Hi.
Driving in my Range Rover (Mitshubishi Galant) down Broadway in Manhattan (Main St, Northampton)the other day...anyway. My car's CD player shit the bed some time ago but that's no problem because I rigged up one of my ipods to the stereo. As a result of my ingenuity, I get to listen to music I want, rather than the shitty/available radio stations. But, inevitably the ipod --which has dependency on radio signals being clear in order for it's reception to be clear-- goes on the fritz now and then. The other day it went on one of these fritzes and I had to resort to: Mainstream radio. I had Rock 102 on for a bit because the music, classic rock, is very tolerable. However, I had to switch the station because I couldn't handle the mindless, self-absorbed drivel that Bax & O'Brien were spewing over the airwaves.
Then I switched to 99.3 FM. I'll admit, I occasionally listen to this station even when the ipod is working, in order to "research" what the radio is playing for all of us average listeners these days. Bad move, as always.
I got hit with various Nu-Metal songs and paltry attempts at humor from the stale DJ's. I once again was not surprised with what I got served, but still, it got me to thinking about a topic that I had been kind of burning on for awhile. With so much great, open, passionate and fresh music available in the world, why does mainstream "rock" radio continue to force watered-down, thoughtless and formulaic songs from every conceivable Nu-Metal band on people?? And why does most NU-Metal music sound basically the same? Why not feature other styles of rock music? Why does modern "radio-friendly" rock music all seem to be NU-Metal?? At least this is what 99.3 FM is slinging. But why??? Why won't NU-Metal bands expand their overall dynamic? I mean, the very term for the genre came about because of the mixture of rock with hip-hop/DJ elements. Why can't they continue to find new mixtures that may be fresh?
Please remember, this blog contains factual opinions.
Why? Because, they want to sell the product that they know will sell. Art seems to be a secondary thought --if considered at all. It's about sales folks...and when you've got a proven system for sales, you stick to it. So, write music that will work on the radio, will appeal to the "everyday" folks out there and that will sell albums, songs and tickets to the show. **I'm all for people making livings from their music. I just feel that people sometimes, in order to make this living, will "run a business" rather than creating their art. They just put out a solid "product" that, based on status-quo, they believe will sell.** Why, it seems that over the years, NU-Metal music has found actual "formulas" that work (sell) and, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The "Godfathers of NU-Metal", Korn, once admitted to writing in formulas. The band Staind did as well. Don't quote me...but listen.
Here are brief descriptions of the three basic formulas:
#1) The "positive-affirmation-you'll-never-hold-me-down-and-I'll-emerge-stronger-from-this-torment" type song. This song will usually feature some kind of rawkin' intro riff (which may also occur after each chorus to lead the verse back in). The verses will scale back dynamically, usually relying on the bass to shine through with some picking on the guitar. The singer will try to sound like Layne Staley (RIP) while delivering the strife parts of his or her "situation" to the listener. The chorus will contain tag lines with mass appeal qualities, so we can all relate to their plight. The bridge will occur upon completion of chorus #2 and there will be a third chorus or verse riff to take the song out.
#2) The "I'm-such-a-bad-boy-who,-if-you-decide-to-mingle-with,-will-turn-you-"bad"-just-like-me-and-you'll-like-it." This song formula also features a rawkin' intro riff which again, may recur in the song. However, while the verses usually change dynamically in similar style to the aforementioned formula, they will usually feature a muted guitar riff while the "bad boy" singer tells us why he's so dangerous and out of control. The verses will feature porn star references, stripper pole references, dirty sex references and other "taboo" lyrics to establish just how fucking bad-ass the singer is in his life. The chorus will usually be "explosive" with stupid tag lines such as "I'm an American Nightmare..." that inspire us to try and be bad-ass like the singer is. The bridge will usually occur upon completion of the second chorus and will either be extremely rawkin' or will bring the dynamic MUCH lower, in order to set up further explosiveness for the third chorus or nasty riff to take the song out.
