Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
Background music generally drives me nuts and (other than when I have my hair cut, where it's unavoidable) I leave or don't enter places that have it (I refuse to use the Co-Op for example because of the piped crap they play in the aisles). The curse of being a musician I guess - you just HAVE to pay attention, your mind is drawn to analyse what you hear, even if it's some far arsed bimbo widdling around her maximum range of four notes, to a backing track programmed by a brainless idiot. People just don't get the psychic damage done by exposure to random shit.
I am the same, but less so I imagine, but in the Co-op I find myself stopping under a speaker and pretend to be examining the produce until the tune finishes! They probably think I'm shop lifting.. We obviously have different taste in music though.. think last time I stopped under a co-op speaker it was for a Bjork track. I'm ok with background music but people shouldn't then expect me to give them my full attention and expect to see me shuffle about to find the stereo centre - a group conversation in a pub with music and I end up being alone in company, having lost the thread of the conversation. Radio is rarely background either for me, even if I don't necessarily like the track, I'm still listening to the production and instrumentation.

It would still be music as you choose to play it. Just that it's on a file list and a couple of clicks away. Just the same as having a 78 player to hand. Even if you did have it on a constant play mode, it should still be music you actually like and so you hopefully be surprised by the choice and then enjoy it with your full attention, not knowing what might come next. Continuous, random play is only one option of course, one that's not possible with any other type of system (unless you have a 5 CD midi system or someone's made a mix-tape for you).