Sharing songs is one of the better ways to creep inside a person’s head; it used to be the mixtape, then the MP3 playlist, and thanks to technology, now it’s just a click for rapid transfer of your entire iPod’s contents. But what if, say, the person that loads up your PMP later commits a nasty little murder/suicide. What we want to know is, do you delete the songs? Those can be expensive, after all.
The Stranger has one of the more fucked up stories we’ve heard in awhile. Writer Jack Wilson recalls his girlfriend’s roommate Jonathan Rowan, a charming, charismatic guy, who had his share of issues (substance problems, a warrant for his arrest in the UK). Rowan also couldn’t get over his ex-girlfriend. Well as the story goes, one day Jonathan did Jack the solid of filling up his iPod with a boatload of songs. A little while later, Rowan disappeared, tracked down his ex-girlfriend, killed her, and took his own life. Wilson writes:
I have a murderer’s music on my iPod and, almost reflexively, I couldn’t help but think of him while listening to these songs?they were his songs, songs he gave me. Had he blasted Oasis before going drinking? Jumped up and down to Manic Street Preachers B-sides? Sung along with Bowie in the car?…
Rowan was destructive and vile, but somehow listening to his music made me empathize with him, made me think about how trapped he must have felt, knowing that even getting stopped for jaywalking could send him to prison for years.
Would you empathize? Sympathize? Keep the songs? Maybe the answer to the latter is “that depends.” Some of the departed’s psycho Britpop after the jump.
Barry White – Greatest Hits
Nine efforts from U2
14 Oasis albums (including all their studio releases, a couple of B-side comps, and different live performances)
Six Manic Street Preachers records
Four Verve albums
All three of Richard Ashcroft’s solo releases
Both Kasabian records
A collection of early Bowie singles
Before you answer, know that Jack still has the songs. Hit The Stranger for the story.
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Might wanna take this post down in light of the Virginia Tech shootings, Scott
Quick Scott, don’t use the word “murder” on the day people were murdered in our country.
Yeah, might want to take down a completely unrelated story because someone killed a bunch of people in Virginia. In fact, Pitchfork is taking down their site until the whole Iraq thing blows over. Y’know, just in case.
“Quick Scott, don’t use the word “murder” on the day people were murdered in our country.”
Wouldn’t that apply every day, or do individual murders that don’t make national news have less importance?
i say leave the post. the story has nothing to do with it. it’s not adding or subtracting anything by throwing it out there.
At least Ryan and Bus Driver Stu have some sense.
I didn’t see the Virginia Tech story until after we published this. It wasn’t intentional. Yes, I should visit CNN.com once in a while instead of NME.com.
Yes Scott, how dare you publish something that happened on a day something else happened. Jeez.
That being said, I’d offer it’s likely all the excess Oasis that drove him to it.
I’m guessing it was the Barry White what drove him mad. I mean, look at the man’s greatest hits, it’s pure stalker material!
* “What Am I Gonna Do With You”
* “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything”
* “Never, Never Gonna Give You Up”
* “Standing in the Shadows of Love”
good to see manic street preachers are still getting in the news.
we’re murdering people every day in Iraq. there are murders happening all over the place right now. but best not talk about it. geez, come on.
omg…check the damn news once in a while, wouldya?! How fucking insensitive to post this when a tragedy like THIS is covering the headlines – http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/04/16/india.poaching.reut/index.html
The dude sholdn’t worry about those songs being on his iPod. They’re fairly generic songs that most people have heard or even own. It’s not like it’s the killer’s band’s demos or some super obscure stuff that he wouldn’t have heard otherwise. Then again, do you really need BOTH Kasabian records, in the face of tragedy or not?
I love this blog, but considering the situation today, it would be in good taste to take this down; especially considering how many college students must read this blog.
that much kasabian would probably would drive me insane too
“I love this blog, but considering the situation today, it would be in good taste to take this down; especially considering how many college students must read this blog.”
“Might wanna take this post down in light of the Virginia Tech shootings, Scott”
Give me a fucking break! People are MURDERED every day. Pray for their family’s, and curse he who is responsible. Then pray for his family too. But for the love of god, don’t let your momentary and meaningless “sensitivity” ruin your day. Had the situation not been blown up on your TV screen, you would feel no different then you did on April the 15th. I also highly recommend you avoid your local daily papers front page for the rest of your life.
-Jeremy
Posted by: Jeremy at April 16, 2007 11:16 PM
“In light tragic events over the past several hundred years, I think it would be in our countries best interest that Jeremy’s blog comment should be removed considering it says MURDERED and BLOWN UP. it is very insensitive, and it makes me feel naucius.” Truly- YOUR EVERY DAY MORON
eh hem….
er.. Strike that… I mean nauseous
you whiny little bitches need to shut the fuck up