To this day, I wonder why my tastes were so different. Maybe there is just something nerdy about the music. Of course, my dad listening to the whole Simon back catalog played a part.
Anyone else have a similar interest?
It was a very special time for music. I became a collector (I got employee discounts at Tower even though I didn't work there). But, when Nirvana hit the big time, labels stopped promoting that kind of music (I don't like the term 'world music' either - Byrne wrote an essay about that). The focus went elsewhere, and to be honest, it hasn't been the same since (confirmed by some friends at some special record labels).
My peers - and bandmates - didn't share my appreciation. I vividly remember an argument with my high-school band that ended in a dog rough performance of Sweet Child of Mine at a school talent show which included a broken guitar string during a solo, inaudible vocals, and off beat drum fills.
Later in my music career, musician friends came to understand the beauty of his songwriting and musicianship. It was really great to finally share my affection for those songs.
Simon influenced my own songwriting more than any other artist.
Then he had a hit on MTV with Chevy Chase, but never caught on in the same way that someone similar such as Peter Gabriel ever did (it's strange that I never realized the similarities between them until now). My Def Leppard loving friends still thought his music and especially the African vocals were weird and uncool. I later gravitated more towards electronic music and alternative, but kept buying his new albums through college.
I still like his music, and my daughter now loves the Graceland album as well, so Paul Simon was cool-dad music for 2 generations. I think I get credit for playing sound of silence for her before it got popular again. But to me his music hasn't aged well. I guess I still remember it as singer-songwriter and folksy, but now when I listen, it's mostly pop. Despite being more complex than the 3- and 4-chord melodies he was trying to outdo, the melodies seem catchy but not moving, the lyrics a bit trite--it all sounds better when explained by a critic.
The backstory about the personality and disputes is mostly new to me--I had only heard about his falling out with Garfunkel. But growing up I didn't know much about any musicians, who was in which band, nor really care. With all the mini biographies on Wikipedia, I now learn a lot more about the music I listened to, and often find myself realizing the connection between some bands, for example having the same producer. But I never idolized Simon or any other musician, so the stories don't change my experience of the music, though I do feel for the other artists.
Someone mentioned the quality of the Simon and Garfunkel duo, and I agree. Wednesday morning 3am is the least pop of their albums, with the best harmonies. The other folk group I liked with harmonies was Peter, Paul, and Mary--another hand-me-down from my parents and also to my own kid.
Now of course my music taste has expanded to all the directions, from contemporary electronic to classical, jazz to stoner metal. I think there are always people in schools just not going with the flow when it's up to music. Sometimes it's hard, but later on you realize you still dig into the new stuff when your old peers just listen to the same songs as they did back in the school years.