How my father rocked my musical world

Don’t worry, rock music enjoyment is definitely not a cult.

My taste in music comes from my father, who was the first to introduce me to the delicious dish that is rock n’ roll.

Growing up, I repeatedly listened to the same collection of Chinese songs my mom would play during the car ride to elementary school from her huge stack of CDs. I remember telling myself that if I ever learned to play guitar, I would learn all of the songs that I used to sing with my mom.

Back then, my music taste was softer and slower — and every time I heard music from rock bands like the Guns N’ Roses or U2, I didn’t think much of it. As a middle schooler who had yet to develop good taste, I failed to appreciate the masterpieces that were rock songs. That was up until my father came in and rocked (pun intended) my view on the genre.

Every time my family would go on a road trip or vacation, we followed a strict music policy — we would take turns choosing songs to play. While I used to choose random pop songs, my father would always pick songs from his favorite bands, including Guns N’ Roses and Bon Jovi, and I began to appreciate both the anger and sadness rooted in rock.

As time went on, I found myself hooked on the old rock songs my dad liked. I started paying attention to the radio whenever it came on and from then on, long road trips consisted of my dad and I blasting songs like “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses.

To solidify my addiction to rock, I learned to play guitar in the 7th grade, something I had always wanted to do. While I started by learning some of the Chinese songs I listened to as a child, I eventually fell head over heels for the talent of rock guitar legends like Slash of Guns N’ Roses and Eric Clapton due to their famous guitar solos.

The uniqueness of a rock song is unparalleled by any other genre. Rock music represents the ‘60s to ‘90s: a golden age of America, a time of great economic growth and technological advancement. It only seems natural that this time of incredible progression is paired with the best soundtrack of all, one bursting with energy at times and with deep sadness at others. The fact that rock bands play their instruments and sing without autotune (unlike most mainstream pop artists) only makes rock n’ roll more appealing to me.

Now, if I’m ever listening to music, it’s always an “oldie” from at least 30 or 40 years ago, instead of modern pop or rap. This appreciation for the golden age of music is all thanks to my father, who has guided me along my discovery of rock. It is now my mission to convert as many people as possible into this cult … I mean fanbase.