Music for a 10 yr old nephew

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So, my nephew Whalen turned ten last week and I was on the phone with his mother (my sister) asking what he'd like as a gift from his uncle to celebrate this momentous occaision (now enterting the realm of the double-didgits). Victoria informs me that Whalen has abandoned the world of Tech-Deck Dudes and Spongebob Squarepants and is swiftly becoming very interested in music. "Oh really!" I remark, "what sort've stuff is he into?" "Well," she answers, "He's quite into Good Charlotte."

After I drop the phone, spit on the floor and pick the phone up again, I ask what sort've gift would be suitable (not wanting to get him a disc he already has, and secretly not wanting to have to actually go pay for a Good Charlotte compact disc). "Oh, he's got their albums already," she answers (imagine my relief), "but I'm sure there's lots of other things he'd like in the same vein."

So my first instinct as a control-freak uncle is to force-feed him my own tastes,...but that would be wrong, wouldn't it? I'm inclined to just pick the boy up and take him shoppin' and having him pick out a buncha stuff, but he doesn't live in NYC, so we're not afforded that opportunity. Failing the yawnsome gift certificate route, what do you suggest I do?

Incidentally, along with whatever discs I end up getting him, I was also thinking of throwing in both the first Clash album and Static Age by the Misfits (or, that is until I remembered that "Angelfuck" is on said classic) just to give him a taste of the definite article (as opposed to the squeaky clean pabulum of Good Charlotte).

Yer thoughts?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Blink 182 (say what you will, but Travis Barker is amazing)
Out Come The Wolves by Rancid
Ramones
Soviettes
Descendents (so he knows his roots)

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

early Green day.

let's be realistic...

― scottjames23 (worrysome-man), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

get him a really nice cd walkman. and then make him a mixed cd(s) that'll gently push him in the right direction. He'll be thanking you 20 years down the line.

― Will (will), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

He won't appreciate your Clash/Misfits discs for years probably. He likes Good Charlotte because he can discuss it with his friends, I'm guessing. If my crazy uncle had bought me a Clash record when I was 10 I would not have liked it; instead I liked Shout at the Devil partially because my friend's older brother thought it was cool and partially because it was dramatic and slightly scary.

But I understand the impetus. A few years ago, I started giving my cousin (he's 15 now) a bunch of promo CDs like some emo and newer punk stuff and he eats it up. He can't believe how cool I am. Little does he know.

― scott m (mcd), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, the Ramones were an obvious consideration as well, but I'm somewhat cautious due to the rampant references to glue-sniffing and brat-beating, etc. Out Come the Wolves, despite being by Rancid, is another suitable choice, if not for all the junkie-business.

Green Day? Yeah, I guess, but I just don't want to encourage that. I'm invariably better off letting him choose....unless he specifically asked for my input (which, of course, no one should ever do).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

get him a really nice cd walkman. and then make him a mixed cd(s) that'll gently push him in the right direction. He'll be thanking you 20 years down the line.

A nice idea, but it does smack of "homemade" presents...which no ten-year old really wants. Once again, if he asked, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

He won't appreciate your Clash/Misfits discs for years probably.

You're probably right about that.

He likes Good Charlotte because he can discuss it with his friends, I'm guessing.

That's probably true too. When I was ten, it was simply KISS and pretty much nothing else (`cept maybe the Beatles).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

When I was ten I loved Guns N Roses and Poison. When I was 11 I loved Misplaced Childhood by Marillion. Please don't let him turn out like me.

― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 12 November 2003 23:27 (twenty-one years ago)

When I was ten I thought the Fine Young Cannibals cover of "Ever Fall in Love with Someone..." was awesome, mostly for the polaroid sample sounds, but then I heard the original and liked that. Ditto with New Order and "Temptation" because they were both on a certain soundtrack we had on cassette and never took out of the player.

Seems to me that you could get away with later Clash, or even a best-of comp. Leave the earlier stuff for him to discover as his tastes "mature."

― E. (ebb), Thursday, 13 November 2003 00:53 (twenty-one years ago)

The Stooges. Let him grow into it. No one ever gives away their Stooges records.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Thursday, 13 November 2003 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

he's gonna find out abt all this old-man canonic stuff ANYWAY isn't he? get him something a bit special or unusual (from the 80s?) that he might otherwise miss out on

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 13 November 2003 01:06 (twenty-one years ago)

"So my first instinct as a control-freak uncle is to force-feed him my own tastes,...but that would be wrong, wouldn't it?"

