re: The score

All right, i'll admit it: i'm a music snob. I form entire opinions of people based solely on their musical likes/dislikes. I've ended relationships, lost friends, and offended co-workers, and slighted scores of others with my strong opinions of music.

I hate being a music snob, because I loathe snobbery in all its forms. I try not to be so judgemental, andI really am getting better. It's a process. Baby steps...

But, in my defense, I wouldn't have be such a snob if people didn't listen to such shit music.

I shall now offer a list of things that set me off, in bulleted form:

1. Pop Punk: If ever there were something to be a blasphemy in the eyes of the gods, it is the modern day, watered down, souless, gutless thing called "punk". In its heyday, punk was all about rebellion. It was about bucking the establishment, often with the purpose of enacting social change and awareness, but just as often it was about giving the proverbial middle finger to the man as a matter of principle. Fucking the man just because. Now it's being overproduced and mass marketed, and sold to overprivileged teenage yuppies. It's become the exact antithesis of what it used to be.
2. MTv: Do they even have music videos any more, or do they just run shit like Yo Momma 24/7?
3. Nickelback/Puddle of Mudd/Creed, etc: Henceforth known as Puddle of Nickelcreed, since they're all the same band anyway, right? It's like they're spawning out of the same god-awful, Clear-Channel friendly, post grunge hellhole. it's even worse when you realize almost every one of their vocalists have that same "hey I wanna sound like Eddie Vedder" thing going on. If you love any of these bands, and hate Pearl Jam, I'm telepatically beaming daggers into your eyes.
4. Not Knowing Your Roots: Now, this one is kind of a fine line. I think it's both unreasonable and outright impossible for a person to know every band or influence leading to their preferred genre. However, knowing some history is a must. If you call yourself a fan of metal, but don't know who Black Sabbath is, something is very wrong with you.
5. Kurt Cobain Woship: I will admit that Kurt Cobain was a fairly gifted musician, and his suicide was tragic. However, the messianic pedestal he's placed upon by critics and fans makes me sick. To hear them talk, Kobain was the only creative and influential person to ever set foot into a studio during our lifetime. What about Henry Rollins? Jello Biafra? Or, continuing with the theme of the deceased, "Dimebag" Darrel Abbot? Hell, what about Chuck Schuldiner? "But Tim," I hear you whining, "Schuldiner doesn't count. He played death metal". You're missing the point. There was no such thing as death metal before he showed up. He created a musical genre, Kobain pandered to teenage angst. Which one winds up getting the memorials?
6. Metallica: I'd tell them to call it quits and make their exit with dignity, but seeing Lars Ulrich cry his eyes out like he were on a low-budget daytime soap opera shot that idea all to hell. Seriously. STOP IT.
   

Mind you, this is in no way a complete list. There are myriad little things which will send me into a long-winded and profanity laden diatribe. I'll probably update this list as time goes on, but right now, I need a smoke.