I am often asked what kind of music I like, obviously I say 'all different kinds'. To which people think I am trying not answer, or even worse, aren't that into music at all. Which is just a horrible thought.
So I am going to change my response to;
'Any kind of music where there is some sort of passion behind it.'
I think that this will be a far more interesting response and hopefully lead to more interesting discussion.
Ironically there isn't much more to say about this, other than to ask you, what do you say when people ask you what type of music you are in to?
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Is it wrong Part II
So, got a karaoke machine. Actually had a small party and hired a machine for the night. Was a lot of fun.
A good stress relief as well.
Machine arrived during the week and just setting it up now
So, now I am the kind of person who has a karaoke machine in their house . . . not sure if I saw that one coming. Although I guess on every level it was somehow inevitable.
Need to take guitar lessons as well now . . .
A good stress relief as well.
Machine arrived during the week and just setting it up now
So, now I am the kind of person who has a karaoke machine in their house . . . not sure if I saw that one coming. Although I guess on every level it was somehow inevitable.
Need to take guitar lessons as well now . . .
Monday, 4 March 2013
Learning to Love . . .Jazz
Back again, am getting into the hang of writing a bit more regularly and I hope you are liking it.
So Jazz, yes I know, Jazz
I had a look but was unable to find the specific reference, but I am sure that I am on record saying that I hate Jazz. The Ruminator hates Jazz, doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Johnny hates Jazz does it?
Why did I hate Jazz and what has changed? Well , to me Jazz typifies that worst part of the musical snobbery. The type that looks down its nose at the 2 minutepop song, and laughs at the teenage angst of punk, sneers at urban agression and sniggers at metal. It sits there, all smug and satisfied and says, you know I am music for adults. Except that of course it doesn't, because it is music and whilst we can argue all music has personality, it does not have attitude in itself, because it is just squiggles on a piece of paper.
Music gets its personality from the people that make it and the people that listen to it. After all, if no one ever hears a piece of music does it actually exist? (no smart arse comments about blogs that no one reads please)
Try this, it is an endurance test
On youtube that is called 'Sexy Smooth Jazz' . Now I am sorry but anything that has to describe itself as sexy, isn't, and smooth? Well if by smooth they mean really boring and unadventurous , then I guess it is smooth. The point being that people that need to be told this are as bad as the people that need to describe it as this. Anybody who needs to be told what mood to be in when they listen to a piece of music is clearly taking a short cut to thinking for themselves. So, as you can imagine they are not the people I would like to discuss music with. Although it is fun to be mean to them. Like teasing a dumb dog. (so who is a snob now? I get the irony)
The thing I found about the people that like it was that they always seemed to have an affection for it because they thought that was what they were supposed to do. That is what it meant to be a sophisticate. There is nothing sophisticated about painting by numbers, nor listening to music by numbers.
My introduction to came about because my Dad loved and still loves traditional Jazz, Trad Jazz. Think along these exact lines.
Now please do not get me wrong. I am not saying that is a bad piece of music. It isn't. But it really doesn't appeal to me in any way. It comes from an age I have no relation to. It , to my ears anyway, lacks a passion or an intensity. I guess that is a time thing as well as I imagine when it first came out it was fresh and new and maybe intense. At least in some way, otherwise we wouldn't still know about it today.
To my ear, a lot of Trad Jazz sounds pretty similar. Although, to be clear, I am not talking about the jazz singers. The singers are able to inject the music with a heart. Think Ella Fitzgerald. You listen to that not because the music is great. But because her voice and the sadness and triumph in it is so amazing.
So, disliked Jazz, disliked Jazz people. Enjoyed the jazz singers but only sporadically. Left it at that. I was fine with it, and the universe seemed to be as well.
I was looking for a music documentary to watch. I love a good documentary as you know. There is a great one called ' 1959, The year that changed Jazz'. It of course went through 'Something Blue' by Miles Davis. Which of course had crossed my path at times. I actually listened to it this time though. it is very good. But that is obviously the most obvious part of 'modern' jazz.
