I’m sitting at work listening to Band of Horses’ newest album, Cease to Begin wondering how it is I got here. How have my musical tastes formed to this point. I must admit, I was inspired by former Sleater-Kinney member Carrie Brownstein’s new NPR Blog. Or more specifically, this post.

I remember my mom spinning Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, and Kenny Rogers records endlessly. I remember memorizing all the words to The Gambler. But then the insecurities of middle-school reined in. No one listened to anything but hip-hop, modern R&B, and modern pop at Eastland Junior High in 1991-94 (Roseville, MI). We’re talking Color Me Badd, Bell Biv DeVoe, Esham, ICP, and the like. I was grossly outnumbered and predictably succumbed to peer pressure. Bobby Brown’s Bobby was my mainstay (“ain’t nobody humpin’ around“). It wasn’t until 9th grade that I discovered kids outside my neighborhood were listening to this thing called “alternative.” That was entirely due to my close friend Mike. He escaped Eastland after 8th grade to attend a Catholic High School. Through him my social circle, along with my taste, expanded well beyond the concrete walls of Roseville.

Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, and The Doors. Those we’re the first bands I obsessed over. After watching the Oliver Stone film about the latter band I became curious about Lou Reed and Velvet Underground, then early punk, and finally (almost inevitably) I started buying 7 inch records. I went crazy with these grooved tiny flat chunks of vinyl. Mainly because I could afford them, but also because that feeling from being the only kid around to even have heard of Gorilla Biscuits or Op’ Ivy was empowering. At first Nirvana, Candlebox, and The Mr. T Experience we’re all the same. But slowly snobbery began to enter the picture. That same feeling of personal empowerment became a defensive weapon when private worship became a publicly traded enterprise. Thus, an “indie snob” was born. I started working at a record store immediately after graduating High School. The ol’ timer employees (all in their mid-twenties) unintentionally crushed whatever was left of my “mainstream” taste. My eyes became fixated on the “indie” section.

When I look at my current batch of favorite bands I can’t help but think to myself, “do we really differ that much from one another?” Does what I listen to sound horrible to a fan of say, Linkin Park? I hear people say they “can’t get into” Bob Dylan all the time. Is that because people just don’t give his acquired voice a chance, or do these people genuinely dislike his music? Is it possible someone is genetically disposed to enjoy Creed, while others hear fingernails on a chalkboard? Or is it the environment they’re exposed to? I mean, whether you admit it or not, the group you associate with typically lends to the formation of your taste. Human beings are naturally pack animals. Sure, you have your clique jumpers. But “jumpers” usually run with parallel groups, not opposing. Basically, you’re going to have a hard time finding someone that equally loves Matchbox 20 and Shellac.

What is it that makes your music sound pleasant to you but terrible to me?