General Music Chat

It really is sad that some of the most creative and intricate music gets thrown by the wayside in favor of sonic junk.

Last weekend, for example, I checked out a very creative band of seasoned musicians who litlerally "Rocked the House". Everyone there seemed to be getting into them and they put on a great show for several hours of mostly original music. When they were finished, they got a pretty good applause and paid for their time.

Soon after they vacated the stage a guy gets upto the open mic with a beatup box guitar and starts wailing on with some old cover tunes in poorly played chords of G-C-D and the whole place went nuts like he was some creative F-ing genius. The guy could barely play his "close-to-tuned" guitar and sang like an ex-American Idol wannabe and didn't even create anything that he was doing and yet he got more respect than a real band.

I guess my old music teacher was right...the massess are ignorant, particularly when it comes to music. So sad.

Agreed. It never cease to amaze me how people respond to covers, even covers that are played poorly. I've sat in with drunk cover bands, classic rock and country, that were played atrociously, almost embarassed to accept money for the drivel that was performed. And people go crazy, dancing, cigarette lighters lit, etc. And then I've played with bands that were well rehearsed but performed originals and obscure covers and people sit on their assets, almost no reaction at all. I think a lot of it has to do with the popularity of American Idol. It's glorified karaoke, plain and simple. It is muscially irrelevant. It has everything to do with living vicariously through somebody else's music. It also has something to do with people drinking and literally not being able to pay any serious attention to the artistry. They are so drunk or high that all they care about is something they recognize. They are not in a state of mind where they can figure out what a band is doing. It's like the masses are paralyzed from the neck up...

A lot more than music Bob, a lot more.

I feel its a sub conscious thing with americans, "they always root for the underdog". If you got a great sounding band on stage people will have in their mind they belonge in a concert setting and not a bar. One time I did a $100.00 bet with my bass player. He played every song out of tune and a lot of the notes were wrong.... the crowed went nuts and love the whole night. I lost my $100.00. Its a really really weird feeling with musicians but non musicians love it. Go Twins!

Eh...he entertained the ppl. I would never begrudge anyone who could do that. The band was interesting...perhaps even great...but they didn't make the connection that that one guy did with all his flaws. Perhaps he was a regular, or had a lot of friends in the place...but the bottom line remains - whatever he was doing, he was making the audience happy.

I'm no virtuoso musician. I'm no awesome singer. But I've managed to entertain ppl for some 40 years with my solo stuff...just me & a git box. Sometimes I've beat out bands with what I do, but it's been rare. The one thing I always tried to do, though, was put my all into my show, & it usually got me some respect, & a pretty good response. I don't do a lot of 3 chord stuff, but I wouldn't say my cover stuff is particularly challenging. I try to choose material that other ppl don't do, as a rule, & I mix up a lot of genres.

I also do a lot of original stuff that goes over pretty well...but I don't tell them it's original until after I play it & see their response. If they don't respond, I let 'em think it's someone else's tune...LOL

I've been trying to get over that whole "ppl suck" attitude, cuz it never helps. Yeah, Americans in particular are pretty uneducated about music, & listen with metaphorical blinders on...& if they haven't heard it before, chances are that they're gonna be a lil close-minded about it. So what? That's what we, as entertainers, have to deal with. Deal with it or don't, but don't whine about it.

Toss some novelty stuff their way, & they'll perk right up & pay attention. Don't take yourself or your music too seriously, cuz it doesn't really mean all that much to anyone but YOU. That's a hard lesson to learn, but it's the way of it all.

Good point philbymon,

If it weren't for the ignorant masses, ppl like you wouldn't have much of an audience. LOL!

For those of us who do take music seriously (why even try if you're not going to be serious about it?), hard work, creativity and talent are much more valuable than lazy, plageristic noise. Otherwise, one might as well play "Mary had a Little F-ing Lamb" over and over. Oh, I'm sorry, is that one of your covers? LOL LOL LOL!

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Thanks Bob, it's nice to know that some of us here have respect for musicians and are trying to be more than just "entertaining".

hey - cut that sh*t out. You're mockin' the classics! I actually I had to learn "Twinkle twinkler little star" so my grandaughter could sing it. She has potential but she's only three...You should hear my solo on "Abcd etc."

All the cartoon characters who live in my head mocked me.

Talbot

OK Mike, sorry to be such a basher. I'd love to hear your solo, but let's try to be serious about it, OK?

Prolly just had a lotta friends there

Good point philbymon,

If it weren't for the ignorant masses, ppl like you wouldn't have much of an audience. LOL!