Indeed. I'd wait and see if he is actually getting interested in listening to music or if it is just a part of assimilation and relating to his peers. The best thing to do is find out what music acts he likes and just go with that.

― bahtology, Thursday, 13 November 2003 02:46 (twenty-one years ago)

give him some Datsuns and Queens of the Stone Age. the kids love that shit.

― the surface noise (electricsound), Thursday, 13 November 2003 02:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Just give him a gift certificate, let him choose something he wants. It's boring, but probably for the best.

― Sam J. (samjeff), Thursday, 13 November 2003 02:52 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, Sam's right.

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Thursday, 13 November 2003 02:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Give him the gift certificate along with something good that's kind of accessible to a 10-year old, where the band looks weird on the cover... (OK, maybe the look won't work because LP jacket photos were really stupid in the 70s) ..

I'm thinking Double Nickels on the Dime or a Johnny Thunders rec. Or the first Dinosaur (Jr.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 November 2003 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

He's actually called Whalen???

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 13 November 2003 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Or Pixies. Kids love Pixies.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 November 2003 13:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I also got a lot of mileage when I was 13 out of Pete Frame's "Rock Family Trees" and Chrisgau's Record Guide .. It was a good way to discover obscure music on my own.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 13 November 2003 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

One thing I've noticed from playing music to younger people is that they don't seem to distinguish between, for example, Good Charlotte and the bands that influenced them with usually much better (to our ears) music. Bands like Good Charlotte are more relevant to kids today than say the Clash or the Misfits, and I don't think 10 years old is really old enough to understand their significance and influence.

However, if you play something that is radically different to anything they've heard, yet still sounds up-to-date and releveant, they seem to pick up on it more. I played yer typical pop-punk kid who hated any form of electronic music (not "real" music) some Midnite Vultures, he then went out and got into the Dust Brothers and a whole host of electronic stuff. This inevitably leads to the realisation that there is more music out there beyond the radio and tv and they can explore from there if they wish.

I try my hardest not to be some 'control-freak' force-feeding my own tastes, but it is such a nice feeling when you can influence someone into getting really into music and exploring whats out there more.

Blah, ranting at work...

― TomB (TomB), Thursday, 13 November 2003 13:58 (twenty-one years ago)

P.Funk, Alex, dude.
Nephews need metal funk too!
Honour Sir Nose'D!

― Haikunym (Haikunym), Thursday, 13 November 2003 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)

No childhood is complete without the Ramones. Don't worry, he won't sniff glue and beat brats.

The Ramones and a gift certificate. That's a nice present.

― Debito (Debito), Thursday, 13 November 2003 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

How about GG Allin? I reckon when I was 10 I'd have pissed myself with laughter at the antics of ol' GG.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Thursday, 13 November 2003 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I say do the gift certificate + a copy of New Order's 'Substance' would do the trick...the oddly plain jacket was enough to intrigue me when i was 10....you never know

― enoughrope, Thursday, 13 November 2003 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex, I can't see anything wrong in giving your nephew a gift that's both complimentary to his existing tastes and educational so as to stimulate his young mind....

So I'd agree with you about The Clash; I'd also second / third / fourth / whatever Da Ramones; I can't believe no-one's mentioned the bleedin' Buzzcocks yet; and I'd also like to put in a (predictable) personal vote for The Damned.

Another option that might be worth considering 'though (if good ol' Uncy Alex is feeling that generous of course!) might be that nice new Rhino boxset....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 13 November 2003 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and who suggested Green Day? Shame on you! "That Pepsi's no good for you - it's full of sugar and rots your teeth. Here, drink this Coke instead!"

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 13 November 2003 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Whatever you do don't give him any Killing Joke - that way lies madness

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

He's actually called Whalen???

Yeah. Classic example of making a surname a first name (Whalen is my mother's maiden name). I know, it's weird. I wouldn't have chosen it, but hey....he's my nephew, not my son. My biggest concern when they named him "Whalen" was the possibility of him growing up to be a fat kid, and a fat kid named Whalen is a cruel thing indeed.

