Turning my 10-year-old on to more music

[PopTodd]

The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks...

 

Played it for my 10-year-old yesterday and he freaked out. In fact, later on, he insisted on listening to it while taking a shower. I put the boom box in the bathroom, away from the shower, by the bathroom door and, while I was folding laundry in the next room, could I hear him rocking out, singing along to whatever he (thought he) could understand. At one point, he even poked his head, out from behind the shower curtain, sporting a shampoo mohawk. He had a huge smile on his face, knowing how ridiculous it all was...

"MY BEAUTFUL SELF-ISH!!!"

 

Later on, he told me, "Dad, this is now one of my favorite albums, ever!"

 

I love being a dad.

 

 

EDIT:

The language... he hears worse from his mom!

But, he knows not to use that language, and he's a good kid, so it's all good. I just love that he loves music. And, there is plenty that he likes that I don't and vice versa, so it's not just a case of me creating a Mini Me.

He actually asked me to check that disc out of the library for him.

[slice_oftheday]

that's neat, my 10 year old brother isn't much of a music fan at all. I'm trying to expose him to the various music discussed on this board, lately its been Townes Van Zandt. He hates the music, but loves saying Townes's name

[Wild Frank]

This is a joyful process. I love exposing my two children (three and five year old) to music and seeing how they respond. I feel a sense of achievement if they appreciate some of the stuff I like. My eldest loves the solo at the end of 'Impossible Germany' whilst the youngest has a strange liking for 80s period Genesis, in particular 'Mama' and 'Home by the Sea'. This must be hereditary as 'Invisble Touch' was the first album I ever owned! The Eels are another band that children (or my boys especially) seem to warm too. Similarly latter period Tom Waits is great for kids. Very rythmic.

 

They don't seem as keen on Jazz as of yet. I was listening to a Kenny Burrell record in the bath last week and they came in a just proclaimed it as rubbish!! That must be their mothers influence!!

[nodep5]

My son is three so the majority of his reactions to music are pure and visceral (i believe). I mean I know he knows I love Wilco for example, so he always will ask "Is that Wilco daddy?" But I try to expose him to all kinds of music (that I have available) while staying objective to his reaction.

 

his current list of favorite song is:

 

Sliver by Nirvana (some how he knows how to play grunge air guitar)???

 

Angelika by Devendra (he thinks his singing is funny)

 

Wilco (The Song)

 

Car Car (Donovan's Version)

 

The Office Theme song

 

parenthood is fun

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

When Magic K was 8 and D man was 4, I would play Tablet's (a local Dallas band that should have done better) Cancelled.

 

She would get up on the ottoman in my office and 'go-go'dance to the song (her words).

 

Ahhh...memories

[Artifice]

My son is 3 and has loved music since the womb.. or so my wife swears.

 

He likes about half of what we make him listen to, poor guy. Unsurprisingly, he loves Pop - anything remotely so. One of the reasons I like Edward Sharpe so much is because he was so into it. He loves Home & 40 days Dream.

 

But then, the other night, he picked up his kiddie six string, that he holds like kinda inverted righty. He was strumming and singing "really wanna be your friend".. over and over..

 

Suddenly dawned on me that he was singing Girls - Laura. He's heard it maybe 3 times in the past few months. Musta stuck in his head. I fired up the vid on Pitchfork and he went bananas. Kinda mumbled through the verses, but he absolutely screamed the chorus and really got down to business on the guitar, giving us his best Pete Townshend impression (even though he has no idea who that is). That's probably the best video we have of him. Can't get enough of my toddler geetar gawd.

 

I realize I probably lost the non-parents 2 paragraphs ago, but damn isn't it fun being a daddy?

[Moss]

Ever since I took her to "The future is unwritten" at the local college, the Clash has been my 15 year old daughter's favorite band. Only problem is my CD's have all disappeared into her room somewhere.

 

 

[willywoody]

Well I think we have enough 3 year old offspring to have our own band.

 

My 3 year old daughter will rock out and dance like a madman at times. Early Beatles and Daft Punk often elicit a good reaction. She's fascinated by robots and besides the Daft Punk, she'll get into some Lips' Yoshimi and Grandaddy's Sophtware Slump, although she gets a little tearful over Jed the humanoid. Kevin Russell's Somebody Bring Me a Flower" is also a favorite.

