Thought for the Day (Oct 20)

Subject: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: Peter T.
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 09:23 AM

Music Notes from the cutting edge:

Pat Quigley who is the head of Capitol Nashville Records, is known as "the least liked man in Nashville". Since arriving in Nashville two years ago on the coattails of his superstar, Garth Brooks, the outspoken New Yorker has not exactly endeared himself to the locals. "I'm certainly not one of them," he said."Country for me in Manhattan was the Hamptons. Why does country have to be some backwards place in 'Deliverance'? America is so much better educated than a lot of the music this town makes. As I watch what is selling in country, the superstars making traditional country aren't moving big volume any more. It's the poppier influenced country music that's moving the big volume. Shania Twain's No. 1 market is New York City; Garth's is New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles."
Mr. Quigley has registered the words "town and country" as the next trademark, hoping to dress country up in new clothes. He has also been looking to create a country equivalent of The Backstreet Boys, or as he likes to call his pet project, The Backwoods Boys. "We're deep in the inquiry process. I want these kids to have something to say to normal people, to America....I think it should be the goal of Nashville to have 33 percent of all pop radio air play country and none of the country radio air play pop. We're culturally important. We're not just dinosaurs here."
(excerpted and condensed from Neil Strauss, New York Times, Oct. 20)

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: annamill
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 10:31 AM

I don't know what to say here, Peter. If anyone read my posting to How to make Folk Music more appealing, you'd see that I'm all for marketing to bring something to the public.

This is all just my opinion.

The American people have lives, they're busy. They don't have time to sit and listen to all music,define their likes and dislikes, make a qualified choice. They listen to what ever is most available and they can interface with their peers about. If everyone is listening to country and all your friends are talking about country, you just won't fit in with ZZ-TOP. They way we have...ummm...I'll use the word encouraged, people to listen to any music, is to put it out in front of them where thay can hear it, talk about it, play it and eventually come to love it. This may sound course, and commercial, but there you are.

What does Gallager the comedian say, we're members of the 2% that think for ourselves and won't be led. Most are the other 98% that follow. Those aren't my statistics, they're Gallagers. I would say more like 30% to 70%.

This is just off the top of my head and I may be able to be convinced otherwise, but unfortunately, I think I'm right. This is a whole conversation with many facets to discuss and needs to be explored further.

Love, annap

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: Clifton53
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 11:39 AM

Hooray!! Bring on those Backwoods Boys!! I can hardly wait. Finally an act I can relate to. I'm sure the talent level will be awesome, and you would do well to live your life by the wisdom they will dispense. And they will most certainly pull down Grammies, which means they are ,like, really good right? God help us all and God save Ireland.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: annamill
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 12:27 PM

Ahh, ok, maybe it's not all good. Backwood Boys, Oh my goodness! Hey what would you call a Backsteet lookalike group that plays Trad. folk. We have a young folk group here called The Malarky Bros. that plays so trad. folk and Irish music, sortof.

Love, annap

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: Melbert
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 02:33 PM

But then doesn't today's "pop" become tomorrow's "folk". Over here in the UK some of the Beatles stuff is now considered old enough to be tolerated by some "traditional" audiences.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: Jeri
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 04:18 PM

I've probably mentioned this somewhere around here before. I live in a place where there are a lot of trees and undeveloped land. Folks around here have seen deer, foxes, fisher cats and coyotes. My street is one step up from a dirt road. Folks move here from Boston and other urban or suburban locations because it's so pretty, then cut down the trees, destroy the bushes and wildfloweres, and pave the shit out of it until it looks exactly like what they tried to get away from. I think a similar thing happens with music. How similar can country or folk music be to pop without actually being pop? If you want to make a square peg fit into a round hole, make it round.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: annamill
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 04:37 PM

Don't you think you could take traditional folk or any other folk and market it as such. Buy time on big market radio stations, with professional highly paid jocks (nothing against our own Rick) playing really fine music with salesmen out selling time, promoting jingles in folk, highly advertized concerts, etc. You get my drift. Why can't you do this with our beautiful music without changing the music. It's all in the hype. My first husband was a well paid disc jockey in San Fransisco and he chose which music was played according to the format layed down by the managers. Now if I bought a station in Chicago, lets say, and I created an exciting format for folk with top grade jocks, don't you think it might work. The jocks wouldn't have to be aggressive or crass, just dynamic.

I think it would do a lot for our music if it were presented to the public like this. Kids would be out buying albums of Rick Fielding, etc. I don't know..if I were rich, I might give it a try.

I wouldn't expect the music to change, just present it better.

Love, annap

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: kendall
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 04:43 PM

Lets face it.. it's all part of the dumbing down of America. I dont care if people want to listen to that crap, but, for chrissake, call it what it is... whatever it is.. As mu poem says, It Sure as hell aint country.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 07:04 PM

Good points everyone. Now for a little thread creep, because today is a special day for me. 26 years ago this morning, I had my second child, first daughter, Kyrsten. Her's was the easiest birth. I had her, after about an hour of labour, at 9am on a Saturday and went home at 9am on Sunday. She has been the child full of graciousness and overflowing with love and I am so proud of her and gratefull that her soul chose me as her vehicle to life this time around. Happy Birthday, Kyrstie. Love, Mom

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 08:15 PM

Anyone who makes YOU that happy must be a fantastic person, Kat. Happy birthday, Kitten. --seed

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: Hummingbird
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 09:57 PM

Happy Birthday to Kat's daughter. You sound like a very proud parent katlaughing. Congratulations!!!! Hummer.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (Oct 20)
From: katlaughing
Date: 20 Oct 99 - 11:18 PM

Thanks, Hummer. I am...of all three of my kids. I guess it shows, huh? *G*