Survey time...

Subject: Survey time...
From: GUEST,theoracle
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 06:07 PM

Hello! For fun, I'm conducting a sort of survey to find out what people want to hear more of. With all of the new styles of music, many people seem to think that genuine music has been replaced with looped samples and a cookie-cutter method of songwriting. Do you agree? Does music seem plastic these days? Is it better to hear music that is imperfect, but has that inspired 'real' energy?
Is 'perfect' boring?
What about some of the older styles ~ the 'roots' of what we listen to now… would you like to hear more of the heartfelt influences of yesterday married with the slick recording technology of today? Tell me what, if anything, is missing in the music you hear now. Tell me if, in your restless search for something with substance, you have happened across a little-known gem ~ a diamond in the rough whose music sings from the heart, not from the corrupting lust for $$$.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 06:25 PM

Sturgeon's rule states that 9 tenths of everything is crud
Theodore Sturgeon was (?) a science fictions writer, and probably an optimist.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 06:41 PM

You might get a more balanced sample at Britney's fan site, Theo.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 06:47 PM

It would be easier to respond if the questions were formatted. Guts is always better than slick. Re mastered usually sucks. I could use more Andy M. Stewart, Eugene O'Donnell and Jerry Sullivan. If they cut an album a week I would probably still lust for more.

I could also use some new stuff from Robert Johnson, but I don't believe the deal at the crossroads included that possiblity.......

Sorry, but us folks here are listening to the Roots.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: GeorgeH
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 05:22 AM

Best treat this as spam, folks . .

It's previously turned up on Usenet, and the "poster" showed absolutely no interest in the responses.

Hard to see the logic behind it, but at least it turned up Mr Red's gem about Sturgeon being an optimist . . best chuckle I've had this week . .

G.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: GUEST,juliagulia
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 05:36 PM

I for one want to hear more of the folk influence in music. I love acoustic guitars and songs that tell a story. I don't think there is enough harmony in a lot of today's popular music. I wish I could have seen a Simon and Garfunkle concert or Fleetwood Mac or The Beatles. There are some mainstream artists now who capture that feeling and beauty, like Elliot Smith, Coldplay, Chris Isaak, Tom McRae and Radiohead to name a few. Mostly music now seems to be more about selling an image or a lifestyle rather than sharing inspiration and emotion or how music elevates the spirit and frees the mind.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Peter T.
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 05:48 PM

I think that the opposite of your desire is what is needed. What we need most of all is slick new music being played on old heartfelt technology. I for one am pining for the latest Britney Spears on one of those battered department store Okeh 78's with all the scratches and buzzes and the sound sounds like it was recorded 100 feet away through cotton. Don't know why, just a postmodernist fool, I guess.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: SharonA
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 06:27 PM

LOL, Peter T!

OH, what the heck, even if it IS spam...

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
4. Sometimes. And sometimes imperfection is a distraction (e.g., an out-of-tune instrument).
5. "Recording technology", yes. "Slick" as in musical styling, no.
6. Define "the music you hear now." Where? In the elevator or at the folk club?
7. Yes. But just in case your aim is to "corrupt" him/her, I ain't namin' names.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Burke
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 07:05 PM

Tell me if, in your restless search for something with substance, you have happened across a little-known gem ~ a diamond in the rough whose music sings from the heart.

Sacred Harp Real Audio.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 07:46 PM

Can't afford what is out there now. Too many choices for my budget! As far as radio is concerned, I stick with the specialist stations such as WQXR, KBON, Louisiana radio, BBC, CKUA, CBC, HOBER, Radio Suisse. etc. There is more than I can listen to. My tastes are pretty eclectic so I find a lot. Of course if there was more slack key, Andy Stewart, late Renaissance polyphony and a few others, I might take out a loan.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: GUEST,tivolio
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 04:36 PM

I like all of the artists that juliagulia mentioned, although I don't think I've heard of Tom McRae before. I wouldn't say that 'perfect' is boring. 'Perfect', if there is any such thing, is boring only if there's no inspiration or energy behind it. You can occasionally get inspiration and perfection together and when that happens it's like getting a sneak preview of heaven. I always thought that Fleetwood Mac were the perfect example of inspired music recorded perfectly, especially the Rumours album. Here we are over 23 years later and very few CDs come anywhere close to the quality of that music (in my opinion).

