[atlantaprog] Re: shallow analysis


> -----Original Message-----
> 
> I don't think so.  If you ask people what they like about 
> songs or bands, they'll tell you things like, "I really like 
> the singers' voice," or "I like the attitude," or "I like how 
> they remind me of this other band," or "I like what it makes 
> me feel like," or "I like the dreamy quality...", things like 

Well, they will also say "the singer is cute" or "She's so hot".  Those
are shallow reasons for liking a band.  "I like the attitude" in many
cases, can be viably construed as shallow.  Another thing that you will
hear people say is "I like them because they are popular" or "I like
them because the DJ on a radio station really likes them".  These are
all arguably very shallow resons.

Hell, not liking someone because he wore capes and ate curry on stage?
THAT is shallow!  Younger writers just see the pics of the guy with a
cape.  They forget at that the time, it was different.  Bowie was
dressed in drag, Kiss was a band wearing clown makeup, Alice Cooper was
some sort of witch wanna-be, George Clinton was wearing (gasp!) capes!

Ahh, but they don't see that.  They don't remember it.  They just see a
cape and comment about how bad that is.  Shallow...

> worthless??  We like bands and songs for the exact SAME 
> reasons, we just like different bands!  All people are a mix 

I don't like or dislike any band on the basis of cape-wearing!  :-)

> of shallow and deep.  It's not smart to act like elitists and 

I wasn't being elitist, I was being honest, and a little bit sarcastic
as well.


> isolate ourselves by making blanket statements about the 
> shallowness of the "common folk" if we ever want people to 
> buy our product and see us play.  What's wrong with being in 

Ahh, but I was just commenting on the Blender writers.  Remember they
came up with the final list and the "reasons" why the groups sucked so
much.

> touch and being a little empathetic?  It's a potential 
> marketing tool.  In fact, why does "prog rock" have to be 
> just for the "special people" anyway?  There are now elements 

OK, just to clarify, I am pretty much in touch with whats on the radio
these days.  I do listen to it before I decide weather I like it or not.


I would be very surprised if Blender magazine became a serious marketing
tool for a Prog band anytime soon.

I *never* thought that prog was just for "special people," nor
insinuated it.  However, in this time of extremely short attention spans
and music that acts like bubble gum for the brain, it could be argued
that prog's penchant for longer, more complicated musical pieces takes a
"special" mind to appreciate.  It's a matter of culture and environment.
In the 70's the same idiot who today like Blink-182 would have loved Led
Zeppelin & Yes.  The reason that they don't today is because of the
musical environment around them...


> our stuff (product), I don't think we have any more right to 
> think for them and pre-decide what they like and don't like 
> than Clearchannel does.

And this is one of the points that I was making.  It's Clear Channels (&
most of the rest to...) thinking for everyone that has helped bring
people where we are today in terms of what we consider popular.  And
Blender is trying to add their 2 cents worth by publishing this
ridiculous list.  Too bad...

Alex F/Brain21

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