Weeks ago, my dad showed me an article about how Liverpool Hope University has just started a program where one can receive a Master's Degree in Beatles Studies. An online equivalent of the article can be viewed here:
http://www.nme.com/news/the-beatles/43200
My dad showed me this article because he knew I would find it interesting, since I knew and adored the Beatles before I knew what music even was. I don't care if it sounds cliché because every bit of it is true, but the Beatles are the reason why I like music. I have an endless amount of stories that prove how much the Fab Four mean to me, but all of those stories aren't all that necessary because most people have stories that probably match mine. It is obvious that a lot of people idolize the Beatles to the same extent I do; that's exactly why they have thousands of books dedicated to the life of the Beatles and even young kids today who do not know a lot of their parent's music still know who the Beatles are. They are absolutely classic and timeless and will never become obsolete.
I kind of joked to my dad about how I wanted to go to Liverpool and get my Master's in Beatles Studies, but I was also half serious. My dad laughed, playing along, and asked what I would do with that degree - how it would actually help with whatever profession I choose to pursue. He said there are already enough books written about the Beatles where I wouldn't need to spend thousands of dollars on a two year program in Liverpool just to write a book on a subject that has been done hundreds of times. I tried to dismiss the idea of this degree when he said this because he is probably right, but I haven't dismissed it completely because I am still constantly thinking about it.
A few weeks later, my dad and I were talking about the Beatles and I brought up the Masters idea again. Joking around, he asked me what my dissertation would be on. I gave him a completely serious answer, which led into an interesting discussion. I told him that I would want to research not just the music of the Beatles; I brought up the paradox that I always wondered if the Beatles, if never having existed before, would be popular today in the same way they started a revolution 40 years ago, but that this was a moot question anyway because if the Beatles hadn't existed 40 years ago, we would have no concept of what our music industry, or even what our society, would be like today. I have always been interested in how everything connects together, which is why I always liked history class: "This happened because this happened which made this happen which is why today this is happening", etc. and I think it would be interesting to research why the Beatles became successful when they did: what was going on in society at the height of their fame, and how the 1960's culture was affected by the 1950's, and how the baby-boom era of the 1950's was a direct result of the post-World War 2 era, and so on and so forth.
Honestly, getting a Masters in Beatles Studies probably isn't necessary, because like my dad said, there are already enough books written about the Beatles, so what else would I do with it? But I think it would be interesting to study because of how passionate I am about it, and it made me realize, anytime something seems a little intimidating and impossible but is still something I would like to do, it hasn't stopped me from doing it.
Another example is this:
I have worked for KSPC, the underground radio station at my university, for the last few years. I have always done behind-the scenes promotional work, because I like working with the music industry but don't want to be up and in front of the scene; I have terrible stage fright and having people hear my voice or see me or listen to me play (even though I can't really play anything) scares me. For this upcoming fall, without even thinking, I signed up to be a DJ instead of applying for any of the business positions. When I received an e-mail telling me what time my new radio show was going to be on, I started freaking out a little bit. I don't know a lot of the musicians that the other DJs play on the station, and I don't know how I am going to fill up two hours each week with obscure bands. I don't want to just choose songs to play because they are available, I want to choose songs that I also enjoy. There are hundreds of albums at the station, but I can only use the albums there and I can't bring in my own. When I read the weekly KSPC email, I look at the top 30 most requested musicians of that week, and there might only be one, if any, on that list that I have even heard of.
But then I think about how there is definitely a reason why I decided to be a DJ. If I didn't want to be one, I wouldn't have signed up. If I had overly thought about it, I would have chickened out, but because I wanted to do it, I decided to sign up and figured that I would figure it all out later.
And it's true, I'll be able to do it. I'll be able to do it because I want to do it, and so I will make it work.
