Miscellaneous - Classic Rock Music

  by Fiona Hutchings

published: 27 / 10 / 2011

intro

Our Website of the Month column is moving in a new direction by focusing on blogs, and we begin with the American blog, Classic Rock Music

I may have mentioned once or twice that I write a music blog in my spare time (it is http://adlibbed.blogspot.com/ since you ask). I was debating a new direction to take this column in, a new type of website to investigate and blogs sprung to mind Now before you all cry "self-indulgent self-congratulatory fix" I am just setting the scene here by mentioning my own. For a while, when I first started blogging, the subject matter was purely personal and primarily parenting related. In the days before Facebook (Yes, there really was a time before the all consuming social media onslaught) it was almost like a useful open email to friends and family and anyone else who happened to stumble across it. A couple of years ago, after months of little activity, I decided to rebrand it as a music related blog. As 'High Fidelity' is one of my favourite films (and books), I took the idea of a musical top five for everything and anything and ran with it. One of the first things I did after I came out from hospital following my brain haemorrhage earlier this year was to start trying to blog again. Music and my blog had become more important than ever in helping me communicate with the outside world. Now, with an often temperamental memory, it also serves the function of reminding me how I felt and what I was listening too, reading or thinking about at any given point. So for me, my blog is there to document and share my life and my musical choices good and bad. For November it is also celebrating Movember and moustachioed music. So this is why I want to go out and explore the varied world of music blogs and most importantly talk to the blogger behind the banner to find out what inspired them to start and maintain a blog and get the story in their own words. So, our inaugural blog is http://classicrockmusicblog.com. I came across this one on a Google trawl, casting out my little net for new stuff to read. I tend to make snap decisions about whether to stay or go and the classic steel gray back drop and neatly laid out page appealed to my sense of order. As well as the blog page there are also seperate pages devoted to CD and Record Reviews, Music Notes, Listening To, Interviews, DVD Reviews, Top 10s (so I knew we would get on just fine and Audio Equipment.) 'Classic Rock Music 'is the brain child of Todd Whitesel and so who better to talk to about this smooth and slick blog... FIONA: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? TODD: I'm a hopeless music fanatic, and not just for rock music. I grew up in the 1970s listening to my grandparents and parents' records and those of my next-door neighbour's older brother. I was hearing everything from Beethoven and Brahms to Chicago, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Yes, Kansas, Steely Dan and Kiss. I liked it all. I started collecting records when I was about eight years old and never really stopped. When I was in my teens I started writing quite a bit and that led into writing as an occupation. Eventually I landed a gig with a music magazine, 'Goldmine', where I was able to fulfill many childhood dreams, particularly interviewing musicians that I admired. FIONA: What inspired you to set up Classic Rock Music blog? TODD: After I left 'Goldmine' I knew I wanted to stay active in music but wasn't really sure how. About that time, blogging was starting to take off and I decided to have a go at it. My first post was sometime in 2007 or 2008 and I'm too stubborn to stop now! FIONA: Did you decide to include the other sections such as review and interview pages from the beginning or did the blog grow? TODD: Initially it was just reviews, then the blog grew and other sections emerged. It was always my intention to have reviews and interviews at the least. Interviews are a blast. FIONA: Do you only feature music you like? TODD: That's another reason I set up the blog - I wanted to have something with a purely positive focus. So yes, I decided to feature music and artists that mean a lot to me. I'm fortunate, too, to have another writer on board, Mark Polzin. I can pass things on that I like but don't have the same knowledge he does of certain bands or musical styles. FIONA: How do you interact with your readers? TODD: Not nearly often enough. That's one area I'm really trying to improve. I've finally set up a ClassicRockMusicBlog.com page on Facebook where I hope to have more dialogue and cross-talk between the blog and the community. FIONA: What is the best thing about blogging? TODD: Sharing my passion with others and having complete control over what goes into the site. FIONA: And the worst? TODD: The pay!(Amen to that! - Fiona) FIONA: Why should Pennyblack readers come and check out the Classic Rock Music Blog? TODD: It's definitely a site for classic rock enthusiasts, but it's also a door into newer artists who are too talented to ignore. I've tried to keep the content fun and engaging and pure, with the focus on the music and artist's accomplishments. To me, it's the music that matters. If others feel the same way, they'll probably dig the blog. So, there you go. Why not go check out the Classic Rock Music blog and let Todd know what you think? You can drop me a comment here and let me know too. If you write a music blog you think I might like then let me know (either here or via the comments on Adlibbed) and who knows - you might be next!