When it comes to music, anyone out there who knows me knows me well knows that I have things that I love passionately, and things that I really hate badly. My tastes are extremely eclectic, but to some narrow because of what my qualifications for liking it are. I know what I like usually within 20 seconds of hearing it, and I know that I hate something in less time than that. When it comes to music I have been called, "Dogmatic", a Music "Nazi", and a host of other things I feel aren't really fair, but understand how someone can perceive that. I really have to be careful because to some I may come off as arrogant, when that is far far from the case. I really don't know it all, have never claimed to, and am always trying to learn something new. In fact, I probably know way less about music than more because of not being formally trained, but that's not my point. My point is that I was very lucky to be exposed to some of the best music early on such as B.B. King, James Brown, Herbie Hancock, Motown, Stax, and other 45's of various Blues, Soul, Rock and Jazz that happened to be in my grandparent's record collection. My standards of how a record should sound, how an artist should be able to play, and sing, and what constituted good music was set in me very early, and that bar was pretty high, and I never forgot it, nor lowered it. There was no video around of these folks for me to watch, so I had to use my ears to learn and interpret just what they were doing. And what they were doing was good. There was no doubt about it. I didn't have to see them. I heard them. And I believe that after 32 years of being a musician, being around other musicians, and listening to, reading about, and gathering up as much music history in my mind as I have so far, I know a little something..Not everything but a pretty decent depth of perspective.
Where I often get into trouble is by the simple fact of being an old soul trapped in a new world. I never liked the music of the 80's when I was in junior high and high school because it relied upon seeing, and the emerging technology that made it sound less organic. I am a firm believer in the hearing aspect of music, and Billie Holiday needed no video to accompany her..She moved people live and on record, even with her limited range, because it was all emotion, and it was an innovative style like no one had ever heard before. And what you heard with her and her musicians was what they sounded like. No auto tune, no enhancements, no frills. Just tremendous musicianship. That is my standard of what is good, no matter what genre. The ability to play and sing on demand by artists and throw down whatever time of day, is my standard of listening pleasure. I like the sound of real instruments, and I need to be able to picture the sweat of musicians and singers performing it. No matter what style of music it is..If I can picture that, then it has a chance with me. I can listen to the same song 30 times in a row, and hear stuff I've never heard because of its greatness, and density, or intensity of playing or singing. I need to feel that the way I am hearing things is the way it sounds, and not manipulated radically.
What I have a hard time with is someone accepting mediocrity just because it's easy on the ears. Good cuisine can be had out there while people eat canned goods. But it drives me nuts when an artist is hailed for mediocrity and, not taking their gift seriously, and pissing it away for the sake of peripherals not associated with the art of performance. I get in the most trouble by stating my opinion on artists who are popular, because I reject the notion that just because something is popular then it must be good. Sometimes things become popular by default, or because of laziness on the part of the industry and public. When I explain this concept it always gets me in trouble because music really is subjective. People like what they like, but often the average listener who is not deep musically, likes what they like because it's what has been presented to them with smoke and bombast, while there is no substance involved. I repeatedly get disappointed because I often feel that if I can present to, or educate someone about the history, and where things come from and what is quality, then they will accept it. Wrong!! I cannot impose my passion onto someone else no matter how good I think it is, but I always get caught trying, which leads people to think that I am dogmatic about music, while I consider it a crusade.
I do not wish to be characterized as arrogant, dogmatic, or a music "Nazi." I know more than some, less than others, and just want good music to be heard. Nothing more nothing less. I will plead the fifth when shown what I consider bad music, and will just do my thing on Facebook sharing music to whomever is receptive, and talking with friends about what I consider good music, or pointing folks in the direction that I think they might be fruitful in going should they ask. Otherwise my opinion is just whatever other opinions are..One of many. Music is the gift that I have been given. I love to share that gift and have people feel the joy as I do for experiencing it. My soapbox happens to be an unintentional accessory within my framework.
Amen.
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