If I want that Masters in Beatles Studies, I should just do it. I can think about the ifs and buts later on. Maybe I WILL apply for it on a whim, just like I did for the DJ position. Maybe eventually the station will even let me have my own Beatles show! Yeah, I know, wishful thinking, right?
http://www.nme.com/news/the-beatles/43200
My dad showed me this article because he knew I would find it interesting, since I knew and adored the Beatles before I knew what music even was. I don't care if it sounds cliché because every bit of it is true, but the Beatles are the reason why I like music. I have an endless amount of stories that prove how much the Fab Four mean to me, but all of those stories aren't all that necessary because most people have stories that probably match mine. It is obvious that a lot of people idolize the Beatles to the same extent I do; that's exactly why they have thousands of books dedicated to the life of the Beatles and even young kids today who do not know a lot of their parent's music still know who the Beatles are. They are absolutely classic and timeless and will never become obsolete.
I kind of joked to my dad about how I wanted to go to Liverpool and get my Master's in Beatles Studies, but I was also half serious. My dad laughed, playing along, and asked what I would do with that degree - how it would actually help with whatever profession I choose to pursue. He said there are already enough books written about the Beatles where I wouldn't need to spend thousands of dollars on a two year program in Liverpool just to write a book on a subject that has been done hundreds of times. I tried to dismiss the idea of this degree when he said this because he is probably right, but I haven't dismissed it completely because I am still constantly thinking about it.
A few weeks later, my dad and I were talking about the Beatles and I brought up the Masters idea again. Joking around, he asked me what my dissertation would be on. I gave him a completely serious answer, which led into an interesting discussion. I told him that I would want to research not just the music of the Beatles; I brought up the paradox that I always wondered if the Beatles, if never having existed before, would be popular today in the same way they started a revolution 40 years ago, but that this was a moot question anyway because if the Beatles hadn't existed 40 years ago, we would have no concept of what our music industry, or even what our society, would be like today. I have always been interested in how everything connects together, which is why I always liked history class: "This happened because this happened which made this happen which is why today this is happening", etc. and I think it would be interesting to research why the Beatles became successful when they did: what was going on in society at the height of their fame, and how the 1960's culture was affected by the 1950's, and how the baby-boom era of the 1950's was a direct result of the post-World War 2 era, and so on and so forth.
Honestly, getting a Masters in Beatles Studies probably isn't necessary, because like my dad said, there are already enough books written about the Beatles, so what else would I do with it? But I think it would be interesting to study because of how passionate I am about it, and it made me realize, anytime something seems a little intimidating and impossible but is still something I would like to do, it hasn't stopped me from doing it.
Another example is this:
I have worked for KSPC, the underground radio station at my university, for the last few years. I have always done behind-the scenes promotional work, because I like working with the music industry but don't want to be up and in front of the scene; I have terrible stage fright and having people hear my voice or see me or listen to me play (even though I can't really play anything) scares me. For this upcoming fall, without even thinking, I signed up to be a DJ instead of applying for any of the business positions. When I received an e-mail telling me what time my new radio show was going to be on, I started freaking out a little bit. I don't know a lot of the musicians that the other DJs play on the station, and I don't know how I am going to fill up two hours each week with obscure bands. I don't want to just choose songs to play because they are available, I want to choose songs that I also enjoy. There are hundreds of albums at the station, but I can only use the albums there and I can't bring in my own. When I read the weekly KSPC email, I look at the top 30 most requested musicians of that week, and there might only be one, if any, on that list that I have even heard of.
But then I think about how there is definitely a reason why I decided to be a DJ. If I didn't want to be one, I wouldn't have signed up. If I had overly thought about it, I would have chickened out, but because I wanted to do it, I decided to sign up and figured that I would figure it all out later.
And it's true, I'll be able to do it. I'll be able to do it because I want to do it, and so I will make it work.
If I want that Masters in Beatles Studies, I should just do it. I can think about the ifs and buts later on. Maybe I WILL apply for it on a whim, just like I did for the DJ position. Maybe eventually the station will even let me have my own Beatles show! Yeah, I know, wishful thinking, right?
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