Why I CONNECT with the Dave Matthews Band

My friend Andrew Schaefer recently posted on why he loves the Dave Matthews Band. It seemed like an odd idea at the time, to have to rationalize to someone else why you like something. Because in my mind, if you like the music, you don't need a reason. But oddly, I stayed up one night thinking about exactly why I do love the Dave Matthews Band. There's a lot of reasons, one being that their first album was the first C.D. I ever owned and I listened to it for hours and hours at a time when I was a kid. Another reason might be that they have a very unique sound and varying styling that changes from song to song. Or maybe still the fact that Carter Beauford has always been one of my favorite drummers. He's not the greatest drummer with the fastest chops or anything, but I just love the outside of the box thinking that can still live in pop music...if you can call what they do pop music.

But here is why I CONNECT with the Dave Matthews Band. Look at this photo of Dave.

You may just see a guy holding guitar, but what you're not seeing is the fact that those are normal men's jeans and a regular collared shirt. He's got no rings, no tattoo's, no peircings, no eyeliner, no fancy hair, and that's the man. He's not a rockstar, he's just a musician. Sometimes I instantly tune out artists when it looks to me like they put more thought into their shoes than their music. I realize that being a musician means you're an artist, and artists probably try to express themselves in more ways than just one, but that's not and never should be the rule. I used to try and dress the part when I was younger and realized it's just completely not me. I love that Dave and the rest of the people in his band are there to make MUSIC and not fashion statements, social commentary, or anything else. That's why...