I just read a short piece by a lady who bravely tried attending a rockabilly show. Her conclusion is that she just doesn’t “get” the rockabilly lifestyle. For that matter, she continued, she doesn’t “get” rockabilly music. She wasn’t completely nasty, but she was none too nice in the things she said about the music and the people.
Well, I’m not really sure I “get” the rockabilly lifestyle either. Whatever. Not everyone loves the music. Not everyone is in to the retro look. Not everyone digs old cars. Who cares? I don’t think any of us who do love these things are trying to shove it all down anyone else’s throats, are we? Anyway, that’s certainly not what I’m trying to do with this blog. If you dig it, you’re welcome to hang out here and learn and share more about it. If you don’t dig it, you’re welcome to listen to any other music you do dig and dress any way you please.
It makes no real difference to me. All I know is that I love this music. I’m not really heavily into the rockabilly lifestyle. As I’ve said before, I don’t dress particularly rockabilly on any given day. Maybe my hair sort of says rockabilly, but I don’t have even a single tattoo and my house is not a museum of 1950s furniture.
But none of that really matters, does it? I just love the music and that’s what’s at the core. And none of you have ever made me feel any less welcome in this community for my lack of tattoos or classic car. I think we’re a pretty tolerant group, aren’t we? The fact that many of you dress like you do and have tattoos up and down hasn’t made you see me as an outsider. At least I haven’t felt it from anyone.
If someone doesn’t “get it,” then this blog exists (in part) for them to have a resource through which they can gain understanding. If they grow to love it, wonderful! If they choose to move on, well OK. Maybe I’ll see them at a non-rockabilly show some day because I love all kinds of music in addition to rockabilly.
I don’t know really what I’m driving at with this. Except that it’s damned annoying when someone disparages a group–any group–just because they don’t “get it.” Live and let live is not just a saying.