#3) The "ultra-introspective/comin'-clean" type of song. This is the big change of pace for most rawkin' NU-Metal bands. This type of formula normally features acoustic guitar music --many times almost sounding like Country Music-- (I surmise that there are real parallels between Country Music and NU-Metal music as they both rely on putting out a sell-able "product" for the masses to consume?). This type of formula is gaining popularity as more NU-Metal bands have realized that they must expand their song dynamics in order to keep selling records, catering to the opinions of the masses and of course, getting radio play. This type of song is designed to let you know that the band you view as taboo, dangerous, uncontrollably-sexual and wild also has a sensitive side. They want to let you know that they're not just big "rawk stars" like you think, they're also just like you. They want you to relate to them. They want you to buy their record.
yawn...
I know...I know. Who the fuck am I to spew these opinions all over the blogosphere??? Well, a few years ago I was a member of a band that, while it didn't start out as NU-Metal, it surely "evolved" into it. While I'd like to mention that we had some level of substance and integrity, we still consciously wrote music to appeal, to be "Radio friendly" and to be marketable. I left that band to pursue the art I felt was inside me. I wanted to shed the parameters that I felt were established in NU-Metal music by radio, by industry professionals we consulted with, by our fans and by ourselves. I wanted to find the honest messages within me and bring them out, regardless of who may "buy" it. (Tearing at your heartstrings?)
While still spinning my heels with this band, I remember particular phone conversation I had with a good friend. I complained about Rock music and how sterile and repetitive it felt to me. How every song on the radio bored me and seemed repetitive and contrived. I'm forever indebted to this friend who slapped the reality on me: He vehemently informed me that Rock music was not sterile. The music being fed to me is sterile. He said if I want to find the music that moves me then I have to take initiative and search for it.
Which I did.
I hope you do.
Or just like whatever you want and enjoy the upcoming holiday, eat drink and be merry!!!
and turn off mainstream rock radio once in awhile. :)
~ZFJ
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Letzte Nacht, Im Vergangenen Monat, Im Vergangenen Jahr
So, gestern Abend besuchte ich eine Show.
Haha friendly reader! That is indeed the German language, as you suspected! And, it is yet another ploy to make people click a ZFJ Blog link! See?? At the very least it made you curious? Maybe you realized that ZFJ knows German, among many other things?? Maybe you realized that ZFJ knows how to use Google searches with the best of em'??
So, last night I went to a Show. Actually, it was Friday night, and it was a hell of a time.
Also, letzten Monat gab es einige Treffen. Or, "Also, last month there were some meetings."
Last month there were some meetings involving concerned citizens about the health of the Western MA local music Scene". The fact that the subject comes up so often --and with so much vigor when it does come up-- tells me that many people in the area do in fact want more quality music, more exciting events to enjoy the music and, most importantly, to be part of something exciting. A loosely knit networking group called "A Scene United" was formed and two(?) meetings have been held so far about how to bring it "back". Shit, looking back there's been a lot of talk about "The Scene" overall in the last year or more. Craigslist (Western Mass) had a two/three week posting string with people from all angles chipping in their gripes, concerns, potential remedies and other opinions about all things "scene"...I've enjoyed a video rant or two on Facebook about the "scene" and I've been part of what seems like countless conversations --from varying perspectives-- about it.....Why, even this very blog had a post about it in the recent past! (see below)
(*Shameless plug for my own blog: In February Blog Archive, "Scene Queens and the 25 Minute Divide." Have a read, if you haven't already.)
(*A respectable plug for a fellow bloggers recent post: demetrioskanavaros.blogspot.com, "A Scene Diluted".)
Beachten Sie, wie ich bin nicht die Bereitstellung von Links?
(You guessed it! That's German for "Notice how I'm not providing links?")
I'll admit, my thoughts about the "scene" --and music in general-- have really evolved over the last year for a variety of reasons. Musically speaking, during the last year, Rob, myself and Rich have been laying low and just writing and recording our new album. We cut away most live shows, promotions and stress of promoting so we could focus on only the music of the album. It feels great....feels real. Without having to cater to the necessities of putting on a live event, it is easy to just "live" with the music you're writing and easier to identify what you have to bring out of yourself to pour into the music. We got detached from the concerns of the "Scene" along the way. But somewhere along the process of just being open, writing and allowing the music evolve the way it naturally does, I unfortunately began to arrive at the realization that I'm eventually going to have to help promote the record when it comes out. The time to "work" is coming.....but we're not quite there yet. Still, between our own music being created and the impending promotion efforts we intend to employ, hearing/reading peoples concerns over "The Scene", myself currently working with an awesome music venue for promotions and getting to know more area bands as a result, my mind was cast into an interesting thought vortex about the topic. Like, what exactly is a "Scene"?
