What The Artist Says About You

My husband's favorite band is Guns and Roses and he has been a die hard fan of said band sent I met him over 10 years ago. 

Now, 

when I say fan I mean someone who has all the things: autographed pictures, guitar picks, plethora of shirts, and videos, lots and lots of videos.

In contrast, my favorite band is the Dave Matthews Band and they have maintained their number one status in my eyes ever since I saw them in concert in what feels like a different person ago. I was in my early 20s and it was my very first concert and I was hooked from that moment forward.  I have listened to all of their albums; analyzed, compared each record with the last.  Was heart broken when their saxophone player LeRoi died in an ATV accident in 2018, was shocked when their violinist Boyd Tinsley was allegedly found to have engaged in very bad behavior in which resulted in him getting kicked out of the band in 2018.   I have even gotten mildly offended when I come across someone who not only doesn't share my love for them, but abhors them and I find that I am defending their music like I in fact work for them or something and maybe I do because where would they be without their fans.

For me, each of their concerts fly by with one hit after another; ones that I scream sing to; ones that fill my heart with a kind of joy that only old, but happy memories can produce once resurfaced.

I’ve talked to other people who have different bands, different artists that are their ride or die.  It doesn’t matter how popular or even unpopular the artist/band has become throughout the years, their loyalty has stayed true.  I suppose not everyone has that love for one particular artist and the music that they produce.  When every time you hear them it is like reconnecting with an old friend. You find that no matter where you are in your life, they know who you are and you feel the same way because their lyrics were taken directly from your heart and that by some source of fate makes them your people.

This all made me think about what that says about us?  Because I like Dave Matthews Band what stereotype does that conjure in your mind?  My husband being a GnR fan makes him what exactly?  If you are a Swiftie what does that say about you?  

I don’t love all artists, some I even have some mild disdain for, but I respect them for the feelings that they elicit in each one of their fans.  The very real emotions that we have are not as unique as we think, especially at the time, and these artists allow us to realize that whatever it is we are feeling, we are not alone; our feelings however big we may think they are at the time, others have felt, have thought at some point. It somehow makes us feel not entirely alone in the world and maybe that is why music was created in the first place.

There really is something, someone for everybody, whether you fall in love with the lyrics first, the beat of the drums, or the shredding of the guitar, music can speak right to your soul and if you find that musical artist that is the just right one for you, it’s almost like finding a soul mate; finding your person; someone who really gets who you are, has seen what you have been through and says that’s ok because it has made you the person who you are today.