A Badly Written Blog About Music [UPDATED]
Posted by DeadAnarchistPhil on February 8, 2011
I’ve had a few debates about Music in my own home and on-line, and the usual reply I get for my criticism of nearly all music is:
“Dude! You’re tone deaf!” – Sam
“His vocal range is extensive!” – Sam
“They do not all sound the same!” – Sam
“Not everything has to be about Politics” – Sam
“Only so many sounds you can make!” – Sam
“Olly Murs is great! Fuck off!” – My Sister
“%$T”!* $%&*+£!!! ” – My other sister when I called her dancey chipmunk ‘music’ shite.
“This is real music! And he’s not a Pedophile!” – My Mam on Elvis and my opinion of him.
“Your Music’s shit, too!” – My Brother
“Ewww, no his music’s not crap and he’s not a wanker!” – My sister’s friends reaction to my opinion of 50 Cent.
“His vocal range is extensive!” – Daf
“Not everything is Black and white, Phil” – Daf
“Not everything has to be about Politics and have a message” – Daf
“Only so much you can do with musical instruments before it starts to sound the same” – Daf
“I don’t know, I quite like Las Ketchup!” – Daf
Ok, the last one was made up. But it’s fair to say I’m hostile to a lot of music and nearly all of the people I talk with accuse me of having a narrow, limited musical taste. This is not the case as I like many types of music, such as: Ska, Dance, Rock, Metal, Punk, Digital Hardcore, Electronic, some Blues, Some Pop, Some Soul and even some Classical.
Having said this, let me explain my position on Music past and present and my problem with it.
My first problem: Lack of originality and constant mimicry! The defence “There’s only so many sounds/vocal ranges/Styles.” is not acceptable. These people who sound (sing) the same do not sound the same by accident, they sound like that because they copy their heroes or the most popular singing/music style of the time. This is very prelivant in the U.S. Punk, Emo, Metal and Pop-Rock generas. They all sing and sound the fucking same! They do! You can’t escape it, it’s a damn fact! (No I’m not tone deaf, if I was I’d not like anything) It’s just a complete and utter lack of originality on their parts, it really is shameful, and they have the bollocks to stand on stage and sing and call themselves ‘different’.
You can say the same for nearly every genere, they all copy what came before and they never move forward, none of them are brave enough to make music that is different, that is not the same, they only make crap that’s safe, so they can live inside the success, fame, notoriety and glory of someone else and try to make money out of it at the same time, if they’re that way inclined. I don’t apply this label to the originators of a certain sound or style, just the talentless wankers that come afterwards copying them.
Second Problem: Image over Music! What a load of shite! Seriously, because you walk around all dressed in black, with make-up, a huge emo quiff, chains, piercings, Poncey expensive haircuts, a telephone in your hair (ppppp-po-ker faaace) etc etc etc… doesn’t make you different. You look like every other cunt who dresses like that and it doesn’t make you ‘different’ or ‘alternative’ and it doesn’t make your music or scene any fucking better than the other side, you’re all a bunch of poser cunts with zero originality between you all! Also, it is NOT art! The same way Tracey Emin’s pissed in bed and manky tampon isn’t! They’re clothes, and the bits that aren’t clothes, are just bits and bobs you like to use to make you look different, well, you aint, you look the same as the other cunts who wear that crap. But if it makes you feel better thinking you’re all that and your music and scene is too, then please, go for it. But please, don’t tell me “It’s a way of life!”, it’s not a way of life, you’re just a cunt!
Lyrics and Meaning: Of course, lyrics don’t have to mean anything, if you write a song that doesn’t mean anything in particular, then you’re just like thousands of others, well done. People will find meaning in what they want, so I don’t really care. It starts to annoy me when people go over the same ground or try to say something cleaver and political, but in a very cryptic way, so they can get away with not having to defend their views. Grow some ballls! Oh, is the record company scared you said the ‘F’ word and you insulted someone you shouldn’t have? Awwww! Fuck you, you spineless twats!
Another thing, record companies dictating what goes and what doesn’t, and many Musicians accept this, way to take a stand and put money above your Music and freedom of speech. You’re an inspiration to us all.
Hedonism: *Boomp, Boomp, Boomp Boomp!* If that night club collapses on you, am tellin ya, you wont be missed!
Love Songs: Types are as follows: ‘I miss ya babe’, ‘I love ya babe’, ‘I want you boy/girl’, You cheated on me boy/girl’, ‘Ya jilted me boy/girl’, ‘Let’s party boy/girl’, ‘I’m depressed boy/girl’, ‘You don’t know I exist boy/girl’, You’re hot and sexy boy/girl’, ‘I don’t love you anymore boy/girl’. JUST FUCK OFF!
Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll!: Please! You’re a fucking clesha! Dress like a cunt, act like a cunt, take drugs like a cunt and fuck like a cunt! You think you’re doing anything different? No you aint, though you may catch AIDS/HIV, unlike some of your idols who just died of being hedonistic wankers.
