It is hard to believe it was only two and a half years ago, but it was. I was working in tech support, on the phones helping people with their problems. I was also riding the tail end of a revolution still shaking the internet today. I had a decent enough pc all things considered and a spectacular internet connection. Well, it wasn’t really, but I thought it was.
There was an old Mac on the desk next to me. It was for anyone to use if you got a call about someone using a Mac needing help. It was my first exposure to a Mac and I was playing around with it. It was to be my first exposure to a lot more than just the Mac OS.
When I was in school, I knew who Nirvana were. Everyone did. They were the band of the time. Well, to those who knew. I wasn’t into music all that long. I was a very late developer in getting into music. At that stage I had not been exposed to anything that wasn’t top 40 and pop music. I missed the entire Nirvana train. I am kicking myself about that these days.
So when I noticed that the Mac had some music on it and it was bands like Metallica, Nirvana, Primal Scream and other grunge/alt/rock bands of the time, I wasn’t all that interested. I don’t remember exactly how but one day I was on the Mac and I was listening to the music.
Well, I can honestly say it changed my life. Not much of course, but it changed my life. I was introduced to this, I don’t know what to call it. To this new music. It just blew me away. I couldn’t get enough. I listened to everything on the Mac over and over. This was just the first step.
The next step was of course the revolution. I remember the conversation with another one of the techs who was into music. It went something like this.
“have you heard of Napster?, you can download any music you want from it”
That was all that was needed. Over the next few weeks Napster and its MP3’s spread through the tech floor. I brought in a pair of speakers for my pc and indeed most people did. I had one guy on the phone once. I was talking him through something and he stops and says
“Is that Nirvana in the background”
Of course it was. I was downloading anything I could get my hands on. I had quickly built up a collection of music which to this day I regret loosing. Napster was just fucking awesome. I could always find the song I wanted and then live versions and then cover versions and then live cover versions and it was just heaven. I listened to so much new music and I damn well bought so much new music. It rocked. I miss Napster. I used WinMX a while ago for a couple of days and it was not bad at all, but it was no Napster.
I want it tho. I want an internet connection and a computer which does it justice. I want to be able to type in a song name and have hundreds of search results and they could be mine. I will happily pay for a service like this or promise not to download new or ripped songs. BUT I want cover versions and I want live music. There is nothing better than hearing your favourite song sung live to perfection.
I really need a new computer and a broadband connection. Once Tokyo is out of the way, a computer is top of the list (well equal to paying debts) and then once I have that, I damn well will be getting broadband.
And then the music shall flow. Napster changed the face of the internet. It’s brief but glorious life is still having affects and will continue to effect the future of the internet for years to come. To use what is now a cliché.
Rock on.
