Do i have it wrong or am i just a contrary?

[barney 59]

I ,like every other person on the planet,believe that I have very good taste in music. How is it then that the musicians and bands that I really hate are likely to travel to the venue in their private G5,whereas the acts that I go to see are more than likely to pull up in a bondoed and primer painted 1985 Econoline? Do I have it wrong? Could it be that I'm some kind of fringe fanatic? Should I reassess my opinion of Kanyi West?

[Tom Coletti]

I think that materialism as definitely creeped into music in many instances. Seems today that more people look at music rather than listen to it. I tend to have pretty varied tastes, so there's no saying what lifestyle any particular musician will live, though I do find that some are more concerned with displaying their wealth than others.

I say just don't mind it; many will have their fifteen minutes of fame, then, at some point, everyone will stop caring. I myself am a very pessimistic and cynical character, so I stopped caring about society as a whole a long time ago...

--Tom

[Paul Merlo]

That same notion used to drive me nuts, until I was able to separate my perception of "musician" from "entertainer" and it's all been gravy. Don't get me wrong tho, there should be a support group for folks like us. It sure is a daily struggle if you take too much stock in what the media has to say about it. That, and you can't fault someone for their own taste.

[shortymack]

Its all messed up for sure. A lot of it has to do with what big record companies and advertising moguls literally push on the people. Instead of having a moral compass and rebuking acts that poison society they use them to make millions. Its not like the days where Elvis shook his hips too much which was over the line then, now the drug and gang culture, masochism, illiteracy, etc... are being preached as a good thing and millions of children sadly look up to it as a result.

[Willie Poole]

For the same reason that I bust my butt to book a gig somewhere and I am told my band isn`t popular enough to help draw a crowd and then I listen to what the bands sound like that they DO book and they are just terrible...GO FIGURE....

How is a band suppose to get any popularity if no one will book them? I am thankful for the regular gigs that we do get but would like to add some more from time to time....I guess it is called "Paying tour dues"....

[OldSausage]

Well of course you are some kind of fringe fanatic, most of us are. isn't that the whole point?

[MikeEdgerton]

My theme song and now yours too!

[Bernie Daniel]

... Should I reassess my opinion of Kanyi West?

No I don't think so!

[Tobin]

My tastes run opposite to popular culture on every level. I have come to the conclusion that this is a good thing.

[TheArimathean]

My tastes run opposite to popular culture on every level. I have come to the conclusion that this is a good thing.

Doubly agreed!

[mrmando]

Could it be that I'm some kind of fringe fanatic?

You're posting on a mandolin board. 97% of people on the street have no idea what a mandolin is (and I'm being generous). If there's anyone here who isn't a fringe fanatic, that person probably got here completely by accident.

[roysboy]

Age old mystery. Musicians listen and hear music differently than non musicians . Mystery solved .

[Jordan Mong]

Well, if a "fringe fanatic" is used to describe anyone with a true and passionate taste in music, we all are "fringe fanatics".

[Bertram Henze]

There's no problem with being an alien - just phone home every other day, it's all good.

[Ivan Kelsall]

It's very possible that the bands that you 'hate' (strong word that ),are the top favourites of plenty of other people,thus bestowing on them the necessary mazoomas to buy their G5's. Almost in all the musical genres that i'm personally interested in,i see musicians worthy of much higher acclaim than they have, come second best in the popularity stakes. Unfortunately,it's not all about their music,especially in the 'popular' music stakes. I have to say that like you appear to be,i'm a great fan of the underdog - just keep supporting them. They wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't for people like you & others,
Ivan

[M.Marmot]

I ,like every other person on the planet,believe that I have very good taste in music. How is it then that the musicians and bands that I really hate are likely to travel to the venue in their private G5,whereas the acts that I go to see are more than likely to pull up in a bondoed and primer painted 1985 Econoline? Do I have it wrong? Could it be that I'm some kind of fringe fanatic? Should I reassess my opinion of Kanyi West?

I have actually seen Kanye West play live, at the North Sea Jazz festival of all places. His slot was at the end of a night and was not conflicting with anything else so went and we surprised ourselves by enjoying it thoroughly, as did countless others. Not only did he entertain but the music had the crowd moving and enjoying themselves - those who knew the lyrics joining in en masse.

I still don't have a Kanye West album - but i have to respect that he provided some good music, performance, audience participation and entertainment that night.

What else is there to look for? Why would i assess a musician or an act by the transport they arrive in? I'm no gear head, so what interest would i even have in that?

In today's world of carefully honed image it can be just as important in some genres to create the image of down-home one of the people type wholesome than it is for others to create the air of excess. For instance, a lot of country music acts can live and die on their fans perceptions on whether they are one of the people or not, folk album artwork is tailored to suit tastes and preconceptions - people buy lifestyles most often buy into those that reinforce their own.

Fringe fanatic? As noted by other posters yep certainly, mandolin fanatics are no longer a mainstream fad.

Preaching to the choir? Yep, i'm sure that you will find many here that will agree with your opinions... and theres nothing wrong with that what's the point of being on the fringe if you can't keep some good company?

[Astro]

We each have excellent taste for the things we like, and fail to appreciate the things we don't.

Duh. Thats why we like and dont like what we like and dont like.

