I Will Not Date You If You Don't Like Lindsey Buckingham.

So, this is my first post on this fine blog. I'm appreciative to have been invited to share my simple music opinions with other kindred spirits.

But, enough of that. I kind of feel like this is the point where I jump into my favorite bands, top 5 favorite albums, favorite frontmen, best dance moves, etc.

Well, I would like to, but I've spent too much time as of late trying to figure out why The Killers aren't good anymore to make out any lists like these. (I mean....really, talk about the worst fall off after a solid first album....geez.) But, nonetheless, I can offer a bit. I do love Springsteen. A lot. I'm one of those Springsteen fans. That people tend to hate. I used to love the Who, but then I realized that if Pete Townshend wasn't there, I would hate the Who. So, I got rid of everything (except "Who By Numbers"), and just got all of Pete's solo work. I'm surrounded by a generation that thinks the Beatles were just "ok", and I'm trying not to let it rub off on me, although I now find myself more interested in everyone's post-Beatle efforts. McCartney is my least favorite Beatle (Harrison is the fave), but he made "Band On The Run" after it, so him being annoying can be forgiven. Although I love all forms of music Hip-hop is my first love. I know more about music in general than a lot of folk, but I know more about hip-hop than most folk. I don't apologize for this (other than the whole Soulja Boy fiasco. I think all hip hop fans should apologize for that. So, from the bottom of my heart...I'm sorry.)

And I love Lindsey Buckingham. And my Grandmother thinks that I'm going to be single forever and die alone with 20 cats. I currently have just one cat, though I'm in the market for another... but this all ties together. How?

Recently, my Grandmother set me up on a dreaded blind date with someone who she claimed "loved pop music". I could barely hide my excitement. Long story short, during dinner, this young lady starts to talk about Fleetwood Mac (after she trashed The Clash, so she was already 0/1 with me...), and my ears perk up. I launch into my Lindsey Buckingham speech. Why, he's the most under appreciated pop genius of the past 50 years! He's Brian Wilson with way more coke! I don't even know what the other songs on "Tusk" sound like, because I've only listened to the title track, and the other 9 Lindsey Buckingham songs!, and I still contend that Tusk is one of the greatest albums ever!!!

The girl looks confused, but I don't stop there. Lets go back to "Rumours" (Or, the second best breakup album ever made.). I mean, I like Stevie Nicks just as much as the next guy that likes witchcraft and chiffon gowns, but while she was topping the charts with all of her looks and mystique, he was crafting perfect pop songs. "Secondhand News"? what better way to start an album about breaking up?

The girl smiles and nods, and I think throws in a "yeah..." but am I done? no, not at all. His solo albums? amazing! no one appreciates his solo stuff. Stevie Nicks made god awful solo records (I kind of like Street Angel, but Bella Donna makes me want to vomit), and all the while, Buckingham is churning out genius solo albums. Ok, so maybe he's a bit of a perfectionist. Maybe it takes him 7 years to finish one album....well, quality (and getting good cocaine) takes time, right?

Another passive "yeah, true...." from my date. Forget it. I tell her that this date will end with me giving her a copy of Go Insane (Buckingham's 1984 classic solo effort which is the FIRST greatest breakup album ever made), and she seems indifferent. I was expecting more excitement from this girl who claimed to love pop music.

2 hours later after suffering through a terrible movie, I bring up Buckingham again. At which point, my date says "Ok, I forgot from earlier...which one is she again? She was the keyboard player, right??"

That put her at 0/3 (0/2 came in an incident totally unrelated to music, she poked fun at a pair of shoes I had just purchased that day, and was quite fond of), and we haven't spoken since, although I did lend her....or GIVE her Go Insane as well as Tusk. For educational purposes.

So, to end my first posting, I'll quote Rob Sheffield and say...I know it's wrong to judge a potential date off of her taste in music. But it's served me well.