|
12 Jun 02 - 11:48 AM (#728352) Subject: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: Mrrzy This was sparked by the thread on the Irish music at the Disney thing... I prefer music I already know, and I also re-read books, even mysteries, and only look for new books by known, familiar authors, or new music by old, familiar people. Well, they don't have to be old, they have to be familiar, I guess. Most of what I sing is the same songs my parents had. Most of the CDs I own are remastered from vinyl. I prefer the version I know to other versions of a known song. I am very hard to introduce to new music - or new books, for that matter. So I got curious: What is the general tenor (hee hee) on this here Forum - do you prefer the old or the new, is it the same for books as for music, and why do you think that is? And are you a "folkie" or "bluesie" or what? I'm a definite folkie. |
|
12 Jun 02 - 12:03 PM (#728372) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: mousethief I kinda flip-flop. I sometimes love finding a new artist -- if the music feels comfy and familiar when I first hear it. But I'd much rather buy a new album by a group or performer that I'm already familiar with than "take a chance" on somebody I'm unsure of. That said, in the last few years I've been delighted to discover Jack Johnson and Keb Mo and They Might Be Giants. Audiogalaxy here is wonderful -- I can listen to the group's songs before I go out and plonk down the money on a CD. I'm the sort who will go to an exotic restaurant and try new items just to see what they're like. But at home my cooking revolves around a few standard comfort items. I love re-reading my favorite books (I've read LOTR over 20 times; the Brothers Karamazov 3 times and counting). But I like finding new authors too -- if someone else whose taste I trust has already read it first! Thank goodness for libraries -- you can read stuff without committing to buying it yet. So I guess for me it's a little of both. I'm more of a bluesie than a folkie but I'm a folkie too. Great thread topic, Mrzz! Alex |
|
12 Jun 02 - 01:26 PM (#728457) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: Clinton Hammond I'm mostly an "introspective singer/songwriter with pubish leanings" And I need new... all the time... If it doesn't change or grow, it stagnates and dies... I'm always on the lookout for new CDs, or new mp3s... or new versions of songs I already know... If I like it at least as much as the old version, I'll keep 'em both... If I don't like it, I'll dump it... My solo show is in a constant state of 'tweakeage'... adding new songs, dropping old songs... revisiting REALLY old songs... Keeps me from getting bored with the material... just how many times can you sing "Whiskey in the god-damned frigg'n Jar" without getting terminally bored with it... I equate new songs and such with learning... and ya gotta keep learning... ;-)
|
|
12 Jun 02 - 01:37 PM (#728468) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: Mrrzy Pubish? Is that pub-ish? Read as pube-ish at first... And yes, I have occasionally discovered a new artist or new author. That woman who sings really strange songs, like the one about the woman in love with someone she only sees on the elevator (so she rides the elevator all the time), whose name escapes me, I like and I only heard of her recently. But I read all the books Dick Francis, or Tony Hillerman, write... But I'm not sure you gotta keep learning. If I never heard another new song, but was stuck for the rest of my life with music I know, I'd be OK. |
|
12 Jun 02 - 02:09 PM (#728501) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: greg stephens Duke Ellington said " There are two kinds of fools. Those who say 'This is old and therefore good' and those who say'This is new and therefore better' ". It would be nice to think I'm not a fool, but if youve got to be one or the other, Ireckon I'm in the first category. Judging by the age of most of my records, books and instruments, anywyay! |
|
12 Jun 02 - 02:15 PM (#728507) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: MMario Me - I like a mix - I want the old, comfortable and familiar; but do not discard the new simply becuase it is new. The sharp edges and "shiny spanky-newness" wear off pretty fast and then you have another "old friend" |
|
12 Jun 02 - 04:03 PM (#728591) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: Mrrzy Good point about food - now there, I do like to try the new. And I like the old. I'm much more omnivorous than omni-anything-else-ous. |
|
12 Jun 02 - 04:11 PM (#728604) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: DMcG I much prefer old songs as a rule, but everyone needs a mix, surely. And even with the old songs there is plenty of scope for change. I heard a new version of "The Blacksmith" on Radio 2 not half an hour ago that was good enough to make me start looking for the CD it came from. |
|
12 Jun 02 - 04:22 PM (#728614) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: Clinton Hammond Ya... sorry... pub-ish... |
|
