Disco to The Doors

When I was a first year student at University of Lowell now known as UMass Lowell, I had a roommate who not only told me she wasn't interested in being my friend, she also hated disco. From that moment on I knew that life in that room wasn't going to bode well. In fact we used to fight over the radio (yes, radio and yes, this was in 1981) and switch stations on the sly. For me it was Donna Summer, and Earth, Wind and Fire. For her it was The Doors and The Kinks.

You'd think this was a hopeless cause with two roommates who had no common ground and had no interest in getting to know each other. Let me make the record clear though - she started this "family feud."

Surprisingly over time I found myself listening to her music and even bought my own Kinks record (yes, it was 1981). And she was willing to put up with my blasting The Go-Go's singing "Our Lips are Sealed."

So even though we never did end up being friends, we at least increased one another's appreciation for really great (and diverse) music.

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