Just take a minute to remember . . .
I am always hungry like the wolf for new music. Yes, I went there.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Cultural criticism from Duran Duran
A mental congress is going on in my mind in response to "Is the internet stifling new music?" on BBC News by John Taylor, the bass player of Duran Duran. While I simmer, give it a look. Like with most pieces of culture worth digesting, I immediately think one thing which eventually morphs into something less passionate and more developed. Let me know what you think, especially whether the author's description of contemporary trends in new music consumption relates to your own or not.
Just take a minute to remember . . .
I am always hungry like the wolf for new music. Yes, I went there.
Just take a minute to remember . . .
I am always hungry like the wolf for new music. Yes, I went there.
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Obligatory counterpoint...musical exposure is no longer necessarily correlated to popularity. The Internet circumvents the music industry, and this can never be looked at as a bad thing. As such, creativity rules in this leveled playing field. Does Mr. Taylor have evidence of this creative recession? I'd argue that he's lost touch, or is simply judging artists on a much different scale than I am.
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with humanizing, rather than iconicising, artists? What does "star power" have to do with anything? I really hope that Mr. Taylor has a better argument than nostalgia.
Is it possible that current generations are less homogeneous, and therefore less adept at reacting to culture-impacting art? Think of the impact of rock and roll, Motown, punk, rap...then nothing. Coinciding with this trend is my belief that popular music has become so terrible that I'm not sure any artistic movement could ever have a future impact on culture. However, maybe everyone is just too apathetic now and/or simply haven't faced widespread adversity.
As usual, those were just a bunch of thoughts and it's doubtful if I even have a point. All I know is that the Internet provides me unlimited and unrestrained access to artists that blow my mind.
Somewhat related, I kindof feel like watching Almost Famous now.
I read an interesting quote from an overly dramatic yet brilliant Sufjan Stevens last week that addresses another entirely different impact of the Internet on music:
ReplyDelete"I'm wondering, why do people make albums anymore when we just download? Why are songs like three or four minutes, and why are records 40 minutes long? They're based on the record, vinyl, the CD, and these forms are antiquated now. So can't an album be eternity, or can't it be five minutes? ... I no longer really have faith in the album anymore. I no longer have faith in the song."
Your argument is fantastic here, especially the part about artists becoming humanized rather than fetishized. I went to lots of shows in the 90's, small ones, but I never felt as close to the artists as I have since I have started going back. I agree with you that Taylor's presentation is limited and anachronistic.
ReplyDeleteI will take exception with two things, though: music will always have an influence on culture, whether it's a culture that people like us appreciate or abhor. Popular music is influencing everyone, at the aisles in the supermarket, on the racks of the clothing stores, and in the language of their fans. I am not sure if you meant that popular music today has bad effect or not, but it definitely has an effect.
Motown, rap, rock and roll, punk, all of these came as a reaction to standardization that artists wanted to scuttle. I think I could prove that historically. So, if you feel that popular music is building that dam, then the next wave is just waiting to topple it, and that's a good thing, right?
I need to research a bit why Sufjan is highly revered by everyone except me. I think I just picked the wrong album to peep first, and I had a bad taste in my mouth. However, I disagree with his quote here and that makes me feel old. As much as I want to see people experiment, the album is, as an aesthetic work, is important. Even though we all download music now, we still click on the picture on the cover of the "record" icon, and that artistic choice is important, as is the concept (in a valuable album) that the songs work together to form some artistic unity. Albums going away, books going away . . . I like going digital, but not so far that we destroy the previous form or at least the idea of it.
Almost Famous is fantastic. I remember showing my oldest kids the bus scene when everyone sings "Tiny Dancer" several years ago. Even out of context, not having seen the rest of the movie, I think they got it.
Thanks for writing, Chucks.