[stagerug]

My 4 year old boy loves the Beastie Boys...God Bless Him...he tries to do "So Whatcha Want". Classic. He also likes Wilco because he knows I do. I'm not a fan at all of Phoenix (sorry) but his favorite song (he calls it "his" song) is 1901. He puts it in his Fischer-Price MP3 player and walks around the house bobbing his head. And this one came out of left field, but he saw Sting on the TODAY show with his latest, Celtic ensemble playing a song called "Soul Cake" off of his newest CD of winter songs. Man, he just stopped and stared at the TV for the entire song. He doesn't stop for much. So I bought it and we listen to that song over and over in the car.

 

PS I don't care for Sting or even the Police, really. But that CD is pretty good.

[mountain bed]

PT - 25+ minute versions of the Dead's "Dark Star" will help alleviate any potential short attention span problems.

 

Which reminds me....when my daughter (now 19) was about 3, maybe 4 years old we were on a drive to the big city (about an hour away). I throw on a '73 show, and we come to a long long version of Playin' In The Band.. After it's over I asked her, "So, what do you think of THAT"? And she gives one of the most concise, coherent arguments for why people don't dig the Dead EVER. She says, "I like their songs, but I don't like it when they practice". I swear to God!

 

The kid was already a music critic before she was out of a car seat!

[Mr. Kinsley]

"I like their songs, but I don't like it when they practice".

That rules!!

 

My kids got really into the new Wilco album when they saw the album cover. "Play the camel album daddy!" They had no idea what was on it, but it had a camel... so they were in. My son thought Wilco (the song) was saying 'coco.' Later when he realized what it really said he would relate his previous mistake - "They aren't saying Coco daddy. They're saying Wilco." They also liked 'the song with the girl' - You and I. So, I made a mix that included both songs as well as a bit of Feist. The 'Counting Song' (1234) was also a big hit.

[nodep5]

That rules!!

 

My kids got really into the new Wilco album when they saw the album cover. "Play the camel album daddy!" They had no idea what was on it, but it had a camel... so they were in. My son thought Wilco (the song) was saying 'coco.' Later when he realized what it really said he would relate his previous mistake - "They aren't saying Coco daddy. They're saying Wilco." They also liked 'the song with the girl' - You and I. So, I made a mix that included both songs as well as a bit of Feist. The 'Counting Song' (1234) was also a big hit.

 

yeah my son was also initially drawn in by the Camel. My son is able to identify all Wilco albums by their cover (he can't read yet), the first time he did this when he was 2 1/2 years old, it kind of freaked me out. You know, when you have those moments when you realize they are paying attention and they don't miss anything. Whenever I pop any cd in the car he insists on looking at the album cover. I think Dinosaur Jr.'s Farm got the longest perplexed look.

[W(TF)]

I share in the parental joy of this thread...I have three kids, 14, 12, and 6.

 

We all want our kids to like cool music and to reject the mass inflicted crap. Just always keep in mind that every kid is different and responds in their own way and time. One thing leads them to another thing, just like all of us. The fun part (and it happens in every music loving home) is seeing the epiphany that "music is my saviour" and the effect it has on your child. Whether it happens when they hear Coltrane, Dylan, The Beatles....or for that matter Eminem, Gwen Stefani, or ABBA...really makes no difference. It's the connection.

[Moss]

I share in the parental joy of this thread...I have three kids, 14, 12, and 6.

 

We all want our kids to like cool music and to reject the mass inflicted crap. Just always keep in mind that every kid is different and responds in their own way and time. One thing leads them to another thing, just like all of us. The fun part (and it happens in every music loving home) is seeing the epiphany that "music is my saviour" and the effect it has on your child. Whether it happens when they hear Coltrane, Dylan, The Beatles....or for that matter Eminem, Gwen Stefani, or ABBA...really makes no difference. It's the connection.

 

 

Exactly. My youngest loves Lady Gaga and all sorts of dance music so I find myself scouting for the latest "dance hits" for her. Turned her on to someone named Laroux (or something like that).