It also went through Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus. Listen to this
That is the first track off the album. That is cool. that has some swagger and it appears to have a heart as well. It went into a little detail about Charles Mingus. Who was basically appears to have had one of the best musical tempers of all time. His widow describes with some boredom how people come up to her the repeatedly and describe the amzing loss of temper they saw. It seems to be mainly over what he thought should be happening in music.
They also went through Dave Brubeck, you will have heard this
I am not sure exactly how to describe the reasons why I like that track. It has something of a 60s film in it. I am sure a search would reveal the film, but that is not the point. There is a light in the music. Something that is both airy and serious at the same time. I think that the passing of time has made it a bit ubiquitous, but is still sounds very fresh.
The last album that they talked abut was this one, and it is much more challenging. Ornette Coleman's The shape of Jazz to come.
Whereas Dave Brubeck was all light, there is a much seedier, dark undertone to that piece called Eventually. All the stuff I love.
So, I found four albums that I like. It turns out these are about the four most famous Jazz albums there are, excluding jazz singers again.
What does it all mean? I guess if there is to be a moral to this little story it would be start things at the beginning. Or perhaps it is a case of let the experts separate the wheat from the chaff for you and then start getting involved. I think that I am perhaps a little more interested in these albums because the documentary gave me some insight into the people and their passion for the music. It also helps that it is ground breaking and inventive music in many ways.
I can not sit and listen to this music for long periods of time. Not like I can to Tool , Opeth, Aphex Twin, or other similarly intricate music. After I listen to it, I still hanker for something faster and a little more modern. But at least I am not turning it off now. I guess that is as good as it is going to get with Jazz.
It will have to do for now.
So Jazz, yes I know, Jazz
I had a look but was unable to find the specific reference, but I am sure that I am on record saying that I hate Jazz. The Ruminator hates Jazz, doesn't quite have the same ring to it as Johnny hates Jazz does it?
Why did I hate Jazz and what has changed? Well , to me Jazz typifies that worst part of the musical snobbery. The type that looks down its nose at the 2 minutepop song, and laughs at the teenage angst of punk, sneers at urban agression and sniggers at metal. It sits there, all smug and satisfied and says, you know I am music for adults. Except that of course it doesn't, because it is music and whilst we can argue all music has personality, it does not have attitude in itself, because it is just squiggles on a piece of paper.
Music gets its personality from the people that make it and the people that listen to it. After all, if no one ever hears a piece of music does it actually exist? (no smart arse comments about blogs that no one reads please)
Try this, it is an endurance test
On youtube that is called 'Sexy Smooth Jazz' . Now I am sorry but anything that has to describe itself as sexy, isn't, and smooth? Well if by smooth they mean really boring and unadventurous , then I guess it is smooth. The point being that people that need to be told this are as bad as the people that need to describe it as this. Anybody who needs to be told what mood to be in when they listen to a piece of music is clearly taking a short cut to thinking for themselves. So, as you can imagine they are not the people I would like to discuss music with. Although it is fun to be mean to them. Like teasing a dumb dog. (so who is a snob now? I get the irony)
The thing I found about the people that like it was that they always seemed to have an affection for it because they thought that was what they were supposed to do. That is what it meant to be a sophisticate. There is nothing sophisticated about painting by numbers, nor listening to music by numbers.
My introduction to came about because my Dad loved and still loves traditional Jazz, Trad Jazz. Think along these exact lines.
Now please do not get me wrong. I am not saying that is a bad piece of music. It isn't. But it really doesn't appeal to me in any way. It comes from an age I have no relation to. It , to my ears anyway, lacks a passion or an intensity. I guess that is a time thing as well as I imagine when it first came out it was fresh and new and maybe intense. At least in some way, otherwise we wouldn't still know about it today.
To my ear, a lot of Trad Jazz sounds pretty similar. Although, to be clear, I am not talking about the jazz singers. The singers are able to inject the music with a heart. Think Ella Fitzgerald. You listen to that not because the music is great. But because her voice and the sadness and triumph in it is so amazing.
