Lawyers, guns & money
Why is modern pop music today so terrible?
Showing 4 responses by ghosthouse
Interesting points in what appears to be an informed post by transaudio. I still don’t want to spend time with Lady Gag-me but appreciate the insight about her from Brad. This bemoaning current music is nothing new. My parents growing up with Sinatra and big bands despised Stones, Beatles, etc. The whole thing gets repeated with each generation. My axe to grind with the current scene... "Art" reduced to formulaic pursuit of product designed around maximum profitability and guided by the creative genius of corporate lawyers. An emphasis on self-promotion and persona rather than the music. Add to this incorporation of loathsome cultural values and thuggery. Hence, the earlier post: "Lawyers, Guns, & Money" (to misappropriate Warren Zevon). The profit motive has always been present in the music biz, I suppose, just more "artfully" concealed, perhaps. A question for Brad or anyone else - How does pop music become popular these days? I gather radio is no longer the dominant thing. The old-style hit making DJs are no longer a force, I don’t think. How do the stars get made? Is it solely on the strength of their touring?? |
Good stuff, Trans. They just got too good figuring out how to squeeze money out of art and in the process squeezed all the life out of it. Early on, a little "squeez" was okay. Great HST quote, btw. Further commentary on the topic from Joe Jackson’s "Rain", Track 1 - Invisible Man. I do remember, "Yummy, yummy, yummy....". In case you want to get re-adquainted (at the risk of self-inflicted ear-worm for a day or two).... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uo9tMoew6o&list=PLd_TTQtxcJIyThtQshLLhVU4NKas2AmVc&ab_chann... We were making judgements about authenticity even then. Ohio Express didn’t pass the test as I recall, BUT ignoring the dopey lyrics...this bit of fluff IS pretty well constructed. Have to admit I’m a sucker for hooky pop with harmonies. Speaking of which. Here’s another good one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl61-KMQAnE Cowsills, on the strength of this hit, maybe not viewed as authentic either, but probably a mistake. Legit musicians as it turns out. I don’t have kids and don’t do social media (I’m waiting for them to come out with Anti-social media and then maybe I’ll sign up) so clueless about how things work nowadays. Appreciate the information. Wasn’t Def Leppard also one of those contrived bands put together solely for making money? Never cared for them. Supertramp too a millionaire’s investment vehicle based on what I’ve read. Them I liked (and still do). So corporate creation music stars ain’t really new. Just somehow more annoying the older and more crotchety I get. |
Hello Trans. I know about The Wrecking crew, but not the entirety of the records they backed. Have not yet watched the movie. Need to rectify that. More and more for me, it's the behind the scenes people...the studio musicians, engineers, producer/arranger(s) I admire - esp. the latter, as was Walter Becker's forte. |