He's not, though. Or at least not as yet. He's a cool little guy.

I think all the recommendations here are all pretty spot-on. I think the thing I have to remember is that he's still only ten. When I first heard he was interested in music, I got all excited (ahhh...someone else in the family I can rant and rave with), but one must remember he's still only ten, and as TomB pointed out, he has yet to differentiate between older, "better" music and the stuff he hears more frequently (and he probably doesn't care anyway). I think I'm better off letting him pick out his own music, rather than imposing my own tastes on him (the significance of which he probably won't apprecaite or resent until years from now anyway).

It's a bit too early for Killing Joke. I don't want to throw him head first into the gaping maw of impending apocalypse. Not yet, at least.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Does he look like this?

http://freespace.virgin.net/gemma.tiley3/smithers/cowb2.gif

― Nick H, Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Mercifully, no. He looks quite a bit more like this....

http://www.reemst.com/calvin_and_hobbes/phpBB2/images/avatars/18a9cc223d4c654f8e521.gif

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:26 (twenty-one years ago)

...and the leather chaps?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

...and the leather chaps?

He's more into surf/skate wear than gay bondage gear. So far. Thankfully.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:28 (twenty-one years ago)

"I think I'm better off letting him pick out his own music, rather than imposing my own tastes on him"

In other words, miserly old Uncy Alex is far too much of a tight-arsed, tight-fisted old skinflint to spring for the Rhino boxset for poor little Whalen's birthday present.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a nice idea (the Rhino Boxset), but it may be too much for him to swallow at one sitting. I also hate the cover art (smoking sailor boy).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Speaking of box sets, anyone see the new Motorhead box? Me likey!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Stiff Little Fingers

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I just wish I'd had an uncle who was cool enough to buy me CD's by The Clash and The Ramones when I was 10 < sigh >.

Of course they'd have needed a time-machine, 'cos neither band existed and CD's had even been invented then - but think how cool I could have looked....

No, wait, there wouldn't have been CD players to play them on either, so I'd just have looked stupid - what a rotten trick!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I had an older cousin who tried (with little to moderate-at-best success) to convince me of the brilliance of Yes. As a ten year old, I believe I was more interested in their record covers than their actual music. "But none of them spit fire or wear make-up! What's the point?"

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

what about fireHOSE and the minutemen

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Thursday, 13 November 2003 15:56 (twenty-one years ago)

At around age 10 I was cutting my teeth on all the stuff you were supposed to amongst my buddies, like Motley Crue, Whitesnake (!), KISS, even some of the new stuff that was coming in like Run DMC, Salt N Pepa...someone bought me a copy of 'Substance' and it took me a bit, but i was hooked, and its not like i was suddenly little mr. rock snob...LOL i think a month after that i was back in the rhythms of being a pre-teen, i bought the first G N R tape, but those weird New Order songs never left my head and im thankful it was given to me...you should take a chance on something you like thats not too adult that will catch him a bit off the wall, best case scenario he worships you as the coolest uncle in the world, worst case he throws it in a pile until he's 18 and hops off to HMV with the GC.

BTW I really hope for your nephew's sake he never gets fat!!

cheers

― enoughrope, Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

a bit off guard i mean

― enoughrope, Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The Modern Lovers, or Richman solo material.

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

You're all just naming things you like! I know Richman is peculiarly childish in his outlook, but I think the leap from Good Charlotte to him is a little far-fetched.

Although "Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money" is so utterly juvenile as to almost serve to link the two.

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think Whalen would know what to make of Jonathan Richman.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe so, but Jonathon Richman would probably find enough material in Whalen to write a couple of songs!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Fishbone

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

That's heckaweird, as I'm listening to Fishbone right now. Speaking of, who sang lead vox of "Lyin' Ass Bitch"?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Give him some They Might Be Giants before he's too grown up to appreciate them.

― sucka (sucka), Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Angelo did. Didn't he?

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:43 (twenty-one years ago)

The lead to "Lyin' Ass Bitch" is a woman.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 19 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Ted Leo is kinda girly.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 14 November 2003 02:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, that's true.

Just get him Paranoid and Sticky Fingers and be done with it?

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 14 November 2003 02:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Blondie!

― Jeremy (Jeremy), Friday, 14 November 2003 03:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Duran Duran too?

