's Blog |
| | |  |
| Getting Past the Industry to Love Music Again
| | Late Night Thoughts: Calculating Infinity |
The last three days have been quite interesting. On Tuesday, I finally was a proud owner of a copy of Botch's We Are the Romans on vinyl. An album - as I've been spinning in my car and at home on wax in the last couple of days - has stood the test of at least a decade of being not only relevant, but untouched. Listening to some of things going on in "Frequency Ass Bandits" not only still sound fresh, but it makes the entire metalcore scene look like a bigger joke than whatever that witchhouse fad was for a few months.
Yesterday, I finally sat down with Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan to discuss Calculating Infinity and the scene for which he was a part of at one time for the book I'm "slowly" putting together. A lot of the bands that have already been interviewed have talked about being young, trying things for the sake of it and having influence in others. Weinman brought up something new to the conversation of the later '90s hardcore scene: attitude. It's not the attitude that we've come to know as make-up or a certain choreographed stage set-up, but more of an attitude to (a) do something different to turn heads and (b) never reaching for anything bigger than the bands that you looked up to that still had part-time to full-time jobs and played shows on the weekend. There was no agenda past that. The scene was constantly made up of kids who didn't fit in and formed bands and fed off their societal (ab)norms and the shitty regions and areas they grew up in.
We talked about the introduction of technology. Not just in playing music, but getting your music out there and being your own PR at times. Weinman certainly didn't discredit the new age of the digital medium, but we did talk about how it can ruin the mystique of things in way. Is the excitement lost in seeing a band when you watch x-number of live videos on YouTube? How good does your promo picture have to look to reach a certain demographic? Are there any questions as to how a record is made anymore because of countless studio videos being cock-teases and ruining a bit of the surprise in the slightest? Of course. The big one. Leaks.
Then there's the bit of afternoon news we got today. Two reunion shows for seminal hardcore band American Nightmare/Give Up the Ghost. Now, I'm not going to sit here and bullshit you that I'm a huge American Nightmare fan - but I do know who they are, I know their albums and I know why people will be trekking across the United States (possibly overseas) to see this band. The one important thing you must understand about American Nightmare is the sheer force that flows from Wes Eisold's lyrics through a band that was heavy without any sort of bullshit or gimmick. The band was part of a greater scene made up by many talented acts that surrounded them (and some that have continued to make music with a larger catalog and thriving legacy), but something has to be said about a band with only two proper full-lengths under their belt which has transferred a legacy into a technological "trend" not even thought of at the time of their inception/reception.
The life of a musician is not an easy one if you want to be something. You either die and are remembered only to do a few one-offs since you had to conform to society, you create a new band that's shun by your close-minded "core" fans, you make it big and slowdive around album three or four or you live so fast in becoming a trend that you end up barreling into a joke or "Why did I ever listen to that band?" heard from the thousands of fans you once had.
Sometimes you thrive. Last night I saw The Dillinger Escape Plan for the third time this year. Yet again they proved not only that they've earned the respect of the rest of the hardcore and metal community, but they also never give a half-assed show. Weinman said one of their first shows was to three people and if they play a show today to a thousand or those same three people - it would be the same thing. The Dillinger Escape Plan is one of the few bands that survived the small dream and crossed over into the bigger one of making it the career of music while holding the same integrity they've always showed.
Why do these albums, ten years plus later, sound like they've never aged? Why are all these bands that left a mark with one generation continuing to resonate years later with another? Is it because there are slumps that create times to go back and hear what influenced the best of the decade? Is it because people who really want to understand the nature of what they're listening to will yearn to know the history behind it? By knowing that history, does that mean that those surveyors of any genre (from hardcore to harsh noise to bluegrass and country) will be the necessary 1% needed to continue a good fight against 99% of the undying pop scene that continues to sprout up like mold in a new form every couple of years?
I think the thing we must all remember is this: We as consumers, listeners, concert attendees and even illegal downloaders are the ones that hold the most power when passing down the torch of what a minority of us will consider great music that may or may not have hit close to the masses. If you want the bands you admire to last (outside of any sort of internal strife) you have to continue to support them both financially and verbally - and what better time than using the new technology we have to do that.