But first, the meetings. The meetings, called "A Scene United", prompted Demetrios' aforementioned post and also caused me to think on things. They were something I thought very little of when I first heard of them although I appreciated the action being taken and the good intentions. Despite the good intentions, they seemed to project a perspective of bringing something "back" --like someone had died or moved far away?? --which I think is the wrong perspective. I didn't see what this type of meeting/group could do to build a music scene but Rich really wanted to check out the meeting to see what was going on, and I got curious to see what was going on as well. Rich, Rob and myself attended the meeting in order to get "informed" and chip in our two cents, if applicable. The meeting was hectic but simple and with good overall intentions. There were some bands represented, a couple venues represented and a recording studio. Various ideas were thrown out wildly on the topic of how to get more people out to original music shows. My contributions at the meeting were simple:
1) Bands should write "better" music --meaning, tune into what their heart is really telling them, go crazy or whatever else. Just get delusional and go "off the deep end" to create and bring forth the "quality" art inside of them. They should form a "Vision" for their music and think bigger than a particular local area. I don't care how much hype and promotion they may have going for them. If a bands music is redundant, overly "been-done", badly performed/recorded and uninspired, people just won't leave the house for it.
*(Explanation of my opinion: No, I am not judging people's music to be of quality or lacking quality. As if I have the right to based on my own opinions, preferences and perspectives??? I am simply relaying what I personally feel about most "original" area bands music and sentiments shared with me by many people who are very relevant to local music in my geographical area. Bands tend to focus on playing in the local area, putting "asses in the seats" and promoting themselves to an extent. The creation of art seems to take back seat to this over time for most area bands and as a result, many people feel that the majority of the local music available right now does not make them want to leave the house. I know, I know...dangerous ground getting into the subject of "quality" with regards to music.)*
But If there is "great" music available in a particular local area (insert your own definition of "great" music, please), and bands are excited to share it, then the particular local area may experience a thriving "Scene" while these bands exist and work. I think that the "particular local area" factor is only of limited importance to the driven, passionate and excited artist who is busy creating "quality" music as their first priority. I also think that this factor is very important to local venues and other local thinking entities, which is very understandable. Or, "Verständlich" if you prefer to read the word "understandable" in the German language.
Aaaand onto my second point I shared at the meeting:
2) After those bands in a particular local area have written open, honest, compelling and "quality" music that they love madly and are just burning to share it with the world, they will still have to bust their asses to promote it. Yep. Meaning, Arbeit ihre Ärsche aus.
Or, "work their asses off", in English. But sadly and truly despite the best intentions, most bands just don't do the work.
(Explanation of opinion #2: This applies only to bands who have music they are hoping to expose to people. So, music is written and loved, excitement for this accomplishment is brimming, shows are booked to perform/expose said music....people are talking.....now there is actual work needing to be done to promote the music and the forthcoming show(s). Most bands could do this well but don't just do much about it. Unfortunately not many things can replace hard work when you want results --in anything you're doing. It can be uncomfortable to reach out and spread the word but when you're really excited, it gets easier. So get excited.
All that said, nothing can help an original local music "scene" like really good music from excited, hard-working people in bands.
So, Move forward.
("Vorwärts", in German.)
On Monday at The Elevens, I attended a show featuring Giraffes? Giraffes! ("Giraffen? Giraffen!"), Home Body ("Startseite Körper") and Sylphid ("Sylphide"...I'm pretty surprised that there is a German translation for "Sylphid"!). Lot's of people attended. Lot's of people had fun. The bands went well together, performed thoughtful, well-played sets of music and obviously did some work to promote the show. While each band shared commonalities in that they only have two members, and also rely on heavy doses of electronics and effects to properly perpetuate their deeply textured music, these bands did not come off as redundant from set to set. Rather they demonstrated their unique musical styles with performances that enhanced those unique styles. I enjoyed quality music this night. I got rather drunk. I got a good memory. I was part of a flourishing "scene" on this night.
