Communal listening/ Share your music.

Friends.I think I don't speak alone when I express my concern for the current state of the music industry. In a world dominated by the internet and mp3's the CD is slowly dying out and the vinyl is only still alive due to a dedciated few. Though I accept there are advantages to this "progression" there are many things we sacrifice for this cause. One of these is the art of communal listening. Anybody who's been to a good gig will know what i mean when I talk about the "connection felt between you and every other person in that room as you soak in the music together, it's like you're on a journey and they're your fellow travellers, it's like you're all heading for the same destination, working for the same goal, experiencing the same beautiful musical expression. (I'm obviousely referring to big arena shows where girls aloud show how well they can mime or another metal band that sounds just like metallica perfectly repeat what's been done a thousand times before. *Note sarcasm*) Now people feel they don't need to go to the show because they can watch it streamed to the comfort of their home, because obviously atmosphere and participation has nothing to do with a live show. (I'm on a roll with this sarcasm stuff.) There's not mucn that can be done about this by me and you other than going to the shows and bringing all your friends when you do, but the live show is not the only thing I'm concerned about. My mother told me once how when she was a child her family would all sit round and listen to a vinyl, not in the background but as the focus of attention, what happened to times like those? Granted, that was partly because they lived in a caravan and walking round would cause the caravan to wobble and the record to skip, but the point still stands. With the introduction of music streamed over the internet and i-pods/mp3 players (which are all good things) we're losing the experience of really living an album and even more living that experience with our fellow passers through on this earth. We watch a film with friends or even pointless T.V but music has been demoted to background atmosphere or single popular tracks played in clubs (again good things in moderation). As Relient K so perfectly put it "it's all the same with all the kids, no one knows what vinyl is." There's also an amusing reference to frisby golf in that song. Vinyl might not be everyone's cup of tea, and that's fine, it's not really my point but I couldn't resist qouting that song. However there is things I would encourage people to do.
1. Listen to albums, and really listen to them, get involved, become a part. Understand what the message of the songs are and how the music and lyrics work together to convey this. Experience the journey of the album and how each song drifts purposefully in to one another. (Obviously this can't apply to all albums.)

2.Invite your friends over and listen to/live/experience the album together, talk about the lyrics what they mean, how they create each sound. Your favourite parts, ask questions, put forward theory's, go as deep as you like and realise there's always more to discover.

The more I think about this the more I realise how fitting it is that music is used to worship G-d. In true beauty it can carry his presence and put forward a message of truth. You can get lost in it, like a small taste of his infinite awesomeness. All praise to G-d.

Share your music.