Your Questions: What’s The Cure For “Get Off My Lawn” Syndrome?

Mobile DJ Blueprint student Ron writes: “As a mobile DJ (who’s not exactly 18 any more…), I’d like to ask your opinion on how to watch out for what I call ‘Get off my lawn!’ syndrome. As an example, for me Drake is simply not as good as Biggie; all this new “mumble” rap stuff is horrible, and so on. How do I keep more of an open mind about new music?”

Digital DJ Tips says:

It’s a hard one, but I guess it involves realising that to the generation before you, Biggie wasn’t as good as whatever was big when they were younger.

Truth is that when you’re 18, the music you first go out to, get drunk to, and get laid to, is the best music in the world – end of story. A mobile DJ’s job is to identify what that music is for the people in front of him or her (ie whenever any given audience’s varying “18 moments” were) and play it. That’s why variety is the key, right?

It’s possible to respect music and the feelings it can create with an audience without liking it yourself, as we all know – and from that often comes a grudging sort of liking for the music eventually, even if it isn’t what we’d choose – like growing to love a spouse in a forced marriage I guess (not that I’d know, but hey…).

Maybe a good idea is to put the headphones down for a night or two and go to places where the music you hate rules, and stick around for the whole night. Being convinced that music you’re not keen on can create the atmosphere you’re used to creating with music you love might be the thing that cures your “get off my lawn” syndrome.

‘Cos let’s face it – we all get older, and it’s not going to get any better unless we work on keeping our minds open – same for the Drake, Lil Yachty, and Cardi B fans of today, trust me on that – I’m old enough to have seen this happen to more than one generation of music fans!

How do you keep your mind and ears open to new music? Do you have a music discovery routine that you’d like to share with our readers? Let us know below.