Sweet! Excited for the VMAS tonite!
It's odd: I'm almost 40 and I know more of today's bands and singers and songs than the acts that were hot 10 years ago. Why is that? itunes and youtube, man. itunes and youtube have totally kept me in the know and excited about today's popular music whereas 10 years ago I had stopped listening to radio- cause it was just an abysmal experience- and so I fell out of the loop in terms of which singers, bands, and songs were popular.
NOTE: I refuse to call them 'artists'. Entertainers, singers, acts? Sure- totally. But 99% of them don't deserve the title 'artist' and I just fucking laugh when they use it to define themselves. The writers and producers? Yes, some of them are artists for sure. And some of the musicians and singers are as well. But the vast majority of today's prepackaged acts? Not so much. Which is fine. I still dig Taylor Swift and Britney Spears, totally! But they ain't artists. Jay-Z, Kanye, Eminem, Mary J Blige, tho? Yeah, I would say they are artists for sure.
Anyway- artists or not- seems like it's gonna be a great show! Kanye doing an apology song to Taylor Swift? Live performance of AIRPLANES by B.o.B and Hayley Williams, live stuff from Eminem! What's not to love?!? And Chelsea Handler hosting? Should be a great fucking show! I'm jazzed!
David
++++++UPDATE+++++
Ok, I think I just had a cranky senior moment. But I'm only 39! Yeah, I know. But look: the more I think about it, if you WRITE a song and it connects with people, then fuck it, in my book, you get to call yourself an artist. I mean, isn't that the whole point of art? So sure, while I like the pop bubble gum vibe of Taylor Swift's music (which she does write herself) and simply think it's fun, light, silly music to have on in the background, there are probably millions of teeny bopper girls who do see Taylor Swift as a genuine artist. And who am I to say different? To them, Swift's music is probably an anthem for their lives. For them, Taylor Swift's music touches them and makes them think and makes them feel. So fuck it, she gets to be an artist too :)
And hell, I guess even if you don't write the music, if you can sing it in such a way that your voice- or your guitar or your drums or your fuckin' flugal horn- touches and moves people, then shit yeah, you can be an artist too.
But if you DON'T write it and your voice is pretty much all computer processed out, then no, YOU do not get to be an artist. You get to be an 'act'. And there are LOTS of people out there making hit music who do fall into this category. So them? Those people? I laugh at them.
The rest are ok...in my book. No idea what's up with your book :)
Ok, now I'm done.
FUCK I'm getting old! :)
I agree with you pretty much on the artist thing with your update to your OP. Vocalists/anyone who can do something that touches people creatively with something they do who do it naturally/aren't Ke$ha are artists I think.
ReplyDeleteArt is subjective, but I do believe if you do something creative that connects with others then you are an artist.
I do hate music these days though, just doesn't connect with me for the most part. Only albums I've gotten in the last couple of years that were new are by Bob Dylan and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame.
I'm lost in that era of the 60s and 70s, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Stones, etc. That to me was when all these guys were just creating music with messages and concepts that simply outclass just any pop music that comes out these days, at least for me.
BTW, when can we get some more Twisted news? I'm dying to hear some more. Can't wait for it Jaffe, I'm glad school is starting tomorrow so I can occupy myself so the wait won't feel as long. Can't wait, sir. Looking great so far!
-Graham
That's why I like grunge so much; you have a bunch of guys that wrote songs together and messed around with instruments. They sounded how they wanted to, and even when guys like Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam signed to major labels, they got the sound they wanted for the most part.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I got ya. I was ranting about the same thing to a friend the other day. I think that's where a lot of the animosity "real" musicians and music fans have towards mainstream music comes from, this idea that they too are artists. I think for a lot of people it's bullshit. That said, I think those same "real" musicians/music fans need to loosen up and try to enjoy them as just entertainers. Maybe not all of them, but I have a sneaking suspicion a lot of them would like 'em. And kinda/sorta like you said, there's no need to get snobby at what's an inherently subjective thing.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of music Mr. Jaffe is there a place that I can buy or download the metal version of "Turkey in the Straw" that you guys used in the Twisted Metal (2011) trailer? If you have anymore information on this please let me know, my email is tomahawknrifle@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteFuck, Jaffe, I love reading your blog. I love how outspoken and opinionated you are. I'ts hysterical!!!! I do wonder if you are a Gaga fan though, and what your thoughts are on her. She is said to be the new queen of pop - overthrowing Madonna of course. Thoughts?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI was curious if you ever considered changing the layout of your site? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. You've got an awful lot of text for only having one or two pictures. Maybe you could space it out bette
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