Whether you’re on Gmail, Yahoo or tempting fate on a work e-mail address, it seems that most people have been part of a few lengthy personal e-mail chains with a group of friends.
Some are recurring, like the fantasy football thread that runs from late July through the holidays. And some die out after a stack of 15 emails, like the hilarious group dialogue about Betty’s gnarly spill on the dance floor.
My personal favorite is the music thread that I share with a few buddies. This week was a big week for us because we added a new member (welcome, Donnie), boosting our group’s total to six. It’s a fine number considering most of my friends think that M. Ward is the fifth district in uptown Charlotte.
The commentary varies, meandering from killer new albums to personal reviews of a recent concert experience. Apparently, I was the only one who didn’t catch U2 during the band’s east coast jaunt (but I’ll take the Allman’s anytime I can get ‘em). The hot topic afterward was Bono’s political messages, as well as that spaceship doubling as a stage.
Music threads are also a great forum to learn about new music. These people are your friends. Chances are they won’t recommend something shitty. Or, maybe it’s a new venue they’ll suggest you check out. Either way, it’s a fresh perspective to consider when you have 15 minutes to break away from the grind.
Need to warn you. Music email chains are totally prone to hibernation, and it can be a fight to keep them rolling along. Ours has been moving at a snail’s pace as of late, and it’s not good. We’ve become meaner people.
Seriously, though, try it out. Invite a few friends, pick some musical subject matter, keep an open mind and go from there.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2009.
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