If you know me, have talked to me online or in person, or have read my blog at all over the past year, you know of my love for a band called The Graduate. Often confused for the Dustin Hoffman movie, these five guys (not the burger joint) earned every bit of the praise I have heaped upon them and more. I wrote them an open letter back in December and mentioned them in a handful of other posts. Simply put, they’re amazing.
On Friday I got the sad news that my favorite band made the decision to join some of my other favorite bands (such as Just Surrender and A Change of Pace) and enter the realm of “indefinite hiatus”. While I was certainly displeased when I heard that the other bands decided to take an indefinite hiatus, it absolutely floored me when I read Corey’s announcement. I know they didn’t always have the easiest go of it, but it wasn’t something I saw coming.
Since this is my blog and I can take this post in any direction I please, I am not going to make this another open letter. What I have left to say to the guys I'll say privately. I do, however, have some thoughts, both broad and specific.
If there is one thing I have learned in the past two and a half years, it is that life does not resemble a meritocracy in any way. It is always the right thing to do your best, work your hardest, and give it your all, but that unfortunately does not mean that the same amount of success will follow. The most talented do not always get what they deserve. It is unfair, but it is a sad reality. In an era of autotune, internet celebrities, and Bieber Fever, genuine ability can slip through the cracks, and in this case, it did.
In our lives, we surround ourselves with that which we find pleasurable. From our friends to our interests, our lives are meticulously self-crafted to create the most comfortable experience within the realm of reason. We are constantly looking for people and things to put a smile on our faces. It is not selfish; it is merely human. When one of those things are taken away from us (no matter how small or trivial they may seem), we lose a little bit of ourselves. Whether it’s a friend moving, a show getting cancelled, or a band breaking up, it’s never fun to lose something we enjoy. That said, we move forward without forgetting. As long as there’s a memory, something is never gone.
The Graduate put many of my thoughts to music. While I am fairly apt at expressing myself (as evidenced by the 100+ posts I have on this blog), they were able to express things in an entirely different medium. While I do not know if this is indeed it for them, I will miss them for now. But as long as I have ears, I won’t stop listening to them. Long live The Graduate!
No comments:
Post a Comment