Hip-Hop and Rap: Unmitigated crap! (most of it) The sound isn’t always bad, but the lryics and culture behind it are hollow, sexist, materialistic, ostentatious, Shallow and ingeneral… complete bollocks! Fuck off fiddy!
I’ve annoyed myself with this post now, I pretty much dislike a hell of a lot of music, mostly because it’s generic and been done before. So before anyone asks what I like, I like a few things, the original pieces that were created by musicians with some spine and bollocks to try something different instead of sticking to the tried and tested formula. So I don’t listen to a lot of new Music anymore, just old stuff and one or two modern bands that are at least half original.
UPDATE: MY friend Sam has said my quoting of him callimg me tone deaf isn’t fair without you hearing the evidence yourself. Bear in mind these are vocals we’re listiening to. So here’s the two vocalists that I think sound the same:
Song One:
Song Two:
I Don't Fear The Chaos! 
hrhdaf said
Hey hey Philleepio!!
How I feel about my chooons is a whole blog in itself. So all I’ll say is that because it’s art and very emotive I think noone can be wrong about what they like. It’s in the ear of the beholder really!!
Oh and how very dare you misquote me???? I believe what I actually said was ‘The ketchup girls are the best thing to come out of Spain since the Spanish omelette, as the Cheeky Girls are the best thing to come out of Transylvania since Dracula!!’
Gerrit right!! ;O)
Hope your having a good week. Sorry never got round to that art blog yet, but its been a hella busy week. I havent forgotten though! Oh and the day I charge a mate for a bunch of second hand pencils is the day you have to slap me really hard so just email me your addy already ;O)
Gert big hugskis, Daf xxx
DeadAnarchistPhil said
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee… it’s Daf! Helloooooooo! 😀
Liking something and originality are two different things. Even though people have a personal preference for a certain music, it doesn’t make that music original. On it being ‘art’, how can it be art when it’s copied from a template? That’s not art, it’s reproduction. No one accepts that in tradtional art, so why accept it in musical art?
Hey! I think I was fair on you with the quotes! I left out the little quote about you liking Stiff Cliff and the Fast Food song!
Week has been same ole same ole, really. Managed to fix my sleeping pattern again and more progress has been made with the UC! I’ll send you my addy, just don’t send me a letter bomb! Still doesn’t feel right though!
Hugs back at cha mateski! 🙂 xxx
Pete Judge said
And the moral of this story……?
My equally badly written comment to this badly written blog…….
In a lot of instances I do really agree with you to be honest. I’m quite resistant myself to a lot of modern music – the other day I listened to radio for the first time for years and it was just a pile of unmitigated crap. But is it my age, my taste or just a reluctance to open myself to new styles and tastes……let’s examine.
Wade through my CD collection and the first thing I always think is that 1. There is no original work for about the last 8 years- I do still buy CD’s but mainly compilations and greatest hits. and 2. – there is actually some variety.
I firmly believe that the general standard of music has declined over the years but not entirely convinced of the reasons why – and some of the reasons you mention.
First of all it would be easy to blame the pop idol/x-factor culture for the dilution of music over the last decade or so but to be honest Phil, the essence of what they are doing isn’t new – it has been going on since the 50’s, it’s only the way they are doing it….ie taking the piss out of bad contestants, the celeb judges – who no little or nothing about music themselves – basically it is all about the revenue and television it creates, not the genuine talent and success of the acts. I say it has been going on for years because if you were to read the history of some of the ground breaking and original acts of the 50’s/60’s, Buddy Holly, Beatles, Stones, Tom Jones, Cliff etc etc Talent shows play a fundamental part of their grounding.
Manufactured pop music? Going on for just as long. Music execs were always on the look out for a pretty face they could promote and if they could sing…..it was a bonus. Hey Hey It’s The Monkees…….Auditions were held far and wide for this group – only two were real musicians, only one could sing but they were a world wide phenomenon and over the years the formula has been repeated time and time and time again – it’s nothing new believe me.
I once read an interview with Noel Gallgher and he was asked about his feelings about XFactor and
pop idol type shows and to be honest, his answer really surprised me.
I thought he would rip it apart as probably you or I would but quite the opposite. He said that if you were stacking shelves in Tesco but could sing like Otis Redding, then it’s probably the best chance you’ve got. I personally would have thought he would have advocated working hard, working on your talent, playing every gig you can, developing your songwriting etc. But no…..
ON nothing original……there is probably some truth that the ability to produce music is finite and we have reached that stage but the facts are everyone does it and apart from blatant rip offs by lazy artists and the tendency rappers have to steal a popular songs melody and talk crap for three and half minutes, I think it is not such a bad thing if you do ‘borrow’ a melody, as long as what you do with it is original. As you know I am a big fan of The Jam and Paul Weller is seen as the modfather, a true british great, a genius songwriter etc etc. But you know something Phil? Throughout his career he has been guilty of borrowing lines, melodies, bass lines, chord structures, song structures, hooks….but it does him no harm and he continues to create good – if not entirely original – music.