So, disliked Jazz, disliked Jazz people. Enjoyed the jazz singers but only sporadically. Left it at that. I was fine with it, and the universe seemed to be as well.
I was looking for a music documentary to watch. I love a good documentary as you know. There is a great one called ' 1959, The year that changed Jazz'. It of course went through 'Something Blue' by Miles Davis. Which of course had crossed my path at times. I actually listened to it this time though. it is very good. But that is obviously the most obvious part of 'modern' jazz.
It also went through Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus. Listen to this
That is the first track off the album. That is cool. that has some swagger and it appears to have a heart as well. It went into a little detail about Charles Mingus. Who was basically appears to have had one of the best musical tempers of all time. His widow describes with some boredom how people come up to her the repeatedly and describe the amzing loss of temper they saw. It seems to be mainly over what he thought should be happening in music.
They also went through Dave Brubeck, you will have heard this
I am not sure exactly how to describe the reasons why I like that track. It has something of a 60s film in it. I am sure a search would reveal the film, but that is not the point. There is a light in the music. Something that is both airy and serious at the same time. I think that the passing of time has made it a bit ubiquitous, but is still sounds very fresh.
The last album that they talked abut was this one, and it is much more challenging. Ornette Coleman's The shape of Jazz to come.
Whereas Dave Brubeck was all light, there is a much seedier, dark undertone to that piece called Eventually. All the stuff I love.
So, I found four albums that I like. It turns out these are about the four most famous Jazz albums there are, excluding jazz singers again.
What does it all mean? I guess if there is to be a moral to this little story it would be start things at the beginning. Or perhaps it is a case of let the experts separate the wheat from the chaff for you and then start getting involved. I think that I am perhaps a little more interested in these albums because the documentary gave me some insight into the people and their passion for the music. It also helps that it is ground breaking and inventive music in many ways.
I can not sit and listen to this music for long periods of time. Not like I can to Tool , Opeth, Aphex Twin, or other similarly intricate music. After I listen to it, I still hanker for something faster and a little more modern. But at least I am not turning it off now. I guess that is as good as it is going to get with Jazz.
It will have to do for now.
Friday, 1 March 2013
Is it wrong?
Is it wrong that I bought a Karaoke machine?
Is Karaoke cool? Does it matter?
This was going to be a 2 line post. But now I am a little intrigued , why? Well because it taps into the very heart of music.
Should participating in music, albeit at the most basic, primitive level, have a cool or not sticker on it? Look, I get that singing karaoke has nothing to do with being a musician, or does it have anything to do with creativity. But, if you can sing a song note perfect and properly phrased, then surely you are more musical than some one who can't. (this is not me by the way, I am told I can sing a little bit. My idols are people like Bruce Dickinson - however I can't and will not ever be able to sing like this)
The point being, many many of us have sung into a hairbrush, or in front of a mirror , or something similar. Many more of us have sung along at a concert. What is the difference if you supplant yourself into the lead singer role? I guess the reason for not doing this is because we make such an awful hash of it.
However, there are people that can sing like that and do at Karaoke, should we cast our derision on them because they are not cool? Well to be honest if they go on X-Factor or Pop idol yes. That is only because it is the music industry using a 15 minute fame idea to re-hash old songs and make money and has nothing to do with moving music forward. The people that do this and expect to be anything other than a short lived singles chart name are delusional. That said, there is that girl that one an Oscar isn't there?
I guess the other issue is, should being perceived as cool have anything to do with what music you like? Or in this case, like to sing? Obviously it shouldn't. Do you think though that someone who is note perfect in a Sonic Youth song is cooler than someone who is the same in a Michael Bolton song?
Hard to argue for that one isn't it? We know it shouldn't matter. I know you read the first part of that and said to yourself that of course you do not judge people on their music taste. But really? honestly? you don't?
I do. I have to say that because there is so much evidence of it in the 100+ posts on this blog.