For those of us who do take music seriously (why even try if you're not going to be serious about it?), hard work, creativity and talent are much more valuable than lazy, plageristic noise. Otherwise, one might as well play "Mary had a Little F-ing Lamb" over and over. Oh, I'm sorry, is that one of your covers? LOL LOL LOL!

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Thanks Bob, it's nice to know that some of us here have respect for musicians and are trying to be more than just "entertaining".

I like that - "ppl like me."

I've written the theme song for a local TV show that aired for two years, played originals on another show, opened for Marshall Tucker with all original material, & played innumerable shows & concerts doing nothing but originals.

I have a wealth of original material, bub. You kow nothing about me, but act like you know all about me. Check your facts before you start spouting off & looking like an idiot.

My point stands, though. When playing live, your number one job is to entertain the audience. If you cannot manage to do that, stay in the frikken studio & glorify yourself forever, telling yourself how great you are.

You can't blame the audience when the show is bad. When a show isn't received well, it's because you haven't had the skill to connect with the ppl. i've seen some really good musicians fall on their collective faces because they lacked that one all-important requirement.

It's called "entertainment" for a reason. I'd compare it to chatting up a hottie in a bar. If all you do is sit there & look uninteresting, she's gonna move on. If you can't offer up something that interests HER, she's gonna move on. If you're more interested in yourself, you may as well give up before you start. If your ass is n your shoulders, & all you can do is think about how great you are, no one is gonna care. You need to give the ppl things that interest THEM. I don't care if every song you play is like Pagannini & Bach, if it doesn't strike a chord within the hearts of your audience, you are a failure as an entertainer AND a musician, cuz no one is going to want to listen to you.

Look at the greats. Your idols don't just stand there playing tune after tune. There is a SHOW involved in live performance. There is MUCH more going on than simple music, when they perform. There is talk, &/or light shows, &/or movement. Live musical performce is an ART, & if you aren't connecting, you're missing something, not the audience.

Sometimes the material you've written is all you need, & when that works, it's great, but it'll only work for a song or two. Most of the time, you're gonna have to WORK to get their attention, which is something I've seen far to many prima donnas fail to do.

Then, of course, it's the fault of the stupid audience, isn't ir? It couldn't be anything YOU failed at, could it? Cuz you're oh so perfect, right? Get over your bad self & look at what needs to be done.

Yeah, some ppl just stand there & perform covers badly & get away with it for their entire musical careers...but only at the local level, with their buzz-buddies. Ppl who succeed, though, work hard to do so, & use more than just musical skills to ENTERTAIN the great unwashed masses.

You have to at least TRY to understand the needs of the ppl you're working for.

I've known players who can copy but can't write a lick, why begrudge them if that's all they can do. Not everyone is or even wants to be an artist.
I used to shoot a lot of photography and i found the same snobbish view towards wedding photographers. "They're whores who sold out rather than create art."
Bullocks. They do what they know how to do.
As long as they work hard to be good at it, who cares... that's their path.

Geez, it looks like I opened up a big, old bag of hot air. Do tell us more oh wise one....

Geez, it looks like I opened up a big, old bag of hot air. Do tell us more oh wise one....

WTF?

It really is sad that some of the most creative and intricate music gets thrown by the wayside in favor of sonic junk.

Folk music is sonic junk?

Last weekend, for example, I checked out a very creative band of seasoned musicians who litlerally "Rocked the House". Everyone there seemed to be getting into them and they put on a great show for several hours of mostly original music. When they were finished, they got a pretty good applause and paid for their time.

Ok which is it,?

Soon after they vacated the stage a guy gets upto the open mic with a beatup box guitar and starts wailing on with some old cover tunes in poorly played chords of G-C-D and the whole place went nuts like he was some creative F-ing genius. The guy could barely play his "close-to-tuned" guitar and sang like an ex-American Idol wannabe and didn't even create anything that he was doing and yet he got more respect than a real band.

Was he really that bad or did it seem like it to you?

I guess my old music teacher was right...the massess are ignorant, particularly when it comes to music. So sad.

Now that your hot air has us guessing? let me guess. it was a black death metal band at a large coffee house and they were playin' disco at 142db's

I can do both but find it very satisfying t the end of the night doing covers and walking out with $$...Face it....unless you're young and have connections, the only way to actually get out there and make some cashola is good old fashioned covers!

Hey Baldy,

Could it be that you're not a very good guesser?

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Defend your support for poor musicianship all you want guys. I stand by my original point that the masses are musically ignorant and you've only reinforced my belief.