I'm back

So I messed around a little and customized this page. It's a work in progess no doubt.

By the way, Margin Walker is an homage to a song by what is probably my favorite band ever, Fugazi. They are currently on hiatus, but in the course of their time together they have made some of the greatest music I know. I know a lot about the band but I won't go into too much detail here. Half the fun of exploring music is finding what you like all on your own. So go out there and find some of their stuff and give them a listen, and buy something from them. http://www.dischord.com/ This band is made up of good, talented people who care about the world they live in and who have the interests of their fans in mind. Go here to read a bit about them http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wifqxqe5ldke. These guys are awesome.

Essentially, love me, love Fugazi. :) Anyone who's stuck with me for a while will either hear them or will hear me reference them. Don't you have bands like that? Ones that you've listened to for so long that they're like old friends? I don't mean the individual people, but I mean the band, the songs, the fans.

As you can probably tell, music means a heck of a lot to me. I've don't play an instrument (except I took several years of flute, and I don't even like the flute), but I have sung in choruses and choirs (I'm not great but I can carry a tune). But really for me it's all about listening, trying new things.

My taste is bizarre, admittedly. It's easiest to say what I don't like (and even then there are often exceptions). I do not like pop music. I don't know what's on the top 40 this week, I don't know who these bands or people are. I've never heard a Britney Spears song. I know the name Josh Groban but I don't know who he is or what he does. I can't remember the last time I saw a music video. I don't like country music. I absolutely despise this "new jazz" or "smooth jazz" business. I can't handle it even in the background (and I'm crushed that our classical station has adopted it as their format).

Here's what I like, what I like to do. One trick I have, at the end of the year I look through a compilation of "best of" reviews at this site: http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/. Then I will go out on the internet and find the albums and give them a listen. Then I make a list of the ones I like and buy, buy, buy. I'm not saying if something is critically acclaimed I'll like it. But Metacritic gathers up some REALLY good sources and breaks them down for you. If it weren't for Metacritic I'd never have bought Late Registration by Kanye West. I had College Dropout and I liked it, but never thought about LR. Well, I bought it and have been blown away consistently by it. I'm still a regular listener (because the album is brilliant). I also became a New Pornographers fan because of Metacritic.

I have other tricks too. I check with friends, college students (I work at a university), and sometimes I'll just start poking around a music site and follow the "if you like this than you may like ::blank::." That's how I came to love Neutral Milk Hotel (brilliant...absolutely brilliant).

I'm no expert, and I'm always learning. But I seldom count anything out. I listen to Old Dirty Bastard, Miles Davis, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Public Enemy, Dave Brubeck, Bach, George Clinton, PJ Harvey, Hank Williams, Beastie Boys, Metallica...I'm just all over the place. I can't explain it. Rap, punk, classical, jazz, funk, head banging rock and roll...All are welcome at the musical banquet in my head.