Subject: RE: Some 'diamonds in the rough'
From: GUEST,londonbell
Date: 02 Aug 01 - 04:43 PM

I had to join this conversation… I'm like the bounty hunter of obscure music! Not that I get paid in money, but I get the satisfaction of finding the 'diamonds in the rough', as theoracle put it, and sharing my discoveries with friends. If you take the time to dig you'll discover an entire world of great music that nobody knows about… at least not yet. There are tons of Latin bands who have been playing wonderful tunes for years in the salsa clubs and struggling singer/songwriters crooning away late nights in those little bars just around the corner – these are the people writing songs for the love of playing. Some 'gems' on my list whose music is at least available, if not popular, include the Delgatos, Dot Allison, David Mead and Marta Sebestyen. I do know who Tom McRae is, by the way. Juliagulia must be from London. I saw him play at a bookstore in London when I was there in January this year. His music was very sad, but beautiful. They were calling him "the new Nick Drake." He has also been compared to Jeff Buckley and Radiohead. He's definitely one to look for when his music becomes available in the States. According to the British website (http://www.tommcrae.co.uk), he'll be in the U.S. towards the end of August.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: GUEST,antiredneck
Date: 03 Aug 01 - 02:59 PM

Well, I'm not going to be as introspective as most of you, but I think it's interesting that a couple of you mentioned Tom McRae… famed movie critic "Daniel Manning says, 'This album smokes!!" (…nevermind) Anyway, my friend in London happened to mention Tom McRae to me earlier this year – he might have even heard the same performance that Londonbell was talking about; he did say it was in a bookstore, Borders I think. He and I were having a similar discussion on music and he said that TM was someone I should check out, as well as Laptop, Placebo, Reef and another one I can't remember. From the samples I heard on Tom McRae's website, I liked his stuff. That's one I plan to get when it comes out. I really like David Gray, but I guess he's not really obscure anymore.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: GUEST,djh
Date: 03 Aug 01 - 03:55 PM

There is no such thing as perfect, any attempt at perfection produces lies. LIES!Big glossy Lies!!
Yes I want to hear lots of music that grows from the roots of the tree.
My favorite relatively unknown band is The Tarbox Ramblers on Rounder records. And my own John Henry's Hammer, shameless I know.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Aug 01 - 04:13 PM

Yeah, I'm all for more Survey Music myself. I especially like the songs from the old surveyors like George Washington who would sit around the campfire each night and sing of the days's toil. Songs like, "Go Plant It on the Hill, Bill" really break my bowels loose! And who can forget a great old chestnut like, "Boil That Transit Down?"

Sadly more and more people are confusing this with "contemporary" and "composed" Survey Songs which are truly not Survey Songs at all. Some are really just navel gazing like, "Let Me Ask Your Dick Size" and "Have You Screwed a Yak?" are not worthy of the title.

I dunno'.....Someday, they may become Survey Songs, but they have to withstand the test of time.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 04 Aug 01 - 11:23 AM

Maybe it is Spam. But a good cook can make something decent out of anything.

I say, what the hey! At least it's musical in its content.

So, for me? I'd love to see more worldbeat and fusion. The stuff I love most has blends of differing styles and instruments. I once owned an album (yup, vinyl) called (I think) "Rhythm and music". It had something from everywhere, to include a song by Peter Hammil of old "Vandergraft Generator" fame playing on a little 3 stringed instrument he bought in Africa. It was fabulous! I dunno where it made off to. It wound up missing after a move a long time ago.

But man. It was good. I'd love to see more like it.

Subject: RE: Survey time...
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 04 Aug 01 - 12:00 PM

I had the same problem, couldn't find any music that moved me. So I went to a crossroad one night and Stan Rogers showed up and told me to write my own songs. Been doing that ever since. It really satisfies my craving for story songs.