I don't remember clicking or liking anything Katie Perry related but that's the wonder of Farcebook. In the scheme of things getting a large number of pictures of Ms Perry is not the worst thing that can happen, after all, she's not a bad looking bird. What was more interesting was that the group seemed to comprise of pre or early teens from places like Chile and Guatemala practising their English language by reprinting the lyrics and making comments like 'Katie 4 evva I am 14 how old are you guys' and 'I Luv Katie please print words to Birthday'; I presume that's one of her songs.
I can remember in my teen years being glued to Top of the Pops every week, it was of crucial importance. They used to have a procession of bands and singers on and you always hoped they would show one or two of your favourites. Admittedly, you had to sit through three minutes of Pans People but I watched it through to the end regardless. I always wished it would last an hour instead of a measly thirty minutes. I can even remember in my pre-teens pretending to play the piano using the tiles on the fireplace as the keys.
In those days music was vitally important to me and I would discover new bands and be transported. I was talking to one of my Scottish colleagues and he remembers queuing up to buy Cum on Feel the Noize with his brother in Glasgow about this time. Him and I, opposite ends of the country and different lives entirely but sharing the same magic. Music was everything in those days.
We used to have boy's music and girl's music. Boys would never admit to liking The Osmonds or Bay City Rollers for fear of being beaten up in the playground. I expect it's the same now with the likes of Justin Bieber. I can remember when ABBA were the naffest of naff and no serious musicologist would treat them with anything but derision, Looks like they had the last laugh.
We old rockers like to say that music was great in the old days and about how passionate we were. We like to moan that modern kids don't understand and today's music is disposable, computer generated trash. To a large extent that's true and things have changed but the comments on Katy Perry's Farcebook group suggest the passion the young generation feels for its music hasn't diminished. It may not be as musically proficient or with 'real musicians' who have paid their dues but that doesn't mean the kids don't connect with it as deeply. In the words of my favourite band who have been with me since I first heard them playing on my mate's stereo all those years ago, 'The Kids are Alright.'
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