Anyway, as I said this was supposed to be a short post. I am looking forward to getting Karaoke machine for the house and who knows, I may even sing Khe Sahn and some Beatles songs.
I will expand on this topic in the learning to Love series, but for now I would appreciate your thoughts.
Is Karaoke cool? Does it matter?
This was going to be a 2 line post. But now I am a little intrigued , why? Well because it taps into the very heart of music.
Should participating in music, albeit at the most basic, primitive level, have a cool or not sticker on it? Look, I get that singing karaoke has nothing to do with being a musician, or does it have anything to do with creativity. But, if you can sing a song note perfect and properly phrased, then surely you are more musical than some one who can't. (this is not me by the way, I am told I can sing a little bit. My idols are people like Bruce Dickinson - however I can't and will not ever be able to sing like this)
The point being, many many of us have sung into a hairbrush, or in front of a mirror , or something similar. Many more of us have sung along at a concert. What is the difference if you supplant yourself into the lead singer role? I guess the reason for not doing this is because we make such an awful hash of it.
However, there are people that can sing like that and do at Karaoke, should we cast our derision on them because they are not cool? Well to be honest if they go on X-Factor or Pop idol yes. That is only because it is the music industry using a 15 minute fame idea to re-hash old songs and make money and has nothing to do with moving music forward. The people that do this and expect to be anything other than a short lived singles chart name are delusional. That said, there is that girl that one an Oscar isn't there?
I guess the other issue is, should being perceived as cool have anything to do with what music you like? Or in this case, like to sing? Obviously it shouldn't. Do you think though that someone who is note perfect in a Sonic Youth song is cooler than someone who is the same in a Michael Bolton song?
Hard to argue for that one isn't it? We know it shouldn't matter. I know you read the first part of that and said to yourself that of course you do not judge people on their music taste. But really? honestly? you don't?
I do. I have to say that because there is so much evidence of it in the 100+ posts on this blog.
Anyway, as I said this was supposed to be a short post. I am looking forward to getting Karaoke machine for the house and who knows, I may even sing Khe Sahn and some Beatles songs.
I will expand on this topic in the learning to Love series, but for now I would appreciate your thoughts.
Saturday, 23 February 2013
Learning to love . . .The Beatles
So, welcome to the second post in the Learning to Love series.
This post is about the world's most popular band. The band that people cite as inventing modern music, the album, and the 60s. The band that people rate above all others despite the fact they split up 40 or more years ago.
Why do people love a band with such passion even though the band is from such a different time and space that they could have no real connection to it? I have never really understood that. It has been explained to me, but never in a way that I felt was satisfactory. In a way that made me feel like I have been taken to half a dinner, or given half a pint of beer. Although I must acknowledge at this point, that it is no different to my teenage love of Zeppelin, Doors, Metallica. . .um I am going to move on.
So, my dad had a copy of Please, Please me in the house. Didn't every one's? It was one of the first albums I listened to I think. I remember playing it again and again. Particularly liking this track
At the age of 12 or so it has an energy and a life to it that makes you want to dance around like an idiot. Which is good. The album also had 'I saw her standing there', 'Love me Do' and others on it. It was the only album of the Beatles that was in the house. It seems that my parents didn't really like their other stuff. Well sort of, actually what it came down to was that they were Stones fans. They liked the more bluesy feel to the Stones music rather than the pop feel of the Beatles.
I was the same. In the great revival of everything old, which seems to happen about every 5 years on some time period, hereto 'unknown' by the 20 somethings of the world, The Beatles were revived a lot. A lot. Think about it, there was the 'lost tracks', the reissues, the new 'best ofs' etc etc. Everytime this sort of thing happened I was basically reminded why I preferred the Stones. A comparison for you
A little later , you can tell from the clothes, but none the less a bit more gritty. Remember, this is during my teens and so anything that was rebellious was appealing. That said, it wasn't long until I discovered my own music. In fact by 13 or 14 I really disliked both the Beatles and the Stones and my musical journey had started. As I went into great length about here.
