As one reared in the 50’s and 60’s the artists who performed music at that time were easy to listen to, exciting, and some could raise the hairs on your arms with their voices. Gorgeous bands that played melodies that inspired one to dance and sing all night long were a normal part of my youth. They had voices that sang inside you and tunes that were inspiring. But this is not how I see modern artists and their efforts today.
While still at school I had a part-time job at a milk-bar café opposite the movie theatre in Bondi. As the movies played so did the music ring out across the street and some of it made me stop in my tracks. Artists like Mario Lanza still does it to me when his records play. So do others like Nat King Cole, Frankie Lane, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, and the list goes on.
Who doesn’t love the music of Glen Miller and other bands like that of Bill Haley. But what have we got today to equal them? They didn’t yell or scream notes at you. They crooned and softly let you know that they were artists.
Today’s musicians have a different approach. The notes are still there but delivered in a more violent, raucous manner. The effect on the ears is hard and when played in shops and centers they frequently result in a head-ache. This was brought home to me again today while shopping for new shoes.
In shop after shop the music was annoying, very off-putting, and tiring. In the end I gave up after telling two of the young shop attendants of the damage it will do to their ears. The persistent loud noise is causing the cilia of the ears to react and this can lead to tinnitus and even deafness before they are much older. In the case of the former they will experience ringing in their ears which is constant and for which there is no cure.
Occasionally one hears a nice song played from those early days and my heart sing along with it. Generally, however, the noise of raucous tunes causes me to run away from it. Having been made aware of the danger of such it is appalling that the work-places of so many are spoiled and polluted with this material.
If shop owners want to do people a favour and get more customers into their stores then please do it with gentle loving music that makes our hearts sing. Turn off the horrible screaming and loud noise that passes for music at this time.