Retro Kids?

[jyl]

I have posted a few times about my son, and I'm getting curious if you guys (and girls) are seeing this - young kids really digging old stuff.

He is fifteen, seems like a well adjusted teenage boy, popular and so on. But honestly his tastes sometimes seem like a throwback to, well, my generation.

Examples:
His dream car is a 1960 Ranchero (or El Camino).
He was aghast that I owned a '65 Mustang and didn't save it for him.
His bizarre affinity for cassette tapes and boomboxes.
I have to listen to Elton John, Donovan, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, all night.
He wears fedoras, an old Vance motorcycle jacket, pinstripe three piece suits.
An old flint and Ronsonol lighter was his favorite thing all summer.
His current glasses are vintage American Optical safety glasses with wire temples.
He has every GameBoy ever made.
The only watch he wears is a Casio calculator watch.
He keeps asking me to fix his typewriter.

Are you seeing kids going retro like this? Is it a good thing or stupid?

[Nostril Cheese]

My kid LOVES Zep and old school VH.

I think that all generations experience this. A hankering for all things old and with substance. However it could be a truly accurate observation of modern culture, or lack thereof.

[nostatic]

My son likes old p-cars, but prefers electric vehicles.

Musically he's into EW&F, Chicago, Steely Dan, along with video game songs.

Beyond that all he wants to do is play computer games. Since he is looking to do a computer science major I guess it makes sense...

[aigel]

I was like that when I was his age, going back in time 20-30 years. Didn't hurt me. Actually, I was more hip than any of the 80s hipsters getting the new stuff.

[GH85Carrera]

I lived through the 60s, 70s, and 80s and still like the music. I am retro as well!

And I am a kid still for sure. Just an old grey kid.

[Nostril Cheese]

[porsche930dude]

Its kinda ironic but I think the internet really helps kids see the way things were and all the cool things from back in the day. Rather than just hearing boring stories from old people.

[jyl]

When I was a teen in the '70s, I was very into music from the '60s, but not earlier, and I had no interest in gadgets and stuff from that decade. This heavy retro thing is new to me.

[Gogar]

Looks like you got yourself a hipster.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Looks like you got yourself a hipster.

My first thought as well. Next he'll be wanting you to build him a fixie while he grows a beard.

[MongooseGA]

Your kid's a hipster.

Unfortunate about the fedora.

[Nostril Cheese]

[onewhippedpuppy]

I was 16 in 1996. Most of my music collection was from the 1960s and 1970s and I desperately wanted a muscle car for my first. Good stuff never goes out of style.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Cell phone recording session on the dining room floor with my son at 13. We watched 'it might get loud' together and he went to his room determined to learn this. Proud of what he did, and love the fact that he enjoys this kind of music so much (please excuse the moth and accompanying chopper on the acoustic )

DUDE. Chills up my spine.

My dad was the biggest Zep fan ever. We used to do the exact same thing you're doing. Ramble On was his favorite song to sing and play. I can hear him singing while you guys play.

I was around your son's age when my dad and I sat down one night and figured this out.

[porwolf]

What's wrong with going retro at 15. When I was that age, in the 50's in Munich, we were deep into Dixieland music and our dream car was this:

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Cell phone recording session on the dining room floor with my son at 13. We watched 'it might get loud' together and he went to his room determined to learn this. Proud of what he did, and love the fact that he enjoys this kind of music so much (please excuse the moth and accompanying chopper on the acoustic )

Ramble On.

You have a PM. You will like it. You kid will flip the hell out. Trust me.

[Bill Douglas]

It's only a temporary thing. Kids will get over the retro thing soon enough.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by jyl

When I was a teen in the '70s, I was very into music from the '60s, but not earlier, and I had no interest in gadgets and stuff from that decade. This heavy retro thing is new to me.

Oh come on, we all know you were sneaking out to the garage and spinning Rachmaninoff on the Victrola!

I remember listing to my two older brothers vinyl (without permission), oldest was into Dylan... Peter, Paul, and Mary... Simon and Garfunkel... etc. Middle brother was into James Gang... Buffalo Springfield... etc.

No wonder I'm so messed up

Wonder if kids are going to get into flip phones?

[widebody911]

I hate to be the one to tell you this: your kid is a hipster.

I'm sorry. There is no cure.

Originally Posted by jyl

Examples:
His dream car is a 1960 Ranchero (or El Camino).
He was aghast that I owned a '65 Mustang and didn't save it for him.
His bizarre affinity for cassette tapes and boomboxes.
I have to listen to Elton John, Donovan, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, all night.
He wears fedoras, an old Vance motorcycle jacket, pinstripe three piece suits.
An old flint and Ronsonol lighter was his favorite thing all summer.
His current glasses are vintage American Optical safety glasses with wire temples.
He has every GameBoy ever made.
The only watch he wears is a Casio calculator watch.
He keeps asking me to fix his typewriter.

Are you seeing kids going retro like this? Is it a good thing or stupid?

[Rapewta]

Back in the 80's, I went to a flea market with my little boys. 8 & 11.
Someone had an 8 track player/with speakers and a big box of maybe 20 8 track
tapes.
I bought it. Set it up in the youngest guys room.
After a couple weeks, all I heard coming from the 8 years old room was...
Inna-Godda-Divida.
He loved it. Had no concept of what was popular and what was history.
I got a kick out of it.
If I remember correctly, my older son was listening to Bon Jovi stuff like...
Wanted, Dead or Alive. I don't even know if it was Bon Jovi but it used to drive me crazy... Blah blah blah.... the steel horse I ride.
I hung out with the little guy more often when music was offered.