[klaatumail] Re: New Dee Long solo rarities
- From: "Jens C. Lindblad" <jens.lindblad@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <klaatumail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:55:45 +0200
Looking at it objectively, or at least trying to; the term "dated", is used
like a curse word, along with Prog, Rush etc. in your examples. There is
really no objective validity or argument in the statements.
I might counter by calling everything released within the last year
"contemporary" - and add a sneer to my voice :-)
Or anything released in the last decade soooooo early 21st century.
These statements aren't objective or valid either.
Newest isn't always best, although Hollywood tends to think so as they're
remaking old films galore instead of coming up with original ideas, and of
course any piece of creative work will in some way or other contain some
references to the time period in which it was created.
Would these persons you're referring to, diss a painting merely on the
grounds that is dated and so either impressionism, cubism, or Dadaism?
"Yeah, that painting is so Guernica and they don't even look like real
people anyway."
Or would they put down Film Noir, Ludwig van, Mozart, or Wagner, because
nobody makes movies like that anymore, scores their music with such dated
instruments, or nobody sings like that anymore?
If they did, would they not show themselves to be treating the subject
matter in a superficial and immature way?
The better way to discuss music I believe, any piece of art for that matter,
is to acknowledge that there are qualities, as well as limitations in most
works of art, and the more you know about the subject in question the better
qualified you are to have an informed opinion. You are of course very
welcome to stating that something is more or less to your liking, that's a
fair observation.
Thanks to bands such as Klaatu, we are able to appreciate beautiful
melodies, wonderful vocal harmonies, experience varying soundscapes taking
us on journeys of our imagination, hearing the music twist and turn as if it
were an organic entity and often teasingly so; where you thought you knew
what the next notes were going to be but then it goes entirely somewhere
else.
The machine sounds in Perpetual Motion Machine, or the sound textures in
Neutrino that gives the Universe a voice add the soul and character to these
songs. The lavish overproduction of the entire album Hope is just so
operatic, starting images in my mind of Jules Verne'ian travels to the stars
and one of the reasons I love this album so much. I don't really care if the
instruments used are dated or if no one does things like that with their
music anymore because I can't get enough of it. To my thinking it is a
question of taking in the music with an open mind, on the music's own terms,
and not dissing it simply because it doesn't sound contemporary or like
everything else out there.
Maybe the real issue here is that very few people these days are willing to
just sit down and spend 40 or 60 minutes doing nothing but listening
attentively. Certainly the industry never really credited the potential
audience with an attention span longer than 3 minutes.
I personally am grateful Klaatu stuck to their guns and didn't compromise
their music in order to suit the contemporary tastes of the time to gain
radio play.
Cheers
Jens
-----Original Message-----
From: klaatumail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:klaatumail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Jaimie Vernon
Sent: 18. juli 2009 16:30
To: klaatumail@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [klaatumail] Re: New Dee Long solo rarities
At Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:36:23 Dwayne wrote:
> I actually disagree with you there.
>
> Stuff like the Beatles and Klaatu doesn't date in my opinion. It's
timeless.
> And that is the sign of a great band.
In the case of a song like "Hey Jude" or "Something", I'd agree. But
"Calling Occupants" does not hold up well against 'modern' music or for this
generation's listeners.
I was at a friend's place in Chicago a few years back (he was the guitarist
in Men Without Hats....yeah, they DID have a guitarist), and when he'd had a
few too many drinks he threw Prism's "Spaceship Superstar" on the stereo.
His wife, a full 10 years younger than him, winced and said, "Wow, that
sounds awful. Is that a demo?"
In response, Bruce put on "Calling Occupants" and said "here, listen to
this....Jaimie represents these guys and they're still selling CDs!".
Kati shook her head and said, "OMG. You *really* listened to this cheese
growing up? The production's so lame...listen to all those analog synths.
What's next, Rush? The kings of dated Prog. No wonder this music died when
it did."
The 'dated' sound of music is in the ears of the beholder. Anytime I put
music on from my own collection my 11 year old son rolls his eyes and says,
"That's like so 1970's, Dad. You're old."
I always laugh about it....but it kind of punctuates the fact that "our"
music had a certain sound and the fact that even a kid can tell means that
it does have a best-before date.
When you can put a track on and no one in the room can tell WHEN it was
recorded makes for a better case of timelessness.
Jaimie
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