― sucka (sucka), Friday, 14 November 2003 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Buy him Big Star's first two records

― Pete S, Sunday, 16 November 2003 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

haha I totally still love - or at least really enjoy - the albums I loved at 10 (R.E.M.'s Green, B-52's Cosmic Thing, Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever). If he likes Good Charlotte I'd probably buy him Wakefield's American Made, another pretty great POP-punk group. Also Green Day's International Super Hits, Weezer's first album, haha maybe the Replacements' Pleased To Meet Me.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 16 November 2003 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

also the Cure's Galore. It's a fave of Joel Madden's!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 16 November 2003 18:09 (twenty-one years ago)

and if the kid's MAD AS HELL, I'd throw Minor Threat's Complete at him. Those lyrics are pretty universal and timeless, though I think at 10 it might be a bit too bitter.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 16 November 2003 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Three words:

Metal Machine Music.

― ddrake, Sunday, 16 November 2003 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

this was my favorite album when I was 10:
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc000/c018/c01826y5n7e.jpg

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Sunday, 16 November 2003 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Problem solved...I think. I decided to get my nephew something like this....

http://www.soundmastersdirect.co.uk/trolleyed/images/products/t_slbspf20.jpg

...basically a little flight case that holds about thirty CD's (this picture isn't quite accurate, but it serves the same idea. The one I picked up for him is cool and camoflague.) Since he's a budding music fan, now he'll have something to put the compact discs he gradually accrues in....whatever they may be.

As a started, I included the following CD's (which he'll either learn to like, love, loathe, or ignore completely).

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd900/d952/d95263r926o.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc000/c019/c01939q06b4.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf700/f795/f79505sckxw.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf900/f990/f99041l1y2q.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre900/e984/e98442bavcl.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 November 2003 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

He will listen and judge as he does. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 November 2003 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg100/g133/g13341y72ox.jpg

sorry bad taste

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 21 November 2003 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

his friends are going to worship him in ten years time.

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Monday, 8 December 2003 16:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I also added...

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c529/c529398u89k.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd900/d900/d90094ylzsd.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc300/c387/c38774o7xw6.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 8 December 2003 17:21 (twenty-one years ago)

nice.

― Chris B. Sure (Chris V), Monday, 8 December 2003 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I wish I had an uncle that bought me 8 CDs and a cool case. I don't even have an uncle.

― Debito (Debito), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 01:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, he's had a tough little ten years, honestly (parents acrimoniously divorced, etc.) and he's still a great, amazingly polite, well-behaved, outgoing little kid. I have no problems with spoiling him senseless, especially if he's getting into music.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Definitely a cool uncle type of gift, though if it turns out that he's not going to be a music geek like the rest of us, there's not a lot to do about it.

― Leee Trevino (Leee), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 08:17 (twenty-one years ago)

...though if it turns out that he's not going to be a music geek like the rest of us, there's not a lot to do about it.

True. He could abandon music fandom is six months time and get all into lacrosse, professional wrestling or :::::shudder::::: football, as his gun-toting father would love to see, but I'm doing my part (in a worrying "Almost Famous" sorta way) to encourage entry into a world of money-sucking music-addiction.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

...and if he went out, shaved a maltese cross in his head, bought himself a pair of miniature Doc Martens and insisted on being called "Gobshite" from now on, I'd beam with pride.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

(kidding)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

eight months pass...

Revive!

The lack of updates gives me teh ph34r.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Friday, 3 September 2004 04:24 (twenty-one years ago)

How's the lad taking to the good taste?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Friday, 3 September 2004 04:26 (twenty-one years ago)

see the "gay music" thread

― john allen (john allen), Friday, 3 September 2004 04:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow. Revival.

Well, he's since expanded his tastes. Through a friend of his, he's developed a fascination for Sabbath, Zeppelin and AC/DC, but still sprinted feverishly to the TV to see MTV's Video Music Awards last week. As I had doubles, I gave him copies of Back in Black, Paranoid and Never Say Die. Not sure he's listened to them, though. He likes the Ramones and the Sex Pistols,.....but he also likes Yellowcard, Switchfoot and Simple Plan, so they kinda all cancel each other out. He's not especially bothered, it seems, but my strenuously earnest castigations of authenticity,...he just likes what he likes, which is ultimately as it should be, I guess. He didn't much care for the Probot album (though he liked the cover art), saying it was "crazy heavy".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 3 September 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

At his request, I've just burned him two mix cd's based on what he's expressed interest in thus far.

