Sir Mustapha
Group: Musicians
Posts: 2802
Joined: April 2003 |
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Posted: June 02 2008, 22:36 |
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| Quote (Bassman @ June 02 2008, 22:03) | | Sir M: Wrong. Good music depends on it's appreciation by it's audience. That's a fact that has actually bitten me in the arse more than once until I pulled my head out of it, because at one time I wanted people to like only music that I considered "good". What an eye-opener to learn over the years that there is no predicting what will stand the test of time. If 10 guys like Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends" and I don't, that means 10 guys understand something that I don't understand. Which, incidentally, is not the same thing as saying 10 guys who like Britney Spears is the same sort of thing. I dare say BS's music is marketed as a fashion accessory... just a bit more of a disposable commodity than the Fabs' music. |
Aren't you contradicting yourself there? You say "good music depends on its appreciation by its audience", but then you promptly discard Britney Spears from the rule? Your paragraph sounded (and I hope I didn't interpret it wrong) like it's stuck between two completely opposite views. If the quality of music is defined by the appreciation it gets from its own audience, then Britney Spears should be excellent, not?
| Quote | | And when I said "circumstances of the music business" I assumed it was clear that in 1973, to use that year as an example, you had to work like a dog to get a recording contract or you had a four-leaf clover growing out of your butt. |
And that only means that some people were luckier than others, and incidentally innumerable excellent musicians went without being noticed, or got little fanfare. Did Nick Drake not work hard enough, for instance? I don't know. But most importantly, I don't think today's generation should get less merit than the ones before it just because it's easier to get heard now than it was then. The Internet catalyses things beyond measure, but what's good will still be good, no matter the medium or the technology. Technology is just a tool; and like Bob the Builder would say, "don't go blaming the toolbox: we need the right tool for the job".
| Quote | | And lastly... Sir M, I found it ironic that after all the displeasure you express towards certain MO albums, you would say to me, "... if you don't like it, don't listen". |
Well, firstly, I had to listen at least once to those records to know whether I'd like them or not. But I insisted on them because Mike Oldfield is an artist I care about. That's the only reason why I gave those records repeated listens. And, again, I only discuss them because I care about the artist in question. I don't care about 50 Cent, so I don't listen to him or discuss him (unless I find a VERY good reason to do so). And the Internet is not forcing me to do so; the radio and the TV a couple of years ago would stuff it down my throat if they could, and the alternatives were microscopic close to what the Internet offers. I gave up the radio and the TV and I'm happy now. Oldfield, though, I still care a lot about, and I'll keep on listening to his stuff until he stops, even if it sucks.
| Quote | | Like I've said before, if you want to debate me personally we can keep it off the board. Otherwise I am sure we can stick to the topic, oui? |
I don't know, I think the community could be interested in this subject. As for going off-topic, perhaps the moderators can snap it off the thread and put it on a new one. I found myself tangled in this talk and perhaps more people can contribute. I hope they can.
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Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds.
Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com
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; but Sibelius was still working on little pieces in his nineties, and Rossini continually (although intermittently) produced important late works, notably the Stabat Mater. I think what happens is that musical ideas or melodies enter composers' minds when they least expect it; they say to themselves "Well, I'd better write this down" - and before you know it a new piece has emerged. I'd be most surprised if this weren't the case with Mike as well.