So, The Beatles passed me by a little bit. I was aware of them, I think everyone is aware of them now aren't they? I mean everyone, on every continent, in every country , in every town. If someone said to you, I have never heard a Beatles track, you would be stunned. Or maybe I am just of that age, old.
I moved to England in my 20s and bought a couple of their CDs. I think it was A Hard Days Night and Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club. I enjoyed them both. Vastly different albums. As I have said again and again I never really understood why Sgt Peppers is so revered. I think it is because the first album I bought was Pet Sounds and to my ear that is still a superior record. Although I know that is very heavily debated and I will not go into it now.
That is a great song. I am not trying to deny that in anyway. That said, it relates to a time that I don't. The thing is, there is so much other music out there. I worked with a guy whose music taste I really admired. He effectively made me buy Rubber Soul and The White Album. Interesting stuff. A lot of great tracks and a lot of original thought. However, I was getting very heavily into Prog and starting to listen to Ambient electronica, such as it was at the time.
Again, as the music didn't grab me it let me go and I really didn't become much more of a fan. I would like to stress that it wasn't because of some anti-reaction. I liked it, some of it I loved. But I wasn't in love with it. Ha ha , I heard that said the other day on some movie or similar. What does it even mean? I love it but am am not in love with it. Ridiculous. What I mean is that practically, there are songs that I was very pleased to hear when they came on, but I didn't put them on myself.
So the years passed, alarmingly quickly actually, I lived in Japan, which was super groovy. The Japanese love, to the OCD point of it being disturbing, The Beatles. I still was a bit take or leave it.
Then I started writing this blog. I wrote this piece here 'Do the Beatles matter anymore' . Please read for my views on the Lennon vs McCartney debate. A few people contacted me over the post and tried to convince me how misplaced my views on the Beatles were. More than a few actually. Although I see only two people actually commented directly. Why does no one comment? I guess people have to read it first!
Anyway, so, being the open minded (we all think that about ourselves by the way) person I am . I thought I would give the Beatles a go.
I am getting there. I am. I have realised that I will never by the guy that raves about the Beatles as the guys Here do. But I am starting to get it.
The Music is very well crafted and the melodies are amazing. I see, or maybe hear, the production qualities are very far ahead of their time (not as good as Pet Sounds but hey what is?) I like this song for those qualities
I am not sure what to take from this musical journey. I guess some things you have to work a lot harder for. It occurs to me that this should not be the way with something that is a passion. If it doesn't come naturally then should it be forced? I know that the argument is then that some things are worth working for and the rewards will be greater at the end.
Is this true with The Beatles? Well , let's hope so.
Appreciate your comments.
This post is about the world's most popular band. The band that people cite as inventing modern music, the album, and the 60s. The band that people rate above all others despite the fact they split up 40 or more years ago.
Why do people love a band with such passion even though the band is from such a different time and space that they could have no real connection to it? I have never really understood that. It has been explained to me, but never in a way that I felt was satisfactory. In a way that made me feel like I have been taken to half a dinner, or given half a pint of beer. Although I must acknowledge at this point, that it is no different to my teenage love of Zeppelin, Doors, Metallica. . .um I am going to move on.
So, my dad had a copy of Please, Please me in the house. Didn't every one's? It was one of the first albums I listened to I think. I remember playing it again and again. Particularly liking this track
At the age of 12 or so it has an energy and a life to it that makes you want to dance around like an idiot. Which is good. The album also had 'I saw her standing there', 'Love me Do' and others on it. It was the only album of the Beatles that was in the house. It seems that my parents didn't really like their other stuff. Well sort of, actually what it came down to was that they were Stones fans. They liked the more bluesy feel to the Stones music rather than the pop feel of the Beatles.