Also, as I mentioned waaaaaaaay earlier, on Friday I attended another great show, also at The Elevens. The show featured Saint Accident (my guitar player, Rob, is a member of this ensemble), Easthampton Savings Band, Burial At Sea, Sometimes and Jameson Lavo (of Trials and Tribulations). The bands on the show "made sense" together, they all played convincing, moody and engaging sets of music in their differing styles, and you could tell they put work into promoting the show as the club was full from start to finish. It seemed that the show had a feeling of excitement leading up to it and that people were generally buzzing about "music" things on this night. I enjoyed fresh and compelling music. I had many positive conversations. I got really drunk. I once again found myself enjoying being part of the "Scene".
Weird??? The missing "Scene" was present, alive and kicking, captured in small doses on the past Monday and Friday nights!! It seems that a vibrant music "scene" is simply a shared mindset, caused by quality music, excitement and actions taken to share it.
I was also glad to be part of a music scene a few years ago that included bands such as: Swillmerchants (my band/shameless plug), The Room (Demetrios' former band), Under Falling Skies, American Business Machines, Yucky Octopus, GBNE, Hot Black, Danny Pease and the Regulators and many others. A few of these bands are still releasing new music and performing etc... but I mention these bands in particular because we had a blast together. And we made great memories together. We wrote and performed music we were excited about and worked creatively and diligently to put on great live events. We were excited about what we were doing, promoted it, worked together and as a result, many people enjoyed the live events, parties, relationships, conversations, friendly-competitiveness and pleasant memories gained --however "foggy" at times.
A music "scene" always exists but our perceptions of it will always be relative to what we want out of it and what we contribute to it....seems likes a consistent theme is developing here?
In conclusion, finally. I can't really explain why I kept on with the German translations. It started as a ploy to get you to click...really. I can however explain that pointing fingers, blaming, networking groups, negativity, frustration, poor quality music and non-existent promotional efforts will not make a "good" local music "Scene". Not even the writings of world-famous bloggers Demetrios Kanavaros and Zero Fun John could perpetuate this. Quality music, hard work and excited people will make a vibrant local music "scene" and help to satisfy our desires to be part of more favorable memories.
Thankfully, I do feel some positive rumblings on this front as of late...
Und einen Teil der günstigeren Erinnerungen.
"And to be part of more favorable memories."
That's the whole point.
~ZFJ
Haha friendly reader! That is indeed the German language, as you suspected! And, it is yet another ploy to make people click a ZFJ Blog link! See?? At the very least it made you curious? Maybe you realized that ZFJ knows German, among many other things?? Maybe you realized that ZFJ knows how to use Google searches with the best of em'??
So, last night I went to a Show. Actually, it was Friday night, and it was a hell of a time.
Also, letzten Monat gab es einige Treffen. Or, "Also, last month there were some meetings."
Last month there were some meetings involving concerned citizens about the health of the Western MA local music Scene". The fact that the subject comes up so often --and with so much vigor when it does come up-- tells me that many people in the area do in fact want more quality music, more exciting events to enjoy the music and, most importantly, to be part of something exciting. A loosely knit networking group called "A Scene United" was formed and two(?) meetings have been held so far about how to bring it "back". Shit, looking back there's been a lot of talk about "The Scene" overall in the last year or more. Craigslist (Western Mass) had a two/three week posting string with people from all angles chipping in their gripes, concerns, potential remedies and other opinions about all things "scene"...I've enjoyed a video rant or two on Facebook about the "scene" and I've been part of what seems like countless conversations --from varying perspectives-- about it.....Why, even this very blog had a post about it in the recent past! (see below)
(*Shameless plug for my own blog: In February Blog Archive, "Scene Queens and the 25 Minute Divide." Have a read, if you haven't already.)
(*A respectable plug for a fellow bloggers recent post: demetrioskanavaros.blogspot.com, "A Scene Diluted".)
Beachten Sie, wie ich bin nicht die Bereitstellung von Links?
