December 10, 2017 — Except for one moment where I popped over to the pop station, and incidentally heard that atrocious song from my last story for two seconds, I left pop music alone this week. In my listening time with much more rock, I noticed that the rock station seems to be playing more of what’s new, not just the same songs I always hear. Funny thing though, I find myself thinking these new bands are someone else, someone old. Honestly, they almost trick me with their similarity, their influences from the past. Here’s what I mean.

There’s a song I hear quite often now. The first time I heard it, I wondered if it wasn’t some long lost Led Zeppelin or Robert Plant song. I wrote down the lyrics – you are my special, you are my special, you are my midnight…., just to find the artist — Greta Van Fleet. Obviously, the singer takes vocal inspiration from Robert Plant, even if he takes his style inspiration from … oh I don’t know, the lead singer of the Clash?

The song Highway Tune (I would have called it Midnight Special) was published on the band’s official account on April 18, 2017, not exactly brand new, but considering the rotation of adding new music into LA radio, very new. I find myself turning this song up and singing along every time I hear it.

Friday I heard another song, another where I thought I was hearing some song I didn’t know of an older band, or perhaps something new from an older band, not that I can tell you who the song reminded me of, just someone.

I wrote down the lyrics of this one too – I can feel the thunder that’s breaking in your heart — discovering it’s from a band called Ghost. I love that name; I’ve wanted to use it on lots of stuff, and seriously someone always get there first. This song is a bit older, 2015; the band is considered metal, something I usually don’t do because the vocals are so annoying, but I think this guy’s vocals are pretty good, especially on the breakdown over the piano. For that matter, the use of piano in a metal song is, itself, interesting. Someone be sure to tell me who it is that this band is reminding me of; I can’t figure it out, but it’s something from the past that’s influencing these guys.

Then there’s Jet’s Movie, actually called Ready Player One. Right as I was sitting to write this story, the movie trailer popped in on my YouTube feed, this the official trailer released early today. The movie definitely draws from the past, the YouTube commenters who’ve read the book of that name positively gushing over the 80’s references. Seriously, y’all, I have to read this book! I’m not going to spoil the video, I’m not even going to comment on the trailer’s main song, other than to say, I remember that moment when I first say that video on MTV. I was with friends, and I was proud. It’s take two for that feeling — shivers going down my back, literally, combined with this really strong feeling of pride. And, for once, this “draw from the past”, doesn’t make me feel old. Somehow, it’s amazingly relevant and fresh! Indeed, my draw from the past influences this week – the songs, this movie — make me feel amazingly relevant and fresh. It’s like someone, somewhere, is studying how to be … hum, dare I say it, … not mediocre, how to be … me. Okay, all of us, but you get the picture. Now watch this video already!