Pun Salad

Last night, as I returned Pun Son to college, I helped carry stuff into his dorm room. Although I tried not to snoop, I couldn't help but notice two wall posters: one of Jimi Hendrix, one of Bob Marley.

Bob Marley was born in 1945; Hendrix was born in 1942 (today would have been his 64th birthday). Which means: had they lived, they'd both be older than I.

And I couldn't help but think: if I had had posters in my college dorm room of musicians older than my father … well, I'd have been subjected to massive amounts of peer-group ridicule.

But it's different now, apparently.

People often bemoan the cultural dominance of the baby boomer generation, and (true enough) we are kind of tedious at times, even as we move out of the treasured 18-49 age demographic.

But I'll offer the hypothesis that the music of my generation really was unusually good. So good that today's kids can put the musicians' posters on their walls without embarrassment.

(Note that I could have gone into crotchety geezer mode above: "Therefore, it's just like I've always said: today's music is crap!" I've restrained myself.)