(You guessed it! That's German for "Notice how I'm not providing links?")
I'll admit, my thoughts about the "scene" --and music in general-- have really evolved over the last year for a variety of reasons. Musically speaking, during the last year, Rob, myself and Rich have been laying low and just writing and recording our new album. We cut away most live shows, promotions and stress of promoting so we could focus on only the music of the album. It feels great....feels real. Without having to cater to the necessities of putting on a live event, it is easy to just "live" with the music you're writing and easier to identify what you have to bring out of yourself to pour into the music. We got detached from the concerns of the "Scene" along the way. But somewhere along the process of just being open, writing and allowing the music evolve the way it naturally does, I unfortunately began to arrive at the realization that I'm eventually going to have to help promote the record when it comes out. The time to "work" is coming.....but we're not quite there yet. Still, between our own music being created and the impending promotion efforts we intend to employ, hearing/reading peoples concerns over "The Scene", myself currently working with an awesome music venue for promotions and getting to know more area bands as a result, my mind was cast into an interesting thought vortex about the topic. Like, what exactly is a "Scene"?
But first, the meetings. The meetings, called "A Scene United", prompted Demetrios' aforementioned post and also caused me to think on things. They were something I thought very little of when I first heard of them although I appreciated the action being taken and the good intentions. Despite the good intentions, they seemed to project a perspective of bringing something "back" --like someone had died or moved far away?? --which I think is the wrong perspective. I didn't see what this type of meeting/group could do to build a music scene but Rich really wanted to check out the meeting to see what was going on, and I got curious to see what was going on as well. Rich, Rob and myself attended the meeting in order to get "informed" and chip in our two cents, if applicable. The meeting was hectic but simple and with good overall intentions. There were some bands represented, a couple venues represented and a recording studio. Various ideas were thrown out wildly on the topic of how to get more people out to original music shows. My contributions at the meeting were simple:
1) Bands should write "better" music --meaning, tune into what their heart is really telling them, go crazy or whatever else. Just get delusional and go "off the deep end" to create and bring forth the "quality" art inside of them. They should form a "Vision" for their music and think bigger than a particular local area. I don't care how much hype and promotion they may have going for them. If a bands music is redundant, overly "been-done", badly performed/recorded and uninspired, people just won't leave the house for it.
*(Explanation of my opinion: No, I am not judging people's music to be of quality or lacking quality. As if I have the right to based on my own opinions, preferences and perspectives??? I am simply relaying what I personally feel about most "original" area bands music and sentiments shared with me by many people who are very relevant to local music in my geographical area. Bands tend to focus on playing in the local area, putting "asses in the seats" and promoting themselves to an extent. The creation of art seems to take back seat to this over time for most area bands and as a result, many people feel that the majority of the local music available right now does not make them want to leave the house. I know, I know...dangerous ground getting into the subject of "quality" with regards to music.)*
But If there is "great" music available in a particular local area (insert your own definition of "great" music, please), and bands are excited to share it, then the particular local area may experience a thriving "Scene" while these bands exist and work. I think that the "particular local area" factor is only of limited importance to the driven, passionate and excited artist who is busy creating "quality" music as their first priority. I also think that this factor is very important to local venues and other local thinking entities, which is very understandable. Or, "Verständlich" if you prefer to read the word "understandable" in the German language.
Aaaand onto my second point I shared at the meeting:
2) After those bands in a particular local area have written open, honest, compelling and "quality" music that they love madly and are just burning to share it with the world, they will still have to bust their asses to promote it. Yep. Meaning, Arbeit ihre Ärsche aus.
Or, "work their asses off", in English. But sadly and truly despite the best intentions, most bands just don't do the work.
(Explanation of opinion #2: This applies only to bands who have music they are hoping to expose to people. So, music is written and loved, excitement for this accomplishment is brimming, shows are booked to perform/expose said music....people are talking.....now there is actual work needing to be done to promote the music and the forthcoming show(s). Most bands could do this well but don't just do much about it. Unfortunately not many things can replace hard work when you want results --in anything you're doing. It can be uncomfortable to reach out and spread the word but when you're really excited, it gets easier. So get excited.
