An opinion and a thought..
Music and its marketability derived into existance typically from the acquiring of a country's side-supply economics. Music that doesn't sustain a supply of marketability stands little chance of distribution on a national level, where the media controls what mainsteam sees and hears.
Unfortunately what concerns this business is rarely the talent or cultural importance of artistic fringes, hence music that doesn't harbor interest are least likely to have the support of recording companies, which some rely on to have their work distributed in the hands of these media networks.
This results in a climate of cultural isomorphism; damaging to artistic freedom. Bad for some bourne solely as a passionate musician of artistic expression against the other "musicians" who are just economically feasible, because they help the society maintain a level of interest in the arts.
Apparently for marketability, real music is music that makes real money. Where or at what point has our society sacrificed art for the bars of money? Is this still going on, and if so, why do we allow it at our expense as musicians? Are the benefits reaped (distribution, $$, notability etc) really worth the price of sacrificing artistic freedom?
Why is our music at the mercy of how compelling it is, rather than our argument that you're just not "musically sophisticated"?
Must music be coupled with exposed skin or a model face to be heard? Must a classical masterpiece be tarred and feathered with techno beats and a model holding a violin to be appreciated? Must a musician cover a popular pop song to harbor ten million hits on his thread and hopefully diverge the listeners to his/her musical potentiality?
Then comes the resounding "Yesssssss sage, that's the reality of it. Shuddap and just deal with it lahhhhh."
Why must we deal with it? Has the integrity of artistic fringes in music been completely lost that it's just as good "whoever that person holding a mic is looks good in a bikini"?
If you're
. a vocalist with ten million spare tyres and crooked teeth holding a mic and singing with a voice of a siren and having the presence of a superstar, or
. a guitarist who could lick up fantastic, complicated, original licks with only one cheap brandless pedal in his effects bag,
. or a drummer who could fill in ten million drumming parts in a wide range of music and have an ear for the perfect part to feel up the music and drive its pulse,
how do you deal with
.. the hot bikini barbie babe holding a mic and lip-syncing to a voice of a face you'll never see and able to compliment, or
.. the guy looking awesomely cool in his punk-rock outfit with a guitar slung (upside down! wah seyyy) as an accessory, or
.. the drummer who can double pedal and ONLY double-ped to 5000bmp (he's a good runner I suppose..)
who have taken up your slot by looking great at pretending what -you- are?
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I guess it boils down to why are you a musician- because it allows you to artistically express (but potentially be never heard and living in a cardboard box) or whether it gets your bank filled up whilst doing what you love best and what you feel you're best at, in this music-depreciating society.
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On the topic of music expression and people reminding us on a daily basis that music has gone down the drain. What have you done to change things then? Has anyone actually gone up to a 50cent rapper fan, force some Mos Def into his hands and say "Try this; the lyrics make more sense, and it'll make sure you won't be slapping big butts and telling people how you love them for the rest of your life. Oh did I mention the music's pretty damn awesome too?" If you have, you have my deepest respect.
I don't think it hurts to try. It might take time, but hey, Singapore's small. If we could change how music is perceived by getting the interest of ONE person and his perception to change or his interest to spread, it could spread. And when it spreads, it could spread like fire.
Then maybe pop listeners or teenagers would realise there's more to music than a babe with an umbrella going ella ella ey ey to a beat. Or a band in black eyeliner or the most amount of cuss words. Or that blues-jazz singer who keeps going to rehab because it's apparently fun and a second home away from the media ("don't know what the hell she's singing, but hey, I want that hair!"). Or that black but now white dude whose nose keeps falling off, or that blonde airhead who loves to keep us guessing whose hair she'll shave next.
Maybe then, kids will study music not because they're forced to have a taste of talent to play at family gatherings, but because they'll die if they can't finish recording a song idea with decent guitar playing.
And maybe one day we'll have more musicians writing "better" songs for you guys that isn't filled with just crazy guitar licks or that chord progression we've heard in thousands of other songs.
After that, perhaps marketability factors will change drastically and they'll be hounding for more local talent to 'make money from', with different attribute changes where you can dress up like bananas-in-pajamas and still get your music distributed.
And then maybe, half the radio airplay will be playing local bands again. Then
Maybe we'll be less broke hoarding our hard-earned cash on local music and not listen to international music coupled with atrocious shipping prices all the time.
Gigs will be overcrowded with fans and support, support that will inspire more musicians keeping the idea that artistic expression IS possible in this tight-arsed country (if you have verboten expressions, write discreetly).
People would spend more of their time sitting on the grass near a stage, drinking green tea, and listening wide-eyed to what you have to express that by the end of the day triggers them to think, rather than blow cash on that branded coffee drink or that crappy midnight movie with a storyline that could barely keep your attention or interest any longer than you seeing the bottom of the box of overpiced popcorn, over a weekend.
Maybe emo kids and metalheads are just two blokes talking about their music and sharing it with best interest instead of strategizing on how to beat each other to a bloody pulp or to see whose tight pants last longer during a moshpit. Or a rocker going for a jazz concert without leaving the concert hall so confused he ends up chainsmoking and banging his head in the nearest toilet cubicle.
Then maybe Mr Softie would have to keep raising the donation goal more often, because they hit up over much more often. Then, with the extra cash, maybe he can add up colour themes to the soft forum so that I can change mine to black and my eyes won't hurt so much at 4 in the morning (kidding!!!).
Sounds like a dream yeah? Dreams never harmed anyone, although I hear they encourage self-prophecy...
[I'm done, you may bombard or ignore me now.]
think staight ... gotta go sleep first after medcation ...
