I wasn’t going to forego blogging today, I have to leave earlier for therapy than usual because I’m seeing my psychiatrist first, but then someone asked me something on the WFUV Question of the Day Group. I’m well known on the group for not liking Dawes, Jackson Brown, and most other musicians with Jackson in the name, Mahalia and Bumper are two exceptions, Someone asked who else I hate. When I blog I concentrate on music that I love so I come across as an easier audience than I am. The reality is that I only love musicians on the far end of the distribution curve. Most don’t excite me. When a mediocre act gets lots of attention so I hear them without trying to I speak about them like I hate them What I really hate is the worship of mediocrity. Some artists have a hook that some people can’t resist. Some offer platitudes and people like them for the very reason I dislike them, they simply say what everybody else thinks. All they do is give it pleasant packaging. It’s the lowest common denominator syndrome. Some acts get cults about them, a circle of people that reinforce each other’s devotion. I was in one of those cults, Fruheads. I still love Moxy Früvous. I just don’t think they were great musicians. I think they were great entertainers and so much fun.
Most of the time when I speak out against an act it’s because I’m bothered by people jumping on the bandwagon when there are so many better acts out there. Acts that are special and make music that only they can make. I might be confounding two events but one year at Clearwater everyone was excited about Dawes playing the Rainbow Stage. Their music could never penetrate my ears and get to my brain. I was excited because Arc Iris was playing on the Sloop Stage. I had only seen them once before but loved them. I was delighted that Fred joined me and was glad he did. Arc Iris is very much not generic.
There are acts that make it on their networking skills. They aren’t dynamic onstage performers or gifted musicians but people with lots of friends that they can bring out to a show. One of my favorite examples of justice was wen an act like that, let’s call he/she/them, Network, did a show with a truly great and original band. I won’t name them as that might lead to people guessing who Network is. Unless musicians are rich and successful and can cry all the way to the bank I don’t name those I don’t like. They could be wonderful people whose feelings I don’t want to hurt. Anyway Network did their set and their friends were appreciative. When the special act, the one the audience didn’t know, finished they got a standing ovation. I was so pleased that the audience knew the difference between supporting a friend and appreciating genius.
The one band I mentioned by name on the QotD group was ABBA. There is not a world of difference between them and the Silver Platters. Clearly, they had the same fashion sense.
I could take ABBA as a kitsch one-hit wonder, but not pop icons. Somebody took platitudes put them in a food processor, and served up a pop puree. It’s music by the numbers. That they are superstars gets me so upset I have to mix my metaphors.
What kills me that people get exited about them while I’m met with blank stares when I tell people my favorite musicians. I’ll take Jean Rohe or Harpeth Rising over 99% of what gets on the radio, and that includes WFUV. I need to work on my “You Probably Haven’t Heard” I only added to it once. The link is on the Wise Madness menu above. I need to make that my priority on days I don’t know what to write. The next group of additions will be people that played the Budgiedome this year.
There was a musician with a cult and networking skills that wrote objectively terrible songs. The lines didn’t scan and the rhymes made me cringe. This musician is no longer terrible, just not special. So now I just get upset that people think of them/her/him as the second coming and try to not hold it against the musician.
Then of course there are acts like the Nields. I am very much not fond of their music and have heard them countless times as they run in my circle. I’ve sold their merch multiple times. But I don’t hate the Nields. They are fine artists that I respect. Not sure I’d call them fine musicians. But they took a position, I don’t like the position the took but give them all the respect in the world for not trying to grind out pop hits. They follow their own vision, not their guess as to what other people want to hear. I don’t think they should play Falcon Ridge every year but I don’t think any band should play Falcon Ridge every year.
All I want is music that I love as much as bacon. I might want some scrapple now and then, but I am not going to eat tofu for breakfast Even cold cereal doesn’t satisfy me as a meal, just a snack. This is leading up to the hameggandcheese sandwich I’m having for breakfast. That’s yummy too.
Wise Madness 