, your blog spawns confession. I own (yes shoe diva me) Birkenstocks. I've even worn them with socks.
EPIC FAIL. Please please tell me that they at least can recognize Nirvana and Rush. If they don't know either (or at least one of them) then we need to send in reinforcement CDs immediately.
That puts in all in perspective doesn't it? Holy. Shit.
I can still remember one of the BEST concerts I have ever shook my head to was a Pearl Jam concert in San Diego. I think that concert was like....uh....yesterday. Wasn't it???
I am tired....I think I should have written..... " I have ever shaken my head to....." OR "I ever shook my head to...." (without the have) OR "....one of the best concerts to which I have ever shaken my head..."
Okay I must stop now....geeeezzzz...
I know. My 4 year old can sing Taylor Swift's Love Story. Word for word. Over and over. Makes my ears bleed.
That's all kinds of wrong, yo. Eddie would not be pleased.
No... you just proved that CAS failed. Obviously they never asked about Pearl Jam during their last surprise visit.
It's not you; it's the system that failed them.
There is just so much for them to learn, that's all. It takes time, young grasshopper.
living actually IN Seattle I have to say that I weep for you. But it looks to me like you now have the pleasures of teaching them kids a whole new genre of music...GO GRUNGE. and so all is not lost. Have fun.
Just go ahead and make their therapy appointments now.
I can't wait for the grunge style to come back to clothing. Flannel, ripped jeans... I was IN MY ELEMENT.
xo
b.
My daughter won't let me tell her what is on my MP3 player for fear that the songs I have might be on her iPod too. She thinks that any music she likes is for her use only. Even the oldies that I like (although I love a lot of the new music which just dosen't rock her boat) that she likes too, are off limits to discussion.
I know. I feel your pain.
Several years ago, Ray Charles was in town, and, while my husband and I were thrilled beyond belief to have a chance to see him IN PERSON, my darling boy did the same thing.
"Who's Ray Charles?" And he was old enough to know better.
*smack*
What cracks me up is the kids that have Guitar Hero. Now, they know all of these "oldies" and claim them as their own. Heaven forbid that I might start to sing along.