Do Your Part ( however small it may be )

By Chris WAre

Since I’ve become addicted to hardcore/emo music, whatever you want to call it, I haven’t listened to much else. It's all I read about and therefore I guess all I buy. But I used to listen to all kinds of music. I mean jazz, rap, classic rock, and I was even getting into bluegrass. I’m not saying I like all of this music but there are more than a few artists in each genre that I really enjoy. Why haven’t I listened to this music recently? I guess its because I haven’t had the amount of information about new stuff coming out and exposure to it, but there is also the fact that its not a tight knit circle. Hardcore/emo is a rare form of music that isn’t, or at least shouldn’t be, exclusive to one age group or race. It doesn’t cost $20 to see a show and therefore is accessible to most anybody that has a car or knows someone who does. Most of the bands’ lyrics can become personal to any listener. The bands are smaller and shows become more intimate. These bands become "your bands". And they will remain your bands. Don’t forget this and don’t take it for granted. If bands play in your town or you ever see a band play, go to them after the show and tell them how you felt about the show. It’s a simple act but means a lot to the people on stage that just poured their hearts into a 30-minute set for your benefit. Thank the people who book the shows, make flyers, run the door, etc…. This is the least you can do for people that do so much for you. If you want to go further try to help out these people, give bands a place to stay, book shows, work the door, make flyers, make a zine, pick up an instrument, start a band, or play benefit shows. This is the only way hardcore/emo will remain alive. It started with kids and will forever be kids at heart.