DISC ONE.
1. "Eruption" by Van Halen
2. "You Really Got Me" by Van Halen
3. "Unchained" by Van Halen
4. "And the Cradle Will Rock" by Van Halen
5. "Flick of the Switch" by AC/DC
6. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
7. "T.N.T" by AC/DC
8. "For Those About to Rock" by AC/DC
9. "Supernaut" by Black Sabbath
10. "The Mob Rules" by Black Sabbath
11. "The Number of the Beast" by Iron Maiden
12. "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden
13. "Run To The Hills" by Iron Maiden
14. "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin
15. "Communication Breakdown" by Led Zeppelin
16. "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin
17. "Battery" by Metallica
18. "Damage Inc." by Metallica

DISC TWO
1. "My Beach" by the Surf Punks
2. "Surf Combat" by Naked Raygun
3. "Surfin' Bird" by the Ramones
4. "Soul Craft" by the Bad Brains
5. "Rise Above" by Black Flag
6. "Ready Steady Go" by Generation X
7."(I'm) Stranded" by the Saints
8. "Down on the Street" by the Stooges
9. "Eighties" by Killing Joke............naturally
10. "Cretin Hop" by the Ramones
11. "Wild Flower" by the Cult
12. "Police On My Back" by the Clash
13. "Ace of Spades" by Motorhead
14. "She Sells Sanctuary" by the Cult
15. "Public Image" by Public Image Ltd.
16. "We All Fall Down" by Egg Hunt
17. "Girl Problems" by S.O.A
18. "Uncontrollable Urge" by Devo
19. "Jocko Homo" by Devo
20. "Borstal Breakout" by Sham 69
21. "If the Kids are United.." by Sham 69
22. "Left Hand Black" by Danzig
23. "I'm Bored" by Iggy Pop
24. "Dead Womb" by Death From Above

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:18 (twenty years ago)

that is one bad-ass comp

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:22 (twenty years ago)

give him gift certificate now but play a lot of music you'd think he'd love whenever he's around and subliminally, good things will form.

― Thea (Thea), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:26 (twenty years ago)

M'self with the nephew in question at a wedding this summer...

http://homepage.mac.com/alexinnyc/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2004-08-04%2008.03.43%20-0700/Image-DEDAE800E62611D8.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:33 (twenty years ago)

See, you're noses are the same, so music will smell similar to you both.

― Thea (Thea), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:35 (twenty years ago)

Give that kid a frosted mini-wheat with the frosting up. Then make him turn it around and watch him turn into TOMBOT.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:36 (twenty years ago)

watch him turn into TOMBOT.

Surely the world is not big enough for two TOMBOTS.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 00:41 (twenty years ago)

if you take advice from a complete stranger:

Give the kid a gift certificate. Trust me, he'll have a great time picking out his OWN music (very important to a kid his age) and he'll appreciate you more for doing it that way. LATER, you can take him shopping and show him what good music sounds like. Wait til you guys can have a good afternoon together to bond and talk music, then buy him some classics that he'd never buy for himself. Alternately, you could buy him an iPod, fill it with all of your favorite tunes and be done with it for a few years.

― biznotic, Thursday, 30 September 2004 02:21 (twenty years ago)

Keep reading the thread, biznotic....it started a year ago.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 02:24 (twenty years ago)

shit judging by that mix cd i'd say the boy will trun out just fine.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 30 September 2004 02:46 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

Just finished making another mix-disc for the lad (now eleven years old). His tastes lately are leaning towards metal, so here's the proposed new mix (not yet burned). Your thoughts. Is "Balls to the Wall" by Accept, for example, suitable listening for an eleven year old? What should I keep? What should I dump? What should I add?

