Blogocentric Formulations

Peace of Mind

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Song: "Peace of Mind"
Artist: Boston
Album: Boston


This entry isn't really so much about this specific song (I almost went with "More Than A Feeling") or even about the band Boston (I almost went with a number of others: ELO, Steppenwolf, Foreigner, Styx, and Steve Miller Band); it's about the whole genre of classic rock. When I was growing up and my mom would take us to school... especially in the later years just before I got my license... we constantly debated what to listen to on the radio (this was just at the very beginning of CD players in cars, folks!). I wanted to listen to stations that played more popular music, usually in the pop, alternative, rock, or hip/hop genres. My mom wanted to listen to her smooth jazz and easy listening and - while I can appreciate the dulcet tones of Dave Koz and The Carpenters as much as the next guy - I didn't want to fall asleep in the car on my way to school!

To my surprise, we both settled on classic rock, and frequently ended up singing and air-guitaring along to great classic rock songs like this one, or any number of others by the bands listed above. It kind of became our thing, and I learned far more about classic rock than any of my classmates just because I spent so much time listening to it every morning. There was something supremely satisfying about a class discussion about what we're listening to on the radio and being able to interrupt all the votes for TLC's "Waterfalls" or Ace of Base's "The Sign" with something old school like "Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas.

Because of all those years my mom and I spent listening to our town's classic rock station (which had an awesome morning DJ, by the way), I will always have a special place in my heart for the genre. It pains me that artists that were popular rock artists of my childhood (Aerosmith, Heart, Billy Joel, Metallica, Nirvana, etc.) are now labeled "classic rock," but I suppose that's the nature of getting older. Still, for me, classic rock will always be those great rock bands from the late sixties through early eighties, many of whom are still performing today with varying degrees of their original lineup. One of the items on my bucket list is to check out a concert by one of these older bands and see if they've still got it.