Introducing Kids To Rock

[blind-fitter]

It's a bit "spur of the moment", this.

My daughter (10 and a half) has really stepped up her interest in rock music, and it's great. She was already a fan of the Ramones, but surprised me recently by announcing that The Broken Family Band have overtaken them in her affections. I was a bit wary of this development at first: I suspected it was because she was enjoying hearing the odd swear word in there, and was having fun at my expense by asking me "What did that man just say, daddy?", "It sounded like he said f**k", etc. She assures me that, although listening out for swear words is/was fun, she has listened to the songs closely because she thinks they're great songs. I'm still a little wary, because, swear words or not, the lyrical themes of BFB songs do tend to be fairly adult-orientated. What is it she relates to? Anyway, I digress.

Recently, she made my day (again) by telling me how much she likes the punk and hard-rocking stuff she hears me playing,and would I do a compilation of that sort of stuff for her. Would I?

So, that's what I did, a couple of hours ago.

Here's the tracklist:

1) Ace Of Spades – Motorhead

2) Do You Believe In The Power Of Rock’n’Roll? – Gold Blade

3) Born To Lose – Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers

4) Pretty Vacant – Sex Pistols

5) Molly’s Lips – Nirvana

6) Clash City Rockers – The Clash

7) Babylon’s Burning – The Ruts

8) Going Underground – The Jam

9) Love Song – The Damned

10) I’m An Upstart – Angelic Upstarts

11) Touch Me, I’m Sick – Mudhoney

12) Who Invited You? – The Donnas

13) At The Edge – Stiff Little Fingers

14) Supersonic – Oasis

15) The Day The World Turned Day-Glo – X Ray Spex

16) Pretend We’re Dead – L7

17) Silver Rocket – Sonic Youth

18) Bored Teenagers – The Adverts

19) What Gives You The Idea That You’re So Amazing, Baby? – Crazyhead

20) My Generation – The Who

21) Ready Steady Go – Generation X

22) Bad Reputation – Joan Jett

23) C’mon, Let’s Go – Girlschool

24) Screamager – Therapy

25) Get Over You – The Undertones

26) Destination Venus – The Rezillos

It's a challenge making such a compilation of these genres of music, which remains suitable for a pre-teen girl. (One or two of the tracks above contain "elements of vulgarity")

Anybody else have any heartwarming anecdotes or controversial opinions on the rights and wrongs of introducing kids to rock?

[Levis]

Well no one better to teach her, I guess. I'm only wary of potential teenage rebellion. Then again, you're a reasonably cool sort of chap so maybe there won't be that much?

[Jenny]

I think it's great that you did that for her. I think it'll be a great way for you two to bond or strenghten the bond you already have. As for the adult content...it seems like she's got a good head on her shoulders, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[edna]

Oh, Beef, you' re so modern...

[Floydaholic]

Does she dig Led Zeppelin?

[blind-fitter]

I doubt she's heard Led Zeppelin; it's not the sort of thing we listen to. But if she heard it and dug it, that would be fine by me. I must know somebody who has some of their stuff, and would copy it for her, if need be.

By the way, Edna: by "modern", do you mean as a parent, my lax attitude to my girl's fascination for foul language? Or my choice of music for her playlist? Cos there was nothing very modern in there. A lot of it was 30 years old!

[edna]

By the way, Edna: by "modern", do you mean as a parent, my lax attitude to my girl's fascination for foul language? Or my choice of music for her playlist? Cos there was nothing very modern in there. A lot of it was 30 years old!

I meant your attitude in general, as a parent and a music counsellor...

[MindCrime]

At least you're not doing it with Kidz Bop

[Ombre Vivante]

I got Rock 'N Roll High School for my little brother when he was 12 or 13. He really got into The Ramones for the next two years. I got him some AC/DC, 80s Metallica, some Motorhead, some KISS, and even The Buzzcocks and The Smiths to round things over He's getting more influences from his h.s. friends, though, so lately he's been asking for Sum 41, My Chemical Romance, Disturbed, and... Nirvana. I don't know or own any of that junk.

[Batman]

I work at this arts camp for kids during the summer and it's always cute to see the kids learn rock songs on the guitar. I asked this one kid what he wanted to learn and he was like "I don't know, hot cross buns or something," but of course he didn't really want to learn that song, so I asked who his favorite band was and it was the Beastie Boys, I ended up teaching him "Fight For Your Right (To Party)." He said he couldn't practice it at home though because his mom didn't like him listening to the Beastie Boys.

[Batman]

I also remember looking at my little brother's Ipod once when he was 12 or so and I was 18 or so. It was funny because he had the typical stuff a 12 year old boy had on his ipod at the time, but also a few random songs from my itunes account. And I mean random. These weren't necesarrily songs I loved, they just happened to be on my itunes. But it was funny to see Tom Waits and Sebadoh there with Young Joc and AC/DC.