In a country where infants to ajumma’s own either an Ipod, PSP, or a hand phone with mp3 capabilities - why do people still have the same response to the question, “What kind of music do you listen to?”
It’s understood that the question is a little vague, being the battalion of genres, but anything is better than saying ‘everything’!
Hip hop - Perfect that’s an answer. Rock – another! Funk, soul, jazz, opera, classical, ballads, Cabaña - these are all kosher answers. Country is another,
though - not globally accepted. Even theme songs to television shows and humming in the shower are acceptable - Whatever it may be, elaborate.
It’s a proven fact that Noraebongs outnumber universities, hospitals, and birth control clinics combined - so you would think people would be more finely in tuned to a proper response. (I would like to point out, that this question is definitely not a single poison-apple dilemma strewn about the city of Seoul - but a bubbling cauldron intoxicating the World, by musically resistant hellcats with a grudge to place a kibosh on music amalgamation).
I don’t know if it’s only music lovers that appreciate this question, or if it’s just people taking the ‘easy route out’ - but by asking people ‘what kind of music they like?’ you are spreading a sound that’s universal. Music integration at it’s finest. Like your mother always said ‘word of mouth’ is the best way to sell her delicious baked goods. And much like your ‘momma’s cookin’, music is soul food for the ears.
If I asked G-d what music he listened to, I’d wager my healthy hogwan salary that his response wouldn’t be ‘everything’. He would sit me down over a Hite, and tell me how the synthesizer in Zeppelin’s “All of my love” gives him the chills. How Buena Vista Social Club’s ‘Chan Chan’, ‘Pa Mayte’, and ‘Candela’ are perfect cooking songs for a first date. How James Brown is the quintessential father of funk, flocking a ‘murder’ of artists to peck away at his golden, hot leathered carcass. How no way in hell, will or could, Kanye West ever come close to seeing-eye to eye (pun intended) to Stevie Wonder’s genius. Or about the amazing magician of hip hop,/jazz/soul/funk/experimental Madlib - who’s put out countless records, literally countless. Know one has ever counted this high without being distracted - or had their mother call them because she misses them.
A response to this question doesn’t have to be entirely specific. Aside from the true ‘beat heads’ this question is tossed around, as a form of discovery, into a canal of interests. Or in the worst case scenario, conversation on its last legs eking for a quantum leap into ‘scoring’ some digits “Oh my gosh, you love the jazz flute too...No way, can I get your number”. Using a group’s genre, or instrument you play are both legit answers: it narrows the gap from the gargantuan of styles hitting the streets, alleys, back-alleys and even way-back-alleys bridging the confusion from “awahhhhh???” to “ahhhhh, that’s cool”.
Last week I was diggin’ for headphones at ‘The Headphone Shop’ inside Yongsan Digital Complex. When I brought up the question to the owner Ryan, and how much I loathe the response ‘everything’. Ryan’s feelings were just as impassioned “customer’s ask me all the time which headphones are the best?’ and my response is always “What kind of music do you listen to?”
Robert Frost once wrote about a diverging fork in the road and having to choose one path. Well, you are now at this fork and have an important choice – cruise through the easy route and say ‘everything’ - or foot the road less traveled and share your musical knowledge to the humble drifters and passionate souls along the way, who are in search of a thimbleful of music to help their deserted minds flow once again.
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