12 Jun 02 - 04:30 PM (#728630) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: mousethief I too thought it was a sexual reference. Shows how certain minds work, eh? Alex |
|
13 Jun 02 - 02:27 AM (#728955) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: KingBrilliant I'm folkie + a bit bluesy. Recorded music: I like to listen to old familiar stuff, but love listening to new stuff even more. I would add, though, that new stuff is more palatable where it has some familiar frame of reference - so familiarity is still there really. Live music: I like to listen to good quality old and new - but prefer that there be some new element to the "old familiars". I get very bored with listening to the same song sung the same way over & over (just avoiding leaping onto hobby-horse here). Performance-wise I get tired of familiar songs very quickly, and I need a constant stream of new songs (I admit though that high throughput means less "polish"). If I'm going to sing an "old familiar" then I have to change it around a bit to keep it fresh. As regards books - there are a very few books that I return to again & again - but other than that I read anything I can get my hands on - ie a huge throughput of books from charity shops (fiction & nonfiction). I rarely seek out a particular book or author - I just pick up what appeals at the time. They tend to be on familiar themes/genres though. So I suppose there are parallels between my choice of music & books. KRis |
|
13 Jun 02 - 02:47 AM (#728960) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: C-flat I like all kinds of music from traditional folk, singer/songwriter through to pop, classical and jazz(some). Some I play better than others, some I shouldn't play at all, but it really depends on what mood I'm in. Although I do keep looking, I'm finding less to interest me from the "new" side and often prefer to trawl the "old" for songs that are "new" to me. If I was forced to pick between blues and folk my first instinct would be to pick blues but, having played in a (purely)blues band, I think I might find it a little limiting and would probably opt for the folk as that covers such a broad range of styles. |
|
13 Jun 02 - 02:51 AM (#728962) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: GUEST,ozmacca Now who was it said that there's nothing really new under the sun... just old things done a different way? I like hearing old music and songs for the first time. Whether I like hearing (or performing) them again, and again, and again, and again, depends on what I thought about them the first time around. And I like hearing new music, songs and singers that I think are are good enough to become old some day, and not disappear into the dross. Mind, you, I don't go looking for them! I like certain kinds of fiction by some authors, and I have some favourite books by those authors which I read and re-read because they're just too good not to. When I discover what I think is a good book by an author I haven't read before, that author goes on the list... if I enjoy the book enough. In non-fiction, the author has to make the subject catch the interest. If he does, then I'll look for other material by the same author, even if it's not on my particular subject. Oh yes, and I consider myself a "folkie"... whatever that is. |
|
13 Jun 02 - 03:30 AM (#728980) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: Hrothgar If somebody wants me to listen to new songs, it's a good idea to mix them in with a few old ones to get me into a listening mood. |
|
13 Jun 02 - 06:20 AM (#729038) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: fogie Every so often I force myself to listen as much as I can to Late junction, and Andy Kershaw, as well as some c&w . As time goes by I hardly listen to my old records I'm always on the lookout for some new fix. In my heart I'm a folkie but as a musician I'm on the lookout for anything that stretches me intellectually. I think that theres a heart of my musical life thats a summation of all the music I've absorbed, and most of the music I really love I know by heart, and dont have to listen to it after the learning period. There are definitely times when I cant stand folk and am into classical/rock/jazz, and vice versa, what I dont really understand is what causes the shift between these genres, and whether there are as yet untapped musical genres that I may fall in love with, for instance I couldnt stand jazz untill about 6yrs ago, and now its part of my daily existence. Am I hooked on the chase, and addicted to novelty? |
|
13 Jun 02 - 08:22 AM (#729081) Subject: RE: Old v. New - familiar v. unpredictable From: artbrooks I also prefer a mixture. My CD changer probably reflects that...I think it currently has an old Clancy Brothers next to a Mary Jane Lamand. My long-term project is to transfer all of my 60s-vintage records onto something less vulnerable, but I buy 2 or 3 new things each month. My book collection includes a complete set of Anne McCafferey's Dragon books, and I periodically reread them, in chronological order. But I also hit the public library regularly and haunt the new book shelves. |