All that said, nothing can help an original local music "scene" like really good music from excited, hard-working people in bands.
So, Move forward.
("Vorwärts", in German.)
On Monday at The Elevens, I attended a show featuring Giraffes? Giraffes! ("Giraffen? Giraffen!"), Home Body ("Startseite Körper") and Sylphid ("Sylphide"...I'm pretty surprised that there is a German translation for "Sylphid"!). Lot's of people attended. Lot's of people had fun. The bands went well together, performed thoughtful, well-played sets of music and obviously did some work to promote the show. While each band shared commonalities in that they only have two members, and also rely on heavy doses of electronics and effects to properly perpetuate their deeply textured music, these bands did not come off as redundant from set to set. Rather they demonstrated their unique musical styles with performances that enhanced those unique styles. I enjoyed quality music this night. I got rather drunk. I got a good memory. I was part of a flourishing "scene" on this night.
Also, as I mentioned waaaaaaaay earlier, on Friday I attended another great show, also at The Elevens. The show featured Saint Accident (my guitar player, Rob, is a member of this ensemble), Easthampton Savings Band, Burial At Sea, Sometimes and Jameson Lavo (of Trials and Tribulations). The bands on the show "made sense" together, they all played convincing, moody and engaging sets of music in their differing styles, and you could tell they put work into promoting the show as the club was full from start to finish. It seemed that the show had a feeling of excitement leading up to it and that people were generally buzzing about "music" things on this night. I enjoyed fresh and compelling music. I had many positive conversations. I got really drunk. I once again found myself enjoying being part of the "Scene".
Weird??? The missing "Scene" was present, alive and kicking, captured in small doses on the past Monday and Friday nights!! It seems that a vibrant music "scene" is simply a shared mindset, caused by quality music, excitement and actions taken to share it.
I was also glad to be part of a music scene a few years ago that included bands such as: Swillmerchants (my band/shameless plug), The Room (Demetrios' former band), Under Falling Skies, American Business Machines, Yucky Octopus, GBNE, Hot Black, Danny Pease and the Regulators and many others. A few of these bands are still releasing new music and performing etc... but I mention these bands in particular because we had a blast together. And we made great memories together. We wrote and performed music we were excited about and worked creatively and diligently to put on great live events. We were excited about what we were doing, promoted it, worked together and as a result, many people enjoyed the live events, parties, relationships, conversations, friendly-competitiveness and pleasant memories gained --however "foggy" at times.
A music "scene" always exists but our perceptions of it will always be relative to what we want out of it and what we contribute to it....seems likes a consistent theme is developing here?
In conclusion, finally. I can't really explain why I kept on with the German translations. It started as a ploy to get you to click...really. I can however explain that pointing fingers, blaming, networking groups, negativity, frustration, poor quality music and non-existent promotional efforts will not make a "good" local music "Scene". Not even the writings of world-famous bloggers Demetrios Kanavaros and Zero Fun John could perpetuate this. Quality music, hard work and excited people will make a vibrant local music "scene" and help to satisfy our desires to be part of more favorable memories.
Thankfully, I do feel some positive rumblings on this front as of late...
Und einen Teil der günstigeren Erinnerungen.
"And to be part of more favorable memories."
That's the whole point.
~ZFJ
Friday, April 22, 2011
E T H I C S and other relative terms
Happy Friday everyone!
So, I think I am one of the most misunderstood people I know, musically speaking -according to what I hear in random conversations on "the Streets" and from what friends divulge to me from time to time. For instance, I have bandmates who say things like, "Yeah, I heard that you have to control everything in the music..." only to say later, "I don't think you're controlling at all...". People's impressions are just that, impressions. If/when a person actually gets to know me it seems to result in "favorable" impressions for the most part, but this is not my point...I will now prelude the forthcoming rant with my actual thoughts and feelings about music, music writing and what I think about a bands "journey".
Also, I will use " " around many words, because I am in the mood.
