Oh boy! This has been on my mind for a while recently and is really starting to bug me. The thing that really hits my drum is people ragging on bands and judging their music on account of their history and not because of what they sound like. I swear, if I hear one more person say "Thriller" or "Beat It" is gay because Micheal Jackson is accused of being a homosexual I'm gonna lose it. It shouldn't matter if Micheal Jackson was accused of that, people loved those songs before the accusations so why should that change their passion for the songs. I could really care less if My Chemical Romance is an emo band, I love their song "Famous Last Words" and that should be the same for everyone.
I steer clear from being one of those people by trying not to watch music videos. Part of enjoying a song for itself is by making your own music video in your head. If I were to watch music videos it would change my perspective on that song and then I couldn't make it my own. For example, when I listened to "The Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson I thought it was a pretty good sounding song..then I watched the music video..bad decision on my part. Now whenever I listen to that song all I can see is Marilyn in that weird body suit. Although time has healed that wound in my mind, the scar of Marilyn in the suit remains, but I am more able to interpret it my own way again.
When I hear people argue about songs and their makers, it makes me kinda mad . The kinds of songs I'm talking about is songs like "American Woman", "Another Brick In the Wall", "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", "Black Betty", "Ghost Riders In the Sky", etc. These kind of songs have been tossed around and played by so many bands playing what is exactly the same thing with what appears to be the same kind of sound. Some of the songs you can distinguish between the two but otherwise they are the same. Most people can't tell the difference anyway until that one person has to speak up and say, " classic such and such playing blank". Then some other person speaks up and says" HEY!! Such and such didn't originally do it, it was that other band with the goofy hair". Then there becomes a large argument about it and nothing ever gets settled. GUYS!!! IT'S THE SAME SONG!!! IT DOESN'T MATTER!!! Just listen to the song and interpret it the way you want. It's not that I don't beleive in giving a band props for their art, it's very important for bands to be recognized for their work, but don't go to war about it.
If you're a fan of a band for its music and its image then props for you. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm a fan of Relient K's music and I like their band image. So..ya..nothing wrong with that. So, from one music lover to another, please don't let band images influence your love of a sound or song.
Lucky 13
16 years ago
2 comments:
WOW - I hear you on so much of this stuff, though I try hard to steer clear of MM more because the programming has become so consumer-driven (texting the show during vids....puhlease)
Judging music based on its own merits is easy to say but hard to do. Thinking about what we know about a person WILL influence how we hear their music, because we know a little about the place where it came from. While the music may be brilliant, it may also be perverse at the same time. Whether that affects the value of that song is up to each of us consumers of music.
Probably your best blog to date - good work!
8/10 (2 points deducted for late submission)
You know, I actually enjoy watching music videos, not to judge the band or influence my thoughts on the band, but just to see how they play, what they play for instruments, or what the song is about. That is probably the biggest thing. Aside from looking up the lyrics to the song, music videos give a pretty good message on the feel of the song.
Post a Comment