Arnold's Musical Bio

I've been reflecting on my musical tastes evolving over time and I've come a long way. Aside from listening to Raffi as a child, the artist that sticks out the most as a pre-teen was Amy Grant. I used to love her album, Heart in Motion. But I stopped listening to her music when my childhood buddy, Dustin, told me it wasn't cool. My buddy encouraged me to listen to a new wave of music back then called alternative. He was huge into Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Sound Garden. I remember him turning on his cassette deck all the time when we hung out in his room playing Lakers Vs. Celtics on his brother's Sega Genesis.

Then, techno became hugely popular and I remember buying a 2 Unlimited tape. I became a huge fan of techno music. I started buying Much Music Dance mixes and some other compilations. Techno became short lived when I entered high school because I discovered Lenny Kravitz. His album, Are You Gonna Go My Way, was the first CD I bought for a brand new stereo that I still have and use as an alarm clock. I later got into rock music for a long time buying lots of Pearl Jam albums and then getting into punk music with the likes of MxPx.

In my first years of university, I got into more mellow rock like Our Lady Peace, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Econoline Crush, I Mother Earth, and Everclear. From what I remember, my friend, Mindy, introduced me to the genre. We used to listen to them all the time when I rode with her in her Tracker (which later died when the engine blew up).

In about the middle of my university career, I started listening to Christian music heavily. Probably due to the fact I was quite involved with Campus Crusade. My secular CD collection was quickly being taken over by Christian artists. Mostly because the lyrics spoke to me. I never really listened to the lyrics in the past because I just wanted to listen to a good beat. But the words do have an impact and it's something that I look for when I listen to an artist.

After I finished my undergrad, I really got into a new artist that I discovered while watching TV. It was Coldplay and I became a huge fan. I began listening to similar artists which include Keane, Radiohead, U2, and Snow Patrol. I really enjoy British rock and find its music a powerful force in my life. Another type of genre, I've been listening to a lot lately is underground hip hop. I used to hate hip hop for years ever since it spiralled downwards from Snoop Dogg to 50 Cent and beyond. But one of my best friends, Dean, introduced me to underground hip hop. I had no idea there were plenty of artists to listen to. Hip hop with the likes of some of my favourites including Zion I, Hieroglyphics, GZA/Genius, Giant Panda, Lyrics Born, K'Naan, People Under The Stairs, and Killah Priest blew my mind. They rap about real life that speaks to what I'm going through on a daily basis and not about how many girls I can bang or what I can get in a thug life.

Lately, I've been getting into a lot of jazz music. I find it relaxing and beautiful in those quiet times I have to myself. It's very reflective and emotional music that bring peace to my heart. I've listened to a lot of Diana Krall over the years and have been listening to Chris Botti. I have also been listening to more Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, John Coltrane, and Louis Armstrong.

Aside from the big three genres I listen to, British rock, underground hip hop, and jazz music, I'll listen to most things. One genre I refuse to listen to is country, but who knows maybe I'll really dig it when I turn 100 and flying cars are my mode of transportation.

Peace.