I was the same. In the great revival of everything old, which seems to happen about every 5 years on some time period, hereto 'unknown' by the 20 somethings of the world, The Beatles were revived a lot. A lot. Think about it, there was the 'lost tracks', the reissues, the new 'best ofs' etc etc. Everytime this sort of thing happened I was basically reminded why I preferred the Stones. A comparison for you
A little later , you can tell from the clothes, but none the less a bit more gritty. Remember, this is during my teens and so anything that was rebellious was appealing. That said, it wasn't long until I discovered my own music. In fact by 13 or 14 I really disliked both the Beatles and the Stones and my musical journey had started. As I went into great length about here.
So, The Beatles passed me by a little bit. I was aware of them, I think everyone is aware of them now aren't they? I mean everyone, on every continent, in every country , in every town. If someone said to you, I have never heard a Beatles track, you would be stunned. Or maybe I am just of that age, old.
I moved to England in my 20s and bought a couple of their CDs. I think it was A Hard Days Night and Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club. I enjoyed them both. Vastly different albums. As I have said again and again I never really understood why Sgt Peppers is so revered. I think it is because the first album I bought was Pet Sounds and to my ear that is still a superior record. Although I know that is very heavily debated and I will not go into it now.
That is a great song. I am not trying to deny that in anyway. That said, it relates to a time that I don't. The thing is, there is so much other music out there. I worked with a guy whose music taste I really admired. He effectively made me buy Rubber Soul and The White Album. Interesting stuff. A lot of great tracks and a lot of original thought. However, I was getting very heavily into Prog and starting to listen to Ambient electronica, such as it was at the time.
Again, as the music didn't grab me it let me go and I really didn't become much more of a fan. I would like to stress that it wasn't because of some anti-reaction. I liked it, some of it I loved. But I wasn't in love with it. Ha ha , I heard that said the other day on some movie or similar. What does it even mean? I love it but am am not in love with it. Ridiculous. What I mean is that practically, there are songs that I was very pleased to hear when they came on, but I didn't put them on myself.
So the years passed, alarmingly quickly actually, I lived in Japan, which was super groovy. The Japanese love, to the OCD point of it being disturbing, The Beatles. I still was a bit take or leave it.
Then I started writing this blog. I wrote this piece here 'Do the Beatles matter anymore' . Please read for my views on the Lennon vs McCartney debate. A few people contacted me over the post and tried to convince me how misplaced my views on the Beatles were. More than a few actually. Although I see only two people actually commented directly. Why does no one comment? I guess people have to read it first!
Anyway, so, being the open minded (we all think that about ourselves by the way) person I am . I thought I would give the Beatles a go.
I am getting there. I am. I have realised that I will never by the guy that raves about the Beatles as the guys Here do. But I am starting to get it.
The Music is very well crafted and the melodies are amazing. I see, or maybe hear, the production qualities are very far ahead of their time (not as good as Pet Sounds but hey what is?) I like this song for those qualities
I am not sure what to take from this musical journey. I guess some things you have to work a lot harder for. It occurs to me that this should not be the way with something that is a passion. If it doesn't come naturally then should it be forced? I know that the argument is then that some things are worth working for and the rewards will be greater at the end.
Is this true with The Beatles? Well , let's hope so.
Appreciate your comments.
Friday, 22 February 2013
Learning to hate Spam
Ok, not on the topic of the current series, but I am getting a lot of spam comments.
Mainly they say how much they enjoy the posts and ask me to look at theirs . . .which takes me to a dating site
I guess I should be flattered? But it means my (admittedly dismal) following stats are massively distorted and why would they be posting in the comments field anyway . . .
That said they are all under the blog Music for Sex . . .maybe their engines are picking up on the word sex
so
SEX
SEX
SEX
Anyway , just wanted to rant. Hope all is good with you
cheers
Mainly they say how much they enjoy the posts and ask me to look at theirs . . .which takes me to a dating site
I guess I should be flattered? But it means my (admittedly dismal) following stats are massively distorted and why would they be posting in the comments field anyway . . .
That said they are all under the blog Music for Sex . . .maybe their engines are picking up on the word sex
so
SEX
SEX
SEX
Anyway , just wanted to rant. Hope all is good with you
cheers
Sunday, 17 February 2013
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