I do have a "vision". You know? The "how" I want to feel combined with "who" I will become as I proceed on the musical road toward the vision. I will fight for this vision and I tend to stay committed to it, almost to a fault. I am only able to make the music I feel inside of me with people I like because, the journey you embark on together is the actual prize and this time spent together is just priceless. So, as a result, I end up "close" to people I write music with because you want to enjoy your time together while making/pushing music. My goal is always to promote true collaboration and it's not always easy. Some will be "on fire" more than others, some will just not "get it" and some have too much "in the way" mentally/spritually to give and take in a collaboration. Either way, we all contribute part of our actual soul in the music we create.
When I think highly of someone, am close to someone and/or they are a friend, family or good aquaintance, I will never do anything to slight them. Shit, I actually won't intentionally do anything to slight people I'm not close to. I just don't believe that getting my ends should ever result in fucking someone over, misleading them or slighting them. I keep ethics in mind and will not sacrifice my integrity just to gain something for myself. However, I don't find that this sentiment is common in most musical circles I've been exposed to. I feel that success in music on any level is to be able to make quality music on your terms, perform it on your terms and have it enhance your life in the process. Success and quality are relative terms.
Maybe I should change? Probably not.
So, the other day through the grapevine I heard a track from my former band. The track is one of their "new" songs but it has a familiar twist to it; they are using the actual bassline I recorded years ago on this "new" track. Wow. No request to use it, no notification, no text to ask if it's cool....nothing at all. See, the guitar player doesn't think he needs to ask because he thinks the world revolves around him? He thinks that the fans of this band are actually just fans of him? He's the kind of person who does what will further himelf and his career with little or no regard for what the overall good may be. At least this is MY imprssion -formed from actual experience. It must be liberating to just trample around through life, burning bridges, twisting realities and generally not giving a fuck about other people while you pursue your vision. I wish I was flattered about the use of this bassline but I'm far from it. When the guitarist took off for California after I left the band he took the ADAT tapes of music we had recorded for a record we were making which was to be released by our new label. So, as a result, he "owns" these recordings. I'm not really surprised by his actions (not limited to "the bassline") but I guess I thought he was more of a person. Nope.
Not to mention that my likeness and name are still turning up in current band bios, my picture is turning up in recent ads for an upcoming show and I have gotten some attitude for declining to play the "reunion" show they did a few months back. To say I was an integral member of this band is a wild understatement considering that I started the band with my brother, actually named the band, wrote a majority of the music, marketed diligently to friends and fans, spent thousands of dollars while pushing it and dedicated a large part of my time and life to it. Why, even recent articles they have done for the "reunion" show ignored and/or slighted any/all contributions that myself and other former members had given, instead steering the attention to this guitarist and the singer (the singer does actually have a lot to do with every aspect of the band). For the record, the guitarist only jumped on board back then when he found that we had been talking with an executive with Electra Records. Understandably he wanted to join the "moving ship" that we were and we already knew he was talented and charismatic, so we opened our arms to him joining us. He hardly wrote anything but did revise some riffs, he did co-produce a record together with us and did many positive things to help us advance. Otherwise, he's just not the big fish he's trying to make everyone and himself think he is and he persists in "spinning" the truths and realities to point favorably in his direction. Cool.
I think music itself is enlightening and beautiful. It is bigger than us. I just think that too many music people are more focused on the lifestyle music can provide for them rather than the integrity of their music. They desire the attention, the praise, the notariety and the fame and, once tasted it can be intensly addictive. I also think that what is more important than the preceeding factors is the sense that what you're doing is something important that you MUST get out from inside of you to contribute to the world. Whether it means you'll be famous or live in relative obscurity. Whether it means you'll become financially independent or broke. Whether it means that you're in control or under its control. What matters is the journey, not the destination(s) and the people on the journey with you are the gold. The music you create together is the joined feelings, experiences, evolutions, failures, victories, loves, hates and memories...all to be exposed for the world to hear.
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
Anyway...end rant.
~ZFJ
So, I think I am one of the most misunderstood people I know, musically speaking -according to what I hear in random conversations on "the Streets" and from what friends divulge to me from time to time. For instance, I have bandmates who say things like, "Yeah, I heard that you have to control everything in the music..." only to say later, "I don't think you're controlling at all...". People's impressions are just that, impressions. If/when a person actually gets to know me it seems to result in "favorable" impressions for the most part, but this is not my point...I will now prelude the forthcoming rant with my actual thoughts and feelings about music, music writing and what I think about a bands "journey".
