Grizzly Bear’s Mom Gets It

To hear Grizzly Bear as you read this, scroll down and start the Grooveshark player. Thanks!

Let’s face it, not every mom is thrilled when their child announces their burning desire to be a musician. We pay lip service to it as a culture, with music lessons and recitals, but if a kid announces their desire to eschew college and go on the road? Yikes. I would lose a few night’s sleep over that myself. Every parent wants their child to have an easy path, and music is arguably not one.

Which is why I love this feature at Drowned in Sound so much. Luke Slater has posted letters from a member of Grizzly Bears’s mom, dating back to 2007. In it, she observes industry trends, such as radiohead’s giving away their downloads, and critiques her son’s band’s new publicity shots:  “I’m not quite sold!” What she does at every turn is take her son seriously, and honor his path. Which I think is a beautiful example.

I also think it’s worth noting that she’s been writing these letters since 2007, and this is the year Grizzly Bear’s starting to blow up and get some real recognition. But nowhere in her letters do I see her saying “Maybe you should rethink this whole music thing…” I admire her steadfastness, and am grateful for parents like her. I know my husband enjoyed the same kind of support and honor from his parents, and it does make a difference.

Grizzly Bear has some great songs out right now: I love “Cheerleader”. They’ll be at Austin City Limits in October, as well as touring throughout the summer.

How do you think you’d deal with your kid choosing an unconventional path? Or are there any conventional paths anymore?