Rubbered Soul: Dig For Your Own Soul

As an 80s child, I was part of the generation that witnessed the flourishing and constant improvement of home computers and games consoles. The boom of the latter in particular - from C64's to Gameboys to Mastersystems to Super NES's - was such that every kid I knew, and possibly that existed, was immersed in arcade dimensions away from the real world.

As it turned out, I was (am!) absolutely shocking at most computer games, and gave up trying soon after the craze caught on. No sooner had I learned how to punch in Street Fighter II, than I had developed thumb-lock and was routinely being super-cosmic-sonic-boomed by my opponents. It was not for me.

You would think, therefore, that I would loath all forms of computerised gaming, but recently things have changed - or should I say, new respect has been afforded. While I am yet to play them, titles such as Guitar Hero, Rock Band and the Grand Theft Auto series are playing a major part in musically educating the younger generations by including 'classic' tracks as integral elements of the gaming experience. Slash, the iconic G&R/Velvet Revolver legend, recently recounted an anecdote in which a pre-teen child approached him after recognising him as the cartoon guitarist on the cover of Guitar Hero. The kid even asked him if he could actually play real guitar! "Why yes, sonny, I've been known to throw out a lick or two."

What these games are doing, by awakening newer generations to the possibility of life outside of Britney Spears and the Top 40 Chart, is ensuring the longevity of great music, and inspiring more and more people into the great art of Music Investigation. Too often do people sit on their fat backsides, waiting for the various forms of media to tell them which music is good, and what they should buy. And in the online world of Amazon and eBay, it is becoming rarer to buy music in person, where you could walk into a shop and talk - yes, talk! - to someone about your tastes, and be recommended towards other artists and sounds.

I stand by Investigation as the path to purity. Had I not read an article on Frank Zappa when I was 16, it is unlikely that I would have ever come across his music, let alone bee-lined for the nearest record store and bought any of his albums. That, in turn, subsequently led me to Captain Beefheart, whose Clear Spot album now ranks among my favourites. I found Cream because I read that - before his later drivel, like 'Tears In Heaven' - Eric Clapton used to be in a blues-rock power trio in the 1960s. Sunshine for MY investigative love. Hell, how many people have just discovered the world of Northern Soul purely due to the use of Don Thomas' 'Come On Train' in the recent Visa ads (where the guy dances through the streets on crutches).

That these tracks and artists still gain exposure is of great importance, but also is the willingness to dig a little deeper once something of interest has been discovered. Working backwards can prove a revelation. Modern day Paul Weller fans could discover The Jam, for instance. Just imagine hearing 'Town Called Malice' or 'Going Underground' suddenly for the first time, what a rush! And the best part of it is that you would have earned that moment, because you did the groundwork. The record companies put a lot of time and effort into

subverting the masses towards their artists for the sole factor of money. Don't take the guff from those swine, do it yourself and the possibilities are endlessly more enjoyable.