Also, I will use " " around many words, because I am in the mood.
I do have a "vision". You know? The "how" I want to feel combined with "who" I will become as I proceed on the musical road toward the vision. I will fight for this vision and I tend to stay committed to it, almost to a fault. I am only able to make the music I feel inside of me with people I like because, the journey you embark on together is the actual prize and this time spent together is just priceless. So, as a result, I end up "close" to people I write music with because you want to enjoy your time together while making/pushing music. My goal is always to promote true collaboration and it's not always easy. Some will be "on fire" more than others, some will just not "get it" and some have too much "in the way" mentally/spritually to give and take in a collaboration. Either way, we all contribute part of our actual soul in the music we create.
When I think highly of someone, am close to someone and/or they are a friend, family or good aquaintance, I will never do anything to slight them. Shit, I actually won't intentionally do anything to slight people I'm not close to. I just don't believe that getting my ends should ever result in fucking someone over, misleading them or slighting them. I keep ethics in mind and will not sacrifice my integrity just to gain something for myself. However, I don't find that this sentiment is common in most musical circles I've been exposed to. I feel that success in music on any level is to be able to make quality music on your terms, perform it on your terms and have it enhance your life in the process. Success and quality are relative terms.
Maybe I should change? Probably not.
So, the other day through the grapevine I heard a track from my former band. The track is one of their "new" songs but it has a familiar twist to it; they are using the actual bassline I recorded years ago on this "new" track. Wow. No request to use it, no notification, no text to ask if it's cool....nothing at all. See, the guitar player doesn't think he needs to ask because he thinks the world revolves around him? He thinks that the fans of this band are actually just fans of him? He's the kind of person who does what will further himelf and his career with little or no regard for what the overall good may be. At least this is MY imprssion -formed from actual experience. It must be liberating to just trample around through life, burning bridges, twisting realities and generally not giving a fuck about other people while you pursue your vision. I wish I was flattered about the use of this bassline but I'm far from it. When the guitarist took off for California after I left the band he took the ADAT tapes of music we had recorded for a record we were making which was to be released by our new label. So, as a result, he "owns" these recordings. I'm not really surprised by his actions (not limited to "the bassline") but I guess I thought he was more of a person. Nope.
Not to mention that my likeness and name are still turning up in current band bios, my picture is turning up in recent ads for an upcoming show and I have gotten some attitude for declining to play the "reunion" show they did a few months back. To say I was an integral member of this band is a wild understatement considering that I started the band with my brother, actually named the band, wrote a majority of the music, marketed diligently to friends and fans, spent thousands of dollars while pushing it and dedicated a large part of my time and life to it. Why, even recent articles they have done for the "reunion" show ignored and/or slighted any/all contributions that myself and other former members had given, instead steering the attention to this guitarist and the singer (the singer does actually have a lot to do with every aspect of the band). For the record, the guitarist only jumped on board back then when he found that we had been talking with an executive with Electra Records. Understandably he wanted to join the "moving ship" that we were and we already knew he was talented and charismatic, so we opened our arms to him joining us. He hardly wrote anything but did revise some riffs, he did co-produce a record together with us and did many positive things to help us advance. Otherwise, he's just not the big fish he's trying to make everyone and himself think he is and he persists in "spinning" the truths and realities to point favorably in his direction. Cool.
I think music itself is enlightening and beautiful. It is bigger than us. I just think that too many music people are more focused on the lifestyle music can provide for them rather than the integrity of their music. They desire the attention, the praise, the notariety and the fame and, once tasted it can be intensly addictive. I also think that what is more important than the preceeding factors is the sense that what you're doing is something important that you MUST get out from inside of you to contribute to the world. Whether it means you'll be famous or live in relative obscurity. Whether it means you'll become financially independent or broke. Whether it means that you're in control or under its control. What matters is the journey, not the destination(s) and the people on the journey with you are the gold. The music you create together is the joined feelings, experiences, evolutions, failures, victories, loves, hates and memories...all to be exposed for the world to hear.
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
Anyway...end rant.
~ZFJ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)