As many of you know, at least I would hope so, Father’s Day was yesterday. And that means that all across America dads were recieving gifts from their wives, partners, and children that they begged them to not get them. If your dad is anything like my dad then you know this to be true. “Don’t spend your money” is a pretty consistent phrase uttered by the fathers of this world.
However, dads play more than just the humble/stingy role in their children’s lives. My dad has shaped the way I feel about music.
Instead of writing an “I love you dad!” post (which would not really fit into the theme of this blog) I instead will express how dads can have an important role into what a child likes and dislikes. This seems to be obvious, so instead of more analysis by Captain Obvious, I will proceed to the How My Dad Effected My Life; Musically.
When I was young, my dad was painting our new home. We were the first owners of the brand new house, but Bari the Mom was never satisfied with how it looked. Bari the Mom is all about home decorating. So as Craig the Dad was painting he had a boombox playing some music. I have often observed my dad listening to music while working around the house, and he would take naps in the basement while just sitting in his stereo’s full volume. Some of my fondest memories are of Spencer the Brother and I sneaking around the basement floor playing imagination games while dad slept in his blanket of Old Christian Heavy Metal records. However, on this day of redecoration I asked my dad, “Why do you listen to music?”
He looked at me and pondered for a bit. This is a pretty thought-provoking self-analysis question for any music lover. However, upon realizing that I was a six-year-old answered it matter-of-factly, “I like it.” He then told me to just sit down and listen to it. And that’s the first day I actually listened to music. DC Talks’ Free At Last album was the first album I ever listened to. And I loved it. I was hooked. Although I didn’t know why and honestly, I still don’t know why, I just loved music. And it’s because of my dad.
I don’t think dads can really decide what tastes the child will have. But I think that dads can negatively change their minds. For example, and to start off this post, I don’t really like Greatest Hits albums. And it’s because my dad once told me while growing up to not buy a greatest hits CD. Because “they are dumb.” And that was enough. To this day, I just think Greatest Hits CDs are kinda dumb.
My dad was there for a lot of my big music defining moments. He drove me to buy my first CD. Newsboys’ Love Liberty Disco. One of the worst albums ever. He even looked at me and was like, “Are you sure this is what you want?” It was there that I learned about saving money.
Give me love, give me liberty!! …Disco?
My dad bought me my first guitar. He paid for my lessons. And even talked me out of starting with a bass guitar. Told me to play the acoustic instead and then he’d buy me a bass. He never bought me a bass. He never had to. I loved the guitar, and do not regret it in the slightest. When my dad and I were shopping for my guitar at Guitar Center the guitar tech was telling my dad about the Squier starter packs. But I loved this orange sunburst Jackson Dinky. And although I was struggling through 3 Doors Down’s Kryptonite at the moment, I walked home with an Orage Sunburst Jackson Dinky. Actually, we went home, my dad researched the crap out of it, and then we bought it. A bit after we bought the guitar I approached my dad and told him what a great guitar it is for the price we got. How the humbuckers were perfect for the type of music I wanted to play. I didn’t know what any of that stuff was when I started to play guitars. My dad didn’t know either. But he researched, and planned ahead, and made the righ purchase for me. And knew that it would be the perfect guitar for ninth-grader Cal Mader.
This was my first band. From left to right we have myself (with my orange sunburst Jackson), Adam, David, and Spencer the Brother. www.myspace.com/werewolfcircus
My dad has always been a role model to me. And not just with music but in everything. He’s a cool dude. Dads are cool dudes. And it’s important for the fatherly role to never be forgotten or cheapened.
Cal Mader
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Thanks Cal