Japanese Rock and The American Music Sponge
I am not a music snob. Sure, I can rattle off some trash about The Who and their influences on popular music. Prince and hip hop. Even Patsy Cline and a few female singers like Rilo Kiley and Aimee Man. I know more than a few Sonic Youth recordings, and when it comes right down to it, my favorite band is Voxtrot, and don't even pretend to know who they are, but that doesn't make me a music snob.
I am what I affectionately term a music-sponge. A music-sponge is some one who knows a lot of music snobs, and while the taste and opinions aren't inherent, the sponge gathers up all the names and albums, and they can hold their own if they find themselves in a debate about Daft Punk and Ladytron, but they would never start the conversation.
The music-sponge is only a few steps higher on the hipster totem pole than a poser. I hope a few important steps, but only a few nevertheless. At least with the sponge, it's not only about the clothes, scene or image. It's still about the music.
My education, as a sponge, started like many people with my parents. I grew up with The Grateful Dead, George Harrison, The Beach Boys, and of course, The Boss. I love Bruce Springsteen. Can't argue with that, eh?