The generational issue is now iconic. I remember my grandparents scratching their heads wondering how anyone could sit and listen to that crap they called music from this crazy no talent band called The Beetles. My parents thought they were OK and interesting but didnt get it. Our generation thought them genius, revolutionary, the best thing produced by mankind. That pattern of socio generational preference has repeated itself over and over again since before recorded history. The Fox trot was once hip and new; The Charleston and all flappers were scandalous and considered vulgar by the prior generation.

When my kids first started listening to wrap music, I couldnt believe it. I didnt even consider it music and caught myself using almost the exact words my grandparents did. And when I look in the mirror, I cant believe it either. Instead of me, I see my dad standing there. When I look at my parents, I see my grandparents before me. Life is weird. Time is weird. Aging is really weird.

I think what the OP may be bothered by is a more recent phenomena. Music has always been trendy and mixed with fashion. But with much of todays pop music pretty much controlled by megalo corporate conglomerates, the two worlds are now almost the same. We are more bombarded by commercialism than ever before. "Hits" used to be used for commercial jingles. Now commercial jingles are made hits. Bands are writing music that can be used in commercials hoping to get picked up so they can have a hit and be "discovered".

People can be influenced by trend beyond what is normally considered aesthetically pleasant. I have high school prom pictures to prove it. But marketers have embraced that human trait and exploited it to a new height with the advent of mass and pervasive "social media". They create our music tastes to sell their product and visa versa.

But this is all "so thirty seconds ago".

The good news is that musicians can take advantage too and find their own markets and listen to what they want and be heard by whom they want. Musicians are a small subset of the populous and will always appreciate good music. The masses will just follow the fashion. The bars will hire for the masses. No surprise.

We are a niche market. Dont expect to be popular outside of it unless a mega corporate sees marketing potential in there-- and then you'll get to play on a Geico commercial.

[allenhopkins]

I sorta "came of age" during the late-'50'-early-'60's "folk revival," which largely explains my taste in music today. When the Beatles arrived, and I Want To Hold Your Hand replaced Walk Right In, Sit Right Down at the top of the charts, I was greatly disappointed. Why would people listen to Gerry & the Pacemakers instead of Baez or Dylan?

It took me years to learn to appreciate the creative rock music of the mid-to-late-'60's, because it displaced "my" music. Now I listen to a wider variety of stuff than I could appreciate when I had a focused commitment to a particular style.

And I'm resigned to the fact that Kanye West or Lady Gaga will make more money in one night, than some of my favorite musicians will make in a year. Mass-appeal popular music, pitched at a younger audience that will often show a fanatical commitment to a particular style or artist, is never going to include the kind of stuff I learned to like 50 years ago, and still do.

I watched the HBO documentary Crossfire Hurricane about the Rolling Stones (at least the first hour; had to leave for a gig after that). Scenes of teenagers screaming, crying, fighting to get onstage, absolutely out of control in their adoration of the Stones. That's a dynamic that makes huge profits for the purveyors of the music, and it's totally beyond the reach of the string bands and balladeers that I love to listen to, and that make up the template for the music I play.

So what? Thanks to the chaos in the music industry, we have access to a variety of music sources that top-40 radio listeners and LP buyers of my youth could never have. Enjoy what we've got, and don't envy the stuff we probably can't get.

[AlanN]

Or maybe a reassessment of some kind of talent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORFU3AD3N_Y

[joemcg]

This sort of applies:
http://bluegrassnation.org/link_type...lly-explained/

I know that link has been posted before, but I still love it!

[mandocrucian]

"Ninety percent of [science fiction] is crud, but then, ninety percent of everything is crud."
- Theodore Sturgeon

[Randi Gormley]

Popular culture is by its nature ephemeral; by the time I even know the names of the top bands/actors/designers/whatnot they've become passe. If it wasn't for my kids, I would be completely culturally blind and deaf. So, yeah, I pretty much just let pop culture go by without comment, knowing it'll be replaced fairly quickly.

[tmsweeney]

one thing is for sure, Blue Grass, Old Timey and most folk musician's are not in it for the money

[farmerjones]

Age old mystery. Musicians listen and hear music differently than non musicians . Mystery solved .

I can run with this. If you have laid pick to string in a way that is not merely a scale. And you know it when it happens. If you've ever truly "made" music, you are changed. It's a fraternity with a cosmic handshake. At that point you know music, isn't stages and trusses and t-shirt vendors, and sound systems, etc. There's no more elaborate stage than that of ZZtop. But you know if you've picked a string and meant it, you're kin. With bands like the aforementioned, I used to think behind every 10 semi, 4 bus road crew, there was a musician. A musician with friends. Friends that would be moved enough to start a campaign. But no. There are label made artists, that must look good. and be able to bark into a pitch perfecting sound board, where the mega machine spits out the junk that fills the CD bins. The machine is not going to risk 10 semis and 4 busses on something they didn't create.

Every mandolin picker, fiddler, and yes, banjar picker helps to balance the kharmic scales. So watcha gonna play?

[Willie Poole]

On a different note....I see great looking gals walking down the street with some fellow that is sloppy and as ugly as sin....They just want to be noticed and I feel that is why some bands do what they do....I am like Allen, sort of anyway, I never liked the rock and roll of the 50-60`s but do listen to it now, I have grown to like a lot of it....