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Current mood:  artistic Category: Music
It happens like clock work, about every 30 years.
As one generation grows up, gets married, has kids and buys houses, they stop having the time and money to buy new music, go to concerts, and let's face it...the artists themselves suffer a horrible attrition rate. They often burn out or become passe'.
Of course, the kids identify with their own age group and find new music to do that with. But that's not all of it...
Wax reels became 78's. Swing. Took 30 years. 78s became record albums and 45s. Jazz and the blues. Another generation goes by, and then 8 tracks and cassettes took the music mobile, freeing folks from the commercials and 3 minute versions and insipid DJ chatter. Let's rock and roll! Music was at one point completely driven by the people who made it.
Buzz another 30 and there are CDs, providing digital perfection in a fifth the size. Heavy metal hair band heaven. Rap and Hip Hop hit the scene. Although after 30 years there are a mountain of CDs, just like when grandpa had the huge record album collection when he was in college, learning to work a slide rule and abacus.
So downloads, MP3s and Ipods have released us from all that, and now mercifully most people can keep their music to themselves. But this has changed the system, and here's why...
The music is coming from everywhere, free, without filter, financing or warning label. You don't know who this is, where they come from, what they believe, are they freedom-loving tree huggers or a corporate money machine project band.
In fact, you often don't know what they look like, giving artists a brief entre into the scene without having to be super models first like in the MTV years. Thank heaven that's over!
It seems that music has gone full circle to where it was perhaps 120 years ago, before the advent of recording. It is once again an art form primarily driven by the people who consume it.
Now, you musicians are going to find this a bit difficult to swallow, but get this...that's a good thing.
Yup, means there aint so much money in the till for us. More and more competition by folks who know less and less about music, I suppose. More schlock to wade through. All true.
But the cream rises to the top, and it's hard to argue that you can't get heard. You can record easier and better than the Beatles. You can distribute your music globally, practically for free. You can maintain complete control over your own image, and you don't need to convince anyone in a suit that the kids should hear you play.
The funny thing is, every artist spends a chunk of their career screaming about how they want a chance to take control, 'C'mon Guys, Let's Rise UP!' And of course the kids hear us play and they take that message to heart.
So now the listener takes control, and listens to whatever they flippin' want. Are you going to complain about that? I'm thinking not.
My only point is if you think there is easy money in making music, you wrong. The only people here are the ones who love it, need it, and do it because we have to.
Even more to the point, the only successful ones are those who provide music to the listener, cos you can always (if you are any musician at all) provide music for yourself.
It was a busy October but we're settling in for winter. Write me if you'd like to share your comments or vent.
Peace,
Mike Stanley - Director
Royal Jam Music USA
Www.RoyalJam.Com
3:17 PM
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