A friend of mine once said that he's not much about seeing reunion shows. His favorite band is The Smiths, and he wouldn't pay to see that band now - ever! He said the time that the band existed and made an impact can't be recreated years later. As much as I'm stoked about seeing HUM, Cave In, Murder City Devils and Hot Snakes next weekend - my friend makes a point. There's nothing like the moment you're watching a great band blossom and play at their most buzzed about time in their career. Before you say, "I'm glad I get to catch them since I missed out years earlier," cherish the moment you see those artists at their truly brightest time in history. Cherish the fact that those moments you're a part of are few and far between these days.
- love and respect | | Tags: Late Night Thoughts, Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, Reunion, American Nightmare |
|
| | Late Night Thoughts: We Aren't the Romans |
After a very frustrating start to the year, things are beginning to roll for the most part. There are a lot of things I cannot reveal at this time, but AP.net is in for some amazing things in the next few months. Thanks for the awesome response (negative or not) to a new column I tried out on Wednesday. This was really cool to cap everything off as well.
As for the book, I'm running ahead, yet behind. The rest of my interviews are slowly falling into place, and the writing has been rolling, yet completely fucking up my sleep schedule. I'll go to work around 5 p.m., come home around 12:30 a.m. and stay up until 4 a.m., sleep and then try to get up early, only to roll to a bowl of cereal around 11 a.m.
The cycle has repeated itself for the past few weeks. Healthy? I'm not sure, but it has been somewhat progressive.
I'm working on the chapter about Botch's We Are the Romans and Coalesce's Revolution in Just Listening right now. The reason I'm so behind is the bulk of information I got about these two albums, and how I'm trying to piece them together. I haven't really touched the Coalesce part of the second half, but the Botch part has me thinking.
Landing at around the beginning of the decade, We Are the Romans' ideas are one of frustration shaped into creativity to move itself outside the box of what the band was observing around the hardcore scene. Already this year, I've been able to preview some albums that are doing just that. There are bands stirring to create something more meaningful and less fashionable.
It seems that this cyclical idea has been pertinent in the last few decades, and I began wondering if the second half of each decade will only be a processed downer to the ideas and creativity of its beginning few years?
On a positive note, if this theory holds true, then the next few years will be very exciting in not only the musical aspect, but the industry one. I contacted EqualVision today for some business, and to see if the press release for Portugal. The Man's American Ghetto held true to "no advances for review." Sadly for this fan, it is, yet in a way, it is exciting to see a band take the step forward in the new decade of D.I.Y. and placing the fans, critics, casual listeners and publishers all on the same level. Sure, a few of you spawn my jealousy due to a listening party, but that's the exciting thing about the model that is being moved forward.
Some ideals are coming full circle, and I couldn't have it any other way. It's 3 a.m. I think I'm going to shower and fall asleep to Robot Chicken --- there's writing to be had tomorrow.
love and respect. | | Tags: Late Night Thoughts, Life, AP.net, Book, Botch, Portugal. The Man |
|
| | Book Update and Myspace Page |
Hey guys,
Just a late night update on my book. I've secured a professor for next semester, and he's got some great ideas for my writing. I think the slight tweek we're going to do to relate the music to a general feeling of life is going to come out amazing.
I interviewed Brandon Evans of Pg. 99/City of Caterpillar on Monday. Saw his band Ghastly City Sleep, and they were pretty fucking awesome, if you get the chance, check them out.
Tomorrow night is huge. I'll be interviewing Dave Knudson (Botch) and Cory Murchy (Kill Sadie). I have an inner ear infection, but got some medicine today, and hoping to feel ten times better for the interviews tomorrow.
Hit me up and add me on Myspace if you'd like...www.myspace.com/creativechaoticenergy
Also, I've been reading Eric Grubb's POST book when I have time, and it's a great rundown of the quenasential rundown of the early post-hardcore/emo scene. Definite good read.
Finally got my Portugal. The Man vinyl in this week....it looks amazing. They did a hell of a job. Worth the wait.
anyway, going to try to get some sleep, hoping the pain in my ear decreases after these advil.
love and respect. | | Tags: Life, Book, Botch, Kill Sadie, City of Caterpillar, Pg. 99 |
|
| |
|
| Blog Tools
|
Browse Blogs
Start a Blog
The Charts
Adv. Search
Share This Blog
Blog Tags
Profile Picture
Twitter Feed
RSS Feed