Flaskaland
Thursday, May 29, 2003
 
Why we love art department:

Multimedia artist damali ayo awakens the polite to uncomfortable realities.
Hot damn, thank you, ma'am.

Deconstructing the lyrics to "Brown Sugar" -- Are you listening?

(via ms online)
 
Monday, May 26, 2003
 
"The relationship between artist and critic is an age-old battle between process and product, actor and observer, status quo and innovation. To an artist, a critic can feel like a thorn in the side, an impartial evaluator, a necessary evil to be rationalized accordingly -- or one of the malicious, impotent little men and women with nothing better to do than play God with their destinies."

Cut by Criticism. A quick look at the other side of the ink-stained page by Kristin Hohenadel.

"We know what reviewers think. But how do artists feel when judgment has been passed? Some benefit; others feel angry, anxious or, in one case, suicidal."

(via Charles Deemer's "The writing life")
 
Monday, May 19, 2003
 
"Subjecting prisoners to 'culturally offensive' music encourages them to talk." Why a Mutt and Jeff musical routine is used on captive audiences.
 
 
"Whatever happened to recording history? What happened to documenting the twists, turns and inspiration of artists - to making a historical record of the forces that influence society and art?

"With all the gossip, the titillation and the unrelenting noise of modern media, the importance of music and recording history gets lost. There's no sense of perspective, artistic or technological. We see screaming headlines about downloading, but 20 years from now it'll be reported as a factual part of the evolving music industry, the same way long-players, 45s, cassettes, 8-tracks, CDs and DVDs changed the face of music.

"That's all technical stuff. What really matters is the artistic vision - the underlying artistic message that forms a bond (or not) with music fans."

A frustrated music historian talks more about "whatever happened to people's sense of history?"

 
Saturday, May 10, 2003
 
Others study "Rock 'n' roll Music"
 
 
A contemplation worthy of attention and more thinking about: How will the artists get paid?

(thanks to arts journal daily news.)

 
Friday, May 09, 2003
 
Early morning philosophy alert: The world of music grows older every day.

80 years of Radio

There's trooble inna glen. Wherein a younger reviewer discovers the strange rune-written, elfish world of the Incredible String Band and others from an ancient, distant near-mythical land.

Kids are different today ... Prepare to laugh just knowing this is from Flak.

The piece de resistance, Who's Responsible for Britney? (read read read read read read read read, courtesy of The Minor Fall, The Major Lift)



 
Thursday, May 08, 2003
 
Today's Personal Safety Tip: Ear Plugs at Concerts

They make good ones now. Gone are the days of listening to music with cigarette filters, wadded kleenex, or fingers in the ears.
Hopefully gone is waking up the next morning with a sound hangover. Lose the high end of your hearing (which is what goes first) and you lose the ability to hear or distinguish the important mid range of music (which is why people buy fancy crossover equipment).

A friend lays it out like this for young musicians asking career advice: "We were the guinea pigs. Wear your ear plugs."

That's it: Wear your ear plugs.

They're becoming fashionable now.
 
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
 
"To change our name from receivers to achievers.
Our flag, symbol of unity, of liberty and victory -
where is your full grace and beauty,
if it fails to free the country from the horrors of poverty?"

Calling all living breathing saints,
your presence is requested.
Current assignment: Ethiopia


A new song with a message

 
Sunday, May 04, 2003
 
Late breaking news flash: New strange ways of interacting with music.

Flying Saucer Rock n Roll (The Animation)


(Thanks to Shelby Singleton, of Sun Records, for the cute link.)


xxxxxxxxxxxx

The following comment was posted on the old commenting system:

Date/Time: Nov 18 2003, 02:54 am

Poster: Juanra

IP address:

Email: i42memoj@yahoo.com

Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/i42memoj/rebelclef.htm


hi, you can see another animation with rock&roll sounds at www.geocities.com/i42memoj/rebelclef.htm

bye!

 
 
MusicJournalist.com can always find something to cheer my day.

They pointed me to this new site, CrappyPromo, that may make you laugh or cry, depending on your world view and general outlook.

 
 
Politics and Music Dept

This article on consolidation of media has been making the rounds.

"Musicians are especially worried about the loss of cultural diversity -- and the practical impact it has on their ability to reach audiences that were once available to them. "As artists, we recognize the important role that radio and other media play in the vitality of the American culture," says Henley. "It is outrageous that many citizens are not even aware these changes are being debated. To a large extent, this is because the FCC leadership has not fully engaged the public. But what frightens me more is the complete absence of any network coverage of this issue. The broadcast interests who clearly stand to benefit from further consolidation have seemingly absolved themselves of their responsibility to cover this proceeding as a news story. If this is the sort of biased coverage we get now I can't imagine what will pass as journalism in the next phase of our increasingly consolidated media future."

If you want to read a letter signed by musicians warning against this trend:
FMC letter to FCC

(via rocktober)

 
Saturday, May 03, 2003
 


"It's almost appalling to the populace of Miami for anyone to deliver some type of knowledge or criticism or truth in music -- and, yes, I know that my truth might not be someone else's." He adopts the stance of an ordinary ignoramus: "'No, we want to go to South Beach and get ridiculously intoxicated. We want to get high and take X.'"

What happens when some people just don't want to hear the music?
 
 

He who would critique the critic, needs to know write from wrong.

 
Friday, May 02, 2003
 
--"It is important to concentrate on the ongoing tension between music's role as a form of cultural expression and music's position within an economic and industrial context."--

Mark Fenster and Thom Swiss, on Popular Music & Business,
(wherein they come up with an answer for the complaint, "That music sucks! it sounds like it's cloned by the industry").


 
 
Treasure trove of links to fascinating postulations (all providing background for just beginning to look into the Sociology of Music)
 
 
Yet more tips on writing about music.
 
 
Fireninja once wrote passionately on writing about music, which is a good thing for people who write about music to do once in awhile.
 
 
Read something lately? Here's a guide to gracious criticism.
 
Thursday, May 01, 2003
 
Soundscape music, just another mote burrowing in to irritate the optic nerve.

"A few years ago, J. Bottum, books and arts editor of The Weekly Standard, wrote a perceptive essay lamenting the 'soundtracking of America -- in the constantly segueing fragments that fill our public and private spaces -- music is merely the inescapable background, the relentless mood-setter, the arbiter and signal of proper behavior.' And he’s right. Just as the music of our youth lures us into buying trucks that look like our childhood toys, music in general has become the mood-maker of the American sellscape. To Bottum, it’s about emotions and their triumph over nearly all decisions in our lives. As music becomes more local and personal in the twilight of the music business, it might become harder to meet these generalized marketing needs. But don’t count on it. They will find a way."

 
Compiling the best online articles about music so there will be more of both in the future. In periods of drought, the reader will be innundated by my own blogs on the matters.

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