Writing about music is just too much fun to stop
by Dennis
Oh boy, time flies! I thought I wasn't on board this ship that long, but I just checked and it is already seven years ago that I e-mailed to ask if I could join the ranks of SPB's writers. I had been writing a bit longer than that. It has been more than eleven years ago that I asked to join Some Will Never Know, a now-defunct webzine. I have been doing this waaaaayyyy longer than I thought. And than I ever expected this to last, really.
Once upon a time I decided I wanted to start writing because I wanted to be involved in the music scene. I desperately wanted to contribute in one way or another. A couple of attempts has taught me I do not have enough musical talent to play an instrument and being pretty sure nobody wants to hear me sing, I turned to the one thing I know how to do: write. If I push myself a bit, I can explain to you why I like or dislike an album.
Also: I was spending too much money on music and I hoped having access to promos would make me spend a bit less on it. Oh, what a sweet summer child I was! The effect was quite the opposite really. I discovered so much fantastic new music that I wanted to add to my collection that I now have a storage problem (leading me to buy more digital albums on Bandcamp, where my collection is already starting to be too huge to properly manage).
As a writer I like to focus on punk and hardcore, although the music in my personal collection is more varied. I'd estimate around half of it is metal (or metal oriented). Somehow I always shied away from writing about metal. One of the reasons I asked to join SPB is because I saw there would be room for exploring a broad musical spectrum. After seven years I still haven't written about metal, so I guess I will stay focussed on punk and hardcore. Maybe though…. I am in my forties now, shouldn't I evolve into a jazzlover by now? Who knows.
Over all this time I managed the promo-pit (I can't tell you how happy I am that I am no longer involved in that anymore! Especially considering how that slump seems to have expanded to something nearly unmanageable), wrote reviews, did interviews and wrote columns.
Through interviews I met with some very interesting people, a couple I really admire (some who really fell from their pedestal!) and visited a couple of really interesting places. This is where I wrote the pieces I am most proud of: my interview with the owners of ARC studio (for SomeWillNeverKnow) and more recently my interview with The Crimson Ghosts are pieces I am really proud of.
Through reviews I have gotten to know so much great music. I have had the opportunity to listen to stuff way before it was released (and usually was still late with my review), who doesn't want that? I also have had the chance to write a couple of columns together with Robert which was both fun and taught me a couple of things about writing.
The columns (Table Talk) are the pieces I have most fun writing. I feel those allow for a bit more creativity and a bit more freedom in what subjects to write about. I have learned a lot by writing those columns because the rules are slightly different. Finally I am a sucker for lists, so when I get the call it is time to think about what the best records of this (half) year are, I am hyped to the max. Around the end of the year I get really into lists. What is the best artwork, what were the best EP's etc etc. (if you have brilliant ideas about lists, just give me a heads up, I will probably react very excitedly!).
Although I have been struggling a bit with writing lately I have no intention of stopping soon. It is just too much fun. It is fun to write, but also it is fun to be part of this crew of music lovers who write about music I love, or write in such a way about music that I think I should like it. I am excited to be part of a crew where I am not the only one who is enthusiastic about a new horrorpunk record, who wants to write about a new record by a band almost nobody heard of so far or who just want to write about stuff that is slightly music related (Running On Nothing is one of my personal favorites to read). So thank you, thank you to you, fellow writers and of course also a big thank you to you, dear reader!