Ultimately Philo it’s all about taste. That’s the great thing about music. We might see 95% of what’s going on as utter tosh but believe me, plenty of people don’t think much of what we listed to either.
I have played in bands, many bands over the years and for me it is all about passion. A passion for your music, for the sounds you make, your chosen instrument, style, inspirations. The perfect band for me are all playing their instruments to a good level, good strong vocals, emotive songs whether about social ills, politics or even love and dynamic that appeals to me. Nothing over produced, no need to dress like a clown – just good honest music and if you could get out and about to some clubs around Manchester, you will find there are still plenty of bands like this around.
One other thing….I don’t want xfactor or pop idol and I generally told people that I hated them and they were killing music. But someone pointed out to me that an average series creates work for hundreds and hundreds of musicians, dancers, choreographers, writers, sound engineers, producers, road crews, lighting engineers yadda yadda…..Cowell might make gazillions off it but it the whole thing does create a lot of work. Interesting theory?
Anyhoo, better get some real work done.
Have a good one
Pete
DeadAnarchistPhil said
Hiya mate! 🙂
I wasn’t really refering to Pop and the manufactured shite, that stuff is obviously all about the money and fame, and sod all about the actual music. If Cowell and people like him were about music then they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing and certainly wouldn’t be relesing Teletubby singles!
I was aiming more at the people who say they stand against Cowell and that manufactured Pop sound. They’re just the same, they’re pretenders, they haven’t created anything orginal in their lives, they just sound the same as the last 10,000 India, Rock, Punk, Metal, Ska bands that came before them. They like to think they’re ‘underground’ and ‘alternative’, they are not, they’re mainstream, and their clothes are being sold in major shops. That’s not a bad thing, but they’re supposed to be against that stuff in some cases.
On the subject of originality, I disgaree, I don’t think we’ve done all we can do. The Electronic way of making music offers infiniately more possibilities as regards to new sounds. If you add to that advancments in tradtional instruments then you have a broader pool to create new music from. But very few people are willing to move in to that area, they want to stay where it’s safe.
I’m not sure about the music scnene in Manchester, I usualy have a look in the Evening news and on-line, and there’s not much that I find different or interesting. Just the same old 20 somethings dressed like scruffs and scallies and singing and acting like they’re some kind of Sex-Pistols, Slayer, Clash or Manic Street Preachers. Their mentallity is stuck in that sex, drugs and rock & roll crap for the most part. They all seem to be stuck it. The ones that don’t are the prententious, preppy types who take pride in playing their instruments better than the other lot.
Noel Gallgher is a cunt. I wouldn’t expect anything less from him anymore. I’ve grown to dislike Oasis more and more over the years. I was watching them on the TV just the other day and Liam sounds like a typical Scally dickhead! I never noticed before, but he sounds just like a tpyical Manky scally.
I don’t think it’s just a matter of taste, it’s a matter of orginality and daring to try something different. Yes, people like what they like, even if it’s mass produced pop rubbish, but the orginality is still missing.
Not sure about the X-Factor thing, maybe it is a good thing, but only job wise, it offers nothing culturely.
Be around to read your blog in a few mate! 🙂 Talk soon.
prenin said
I have to admit I have a wide selection of styles from Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Heol Telwen to folk and Celtic Folk – anything that is well composed and sits easy on the ear depending on my mood – If I wanna Thrash, or just listen to a pretty bunch of women do their stuff!!!
Enjoy your choices my friend – they are, after all, your choice and nobody can make it for you!!!
God Bless!
Prenin.
DeadAnarchistPhil said
As do I, but I really can not get in to modern music if it’s just an obvious rip off of someone else that came before. In some cases they don’t even know they’ve ripped someone else off!
I’m fine with originaters of music, even if I don’t personaly like the music, it’s the mimicry and over use of the same sound and vocal style that pisses me off. And then people defend it as ‘art’ and ‘expression’. It’s not. Let me put it this way, if someone painted the Mona Lisa again, but used different colours, is that art and expression of the person that copied it? Of course it’s not, they just copied someone else’s work. They may be talented, but they’re not using that talent to create something orginal and different.
I try to enjoy my choices, but the fake arse wankers keep making it sound shite because they all sound like that now! lol
Have a good day, man! 🙂
prenin said
Having heard ‘March of the Cossacks’ with a dance beat I have to say sometimes the rip-off is blatant!!! 😦
If you want to hear how so many songs use the same four chords go on You Tube and look up ‘The Axis of Awesome’ – not only informative, but funny too!!!
God Bless!
Prenin.
DeadAnarchistPhil said
Thanks Ian! I will check out when I’ve done my comments! 🙂