I have finally reconciled with “The Gods” of music. I broke down and signed up for iTunes and will begin paying for the music I download.
Actually, it paid off instantly. I had been looking for a song for quite some time through, uh.. ‘other’ channels and had not found it. I figured “what could it hurt – I’ll look and see if it’s on iTunes”. It was there. I was amazed. More than that I was sold.
So I started thumbing through my wish list of songs I was looking for. I found all but one. With that one, though, I don’t know the title of it.
I have resisted doing this for so long because I felt like the music industry owed me for 2 reasons: a) I have over-paid for music for years now, and b) for putting out such crappy music for a long time and expecting us to continue buying it.
And then the music industry cried foul and thought the Internet was to blame for lower music sales. No, you idiots – it was because people were going back and downloading all the GOOD music you’ve been overcharging us for years. They decided that the current stock of music sucked green water and they’d rather have music they grew up with.
Rolling Stone knew it. For a few years they kept putting movie stars on the cover of their magazine – a MUSIC magazine, remember. They knew that music in that era was bad. Then when the Grunge scene came into focus they had something to write about again.
I think the music slump also had a lot to do with the diversity of music that people found online. They didn’t have to listen to whatever was on the radio; they could find their own indie band while throwing down a latte at Starbucks.
I realize it’s cyclical but I’m waiting for the cycle to begin again. I guess the last one I remember was the one called “Alternative” – when groups like REM, Sugar, Husker Du, The Cure and OMD were making what most people would call ‘weird’ music but the college kids were eating it up like it was going out of style.
There’s still an ‘alternative’ vein of music out there but I’m most happy with the rise of the ‘singer/songwriter’. That was huge in the 70’s. People like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carol King and Joan Baez were putting emotion behind the words they wrote.
People like Fiona Apple, John Mayer and Norah Jones seem to be carrying that vibe with them.
Then you have the artists that never seem to go away. Is it really necessary to see Foreigner, Styx and Def Leppard have a show together? Don’t even get me started about the Rolling Stones. Of course, if my boys “The Police” come to town I’ll be sure to check them out. The right reunion, in the right circumstances for the right reason is okay.
I have recently come to see Bob Dylan in a new light. I used to put him with Tom Petty and Neil Young as “guys who should not sing anymore”. I listened to some of Bob’s early work and heard just a piece of the magic that people heard when he first arrived on the scene.
It’s clean and poetic. It doesn’t just rhyme; it makes sense and tells a story. I’m quite sure I don’t get all of what he’s alluding to, but that’s okay. I still feel the wisdom. Dark that it is, it can be seen in the smoky rooms of underground clubs.
I need to go download “Positively 4th Street” now.
Actually, it paid off instantly. I had been looking for a song for quite some time through, uh.. ‘other’ channels and had not found it. I figured “what could it hurt – I’ll look and see if it’s on iTunes”. It was there. I was amazed. More than that I was sold.
So I started thumbing through my wish list of songs I was looking for. I found all but one. With that one, though, I don’t know the title of it.
I have resisted doing this for so long because I felt like the music industry owed me for 2 reasons: a) I have over-paid for music for years now, and b) for putting out such crappy music for a long time and expecting us to continue buying it.
And then the music industry cried foul and thought the Internet was to blame for lower music sales. No, you idiots – it was because people were going back and downloading all the GOOD music you’ve been overcharging us for years. They decided that the current stock of music sucked green water and they’d rather have music they grew up with.
Rolling Stone knew it. For a few years they kept putting movie stars on the cover of their magazine – a MUSIC magazine, remember. They knew that music in that era was bad. Then when the Grunge scene came into focus they had something to write about again.
I think the music slump also had a lot to do with the diversity of music that people found online. They didn’t have to listen to whatever was on the radio; they could find their own indie band while throwing down a latte at Starbucks.
I realize it’s cyclical but I’m waiting for the cycle to begin again. I guess the last one I remember was the one called “Alternative” – when groups like REM, Sugar, Husker Du, The Cure and OMD were making what most people would call ‘weird’ music but the college kids were eating it up like it was going out of style.
There’s still an ‘alternative’ vein of music out there but I’m most happy with the rise of the ‘singer/songwriter’. That was huge in the 70’s. People like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carol King and Joan Baez were putting emotion behind the words they wrote.
People like Fiona Apple, John Mayer and Norah Jones seem to be carrying that vibe with them.
Then you have the artists that never seem to go away. Is it really necessary to see Foreigner, Styx and Def Leppard have a show together? Don’t even get me started about the Rolling Stones. Of course, if my boys “The Police” come to town I’ll be sure to check them out. The right reunion, in the right circumstances for the right reason is okay.
I have recently come to see Bob Dylan in a new light. I used to put him with Tom Petty and Neil Young as “guys who should not sing anymore”. I listened to some of Bob’s early work and heard just a piece of the magic that people heard when he first arrived on the scene.
It’s clean and poetic. It doesn’t just rhyme; it makes sense and tells a story. I’m quite sure I don’t get all of what he’s alluding to, but that’s okay. I still feel the wisdom. Dark that it is, it can be seen in the smoky rooms of underground clubs.
I need to go download “Positively 4th Street” now.