In Utero Playlists

I'm afraid it's going to happen. I'm going to be "one of those" parents that really pushes their kids to achieve, where "achieve" often is code for "fulfill one or more of the parent's own unrealized dreams." In my case, I'll be pushing my kid(s) to be the next David Bowie(s) or Johnny Cash(es).

Just the other day it really started to hit me hard that there was once a time that I really coveted the creative elements of my life - I wanted them to overtake every other aspect of my life, in fact. But now, my creative outlets have shifted so hard (towards potentially inconsequential things like blogging) or have completely evaporated from my daily routine (like no longer playing my guitar for hours at a time), that I can't help but wonder, "What if...?"

Luckily, one of my responses to these thoughts has been somewhat rational: attempting to integrate creativity back into my life. My life's not over, damn it! So, lately I've started taking more photographs. I've pulled the guitar back out of the closet. I've been sifting through old sketch books and drawings.

But, I guess the other response has been a little irrational - the whole imposing my David Bowie dreams on my soon-to-born son. I can't predict what he'll find interesting. But you know what? I also can't help but think about how much of a "perfect storm" his environment will be for fostering rockstardom.

His paternal grandmother is a music teacher. She passed a lot of this talent to me. His paternal grandfather is an art teacher, an artist too (if that's something different). He passed a lot of this artistic talent to me. He's got other musicians and artistic folks on this paternal side, too. His maternal grandmother is a great artist. She has passed on a lot of her talent to Kate. I also understand there are other artists on the maternal side.

He'll be growing up in a town with a strong musical heritage and a well-supported musical culture. Kate tells me that pretty much everyone growing up in Chapel Hill was in a band at some point in high school, or even earlier. He'll be growing up in our household, with our sensibilities and appreciation for self-expression and love of music and art.

If this kid doesn't grow up to be a rock star, then rock must be dead.

I can see it now. Jonas will be like 6 years old and I'll be saying, "You need to finish writing that concept album or you won't get any dessert." or maybe, "No doing chores until you've done your mixolydian arpeggios!"

Of course, I'm really joking. I'm not going to pressure my kid into doing something he doesn't want to do. I mean, maybe he'd rather be the next Morrissey - I'd be crushed, but I could probably live with that.

For the sake of sharing, here are some of the songs I've made Kate's stomach listen to recently (I'm sticking with a lot of "The Classics" for now, I'll branch out later):

Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side
Hank Williams - Jambalaya
Mott the Hoople - All the Young Dudes
The Beatles - Across the Universe
Johnny and June - If I Were A Carpenter
T. Rex - Mambo Sun
Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
Neil Young - Heart of Gold
David Bowie - Heroes
Prince - Little Red Corvette (sorry no link - Prince and Copyright have issues)
Television - Guiding Light
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot
The Rolling Stones - Angie
Roxy Music - More than This
Al Green - Take Me to the River