"Deuce" by Kiss (live version off Alive)
"God of Thunder" by Kiss
"Ain't talkin Bout Love" by Van Halen
"Mean Street" by Van Halen
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne
"No More Tears" by Ozzy Osbourne
"Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden
"2 Minutes to Midnight" by Iron Maiden
"Sanctuary" by Iron Maiden (live version off Live After Death)
"You've Got Another Thing Comin'" by Judas Priest
"Breaking the Law" by Judas Priest
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" by AC/DC
"Let There Be Rock" by AC/DC
"Looks That Kill" by Motley Crue
"Live Wire" by Motley Crue
"Dr Feelgood" by Motley Crue
"Primal Scream" by Motley Crue
"Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns'n'Roses
"Paradise City" by Guns'n'Roses
"Raining Blood" by Slayer
"For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Metallica
"Creeping Death" by Metallica (live version from 15 Pieces of Shit compilation...expletives bleeped out, but "DIE..DIE..DIE." chant still intact. Bad idea?)
"Sheer Heart Attack" by Queen
"Stone Cold Crazy" by Queen
"We Rock" by Dio
"Burn" by Deep Purple
"Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple
"Got the Time" by Anthrax
"Only" by Anthrax
"Peace Sells" by Megadeth
"Fast as a Shark" by Accept
"Balls to the Wall" by Accept
"Slave to the Grind" by Skid Row
"Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck" by Prong

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 20 November 2004 03:59 (twenty years ago)

songs about cunnilingus

― his future first girlfriend, Saturday, 20 November 2004 04:38 (twenty years ago)

har!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 20 November 2004 04:40 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

When i was 10 my cousin visited and I liked stuff like green day and whatnot. He turned me onto Loveless, Endtroducing, Plastikman, Jeff Mills, Stereolab, The Pixies, The Ramones, and a lot more it worked.

― Tokyo Ghost Stories (Tokyo Ghost Stories), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:20 (nineteen years ago)

there should be a period between the more and it worked.

I should also have posted this 3 years earlier.

― Tokyo Ghost Stories (Tokyo Ghost Stories), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:21 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I was about to recommend some Led Zeppelin. It's not even about the music...with some kids you have to ease them into certain kinds of music by starting them off with "cool" bands and then letting them explore. God forbid you steer a kid towards a gay-ass lame-o retarded loser band!* For some kids it's all about being cool, and for others it doesn't even cross their mind to fashion their music tastes based on anyone else. Anyway, I've tried influencing the former type to reach a little outside the box, and it's really difficult.

Nothing against Zeppelin, though. It's just that they are Pink Floyd have become the typical "hey, I'm young and into classic rock" standby.

*that's how a certain kid I know describes the Beatles.

― musically (musically), Monday, 3 April 2006 00:53 (nineteen years ago)

"Bad Uncle" - Nathan Barley

― MitchellStirling (MitchellStirling), Monday, 3 April 2006 17:30 (nineteen years ago)

pain, pain of a monkey

― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 3 April 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

three years pass...

I was reading the Rolling Stone Top 500 albums thread and this one was linked ( ILM is so full of digressions :-) ).

So six years later: is he a music freak yet or have you failed? ;)

― musicfanatic, Sunday, 29 November 2009 02:28 (fifteen years ago)

I have a nephew who just turned ten a few months back. Last time I checked, his favorite band was Linkin Park, but that was a few years ago. So he needs some attention.

― musicfanatic, Sunday, 29 November 2009 02:30 (fifteen years ago)

none of my cousinz are into music, at least the younger ones whose personalities haven't been completely formed yet. one of them, though, loves Philip K Dick thanks to me giving him some of the novels last year for Christmas.

and one who is closer to my age is really into drumnbass, which is okay, at least...

― And now my dick is where? Oh, this is too rich (the table is the table), Sunday, 29 November 2009 03:01 (fifteen years ago)

Wow, I just read this whole thread and am really intrigued. Is he a little indie dude now?

― Stevie D, Sunday, 29 November 2009 17:22 (fifteen years ago)

I am in a "big brother" type mentor program. My mentee is 9 years old. ELO was on the radio the other day and he asked if it was The Beatles. I said "GOOD GUESS!"

― Nate Carson, Sunday, 29 November 2009 22:18 (fifteen years ago)

five years pass...

Twelve years later.... he's now a college student. Not sure what he's into now. I'm not entirely sure I got him fully on-board the big guitar rock train. He went through a Phish phase for a while,....which I wouldn't have prescribed, but there you go.

― Alex in NYC, Friday, 2 January 2015 23:14 (ten years ago)

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