I Listen to Everything
by Adam D. Miller

One of the first things I like to find out as I get to know someone is the kind of music they’re into.  Since I’ve always been a complete music nerd, I get excited when people express enthusiasm about the same types of music as I do, or are aware of the same lesser known artists.  Lately, however, I’ve noticed something rather strange.

It usually goes like this.

Adam:  What kind of music are you into?
Respondent: Oh, I dunno.  I’m into all kinds of music.

I swear… one of these days I’m going to make someone a mix tape that includes selections from Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music, Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question, and John Lomax’s field recordings from the Appalachian Mountains.  Because of course, someone being into all kinds of music is usually too good to be true.  “All kinds of music” seems to mean that they like Radiohead and Coldplay.

On the other hand, how do I respond when someone asks “what kind of music are you into?”  I’m certainly not the type of person who exclusively listens to one artist (as some Phish or Dave Matthews Band fans seem to), nor do I devote myself to a single genre (like punk, whose listeners will rarely admit to owning a single album that isn’t punk).  A quick glance at my CD collection will probably give people the idea that I primarily listen to guitar-based music mostly recorded in the 1970s, but a closer look will see that I have more than a few John Coltrane, Solomon Burke, and classical discs.

So I guess I listen to everything too.  Iggy Pop and David Bowie.  Go figure.

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