does music have any real purpose anymore?

rajcoont · Post by **rajcoont** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:11 pm

It's like David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. The director wants to have artistic integrity and control over the content of his creation, but the money men wants him to cast some girl as a leading actress for their own reasons, which will compromise the artist's vision. He flips out, and then meets the cowboy, who tells him that his bad attitude is going to affect his life, yet he is simply expressing dissatisfaction towards an inauthentic situation. In the end, he is forced to give in, because that's "the way the world works", but he seems very unhappy and dissatisfied.[/quote]

Mulholland Drive is a great film for a conversation like this. I have seen this movie 3-4 times, and never got that reading our of the scenes you speak of. A film like that doesn't really make much literal sense and can be interpreted any way you please. It's all your perception, and yours is defeatist.

knotkranky · Post by **knotkranky** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:26 pm

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi_UFSSh ... ed&search=

.

D K · Post by **D K** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:26 pm

in response to the original post:
nah, it's not all like that.
look at labels like ecm.
if you're bored, switch to another medium...but to a degree, it's all been done already. no point in worrying about it.
sounds like you've had a "who pissed in my corn flakes?!!" day.
it's normal.
in the end, i carry on because it's what i'm meant to do. if you don't give
a rats ass about a scene, it shouldn't bother you.
be positive, make quality shit, be quality and good things'll happen.
this total nerd has toured 20+ countries and never kissed one ass.

Benshik · Post by **Benshik** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:33 pm

thats irritating.
err_eur, i mean, think of all the people in the world, and thats the overwhelming majority, working in complete shadow. are you saying that we should pay more attention to your shite than, say, to the unknown guy who designed your furniture, invented the wheelchair or built your subway station?

but yes, inflated egos are plaguing the Western world, not specifically musicians.

"If really you are more than others, you shouldn't expect more, you should give more."

so stop whining and waiting to receive more. give more.

Surreal · Post by **Surreal** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:41 pm

glitchrock-buddha wrote:The problem with music today is that it all needs more cowbell.
I hear a song and always think 'I cold use some more cowbell on that track'.

I'm telling you fellas.... you're gonna want that cowbell on the track.

I got a fever, and the only prescription........

.....is more cowbell.

Get this man a cowbell!

IMMEDIATELY!

did NO ONE hear this revelation.

ALL HAIL THE COWBELL!!!

djsentinel · Post by **djsentinel** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:12 pm

err_eur wrote:
stinky wrote:personally, i think this is bullshit... yeah, the man keeps you down, yadda yadda... but, we're living a world that's more connected than ever. There are so many ways to go around the norm and still access the masses in a way that was never ever possible in the history of our world. I think relegating yourself to a self effacing manner is exactly the contrary of the spirit of music. Every major music form created was born out of a desire to break from convention, and as musicians and artists, its our duty to continue this heritage. If you'd like to make the shit that requires you to pander to the powers that be, then you reap what sow, and complaining about it makes you just as pathetic as the people you slander...

man you so remind me of a dude i used to be friends with. LOVES to argue for the sake of arguing, and to hear his voice and to look like he is right all of the time. I agree with you in that we are more connected than ever. BUT, as opposed to the 90's and early part of this decade, things have become very very very very commercialized and the art and music scenes are completely OVERSATURATED, so attracting attention and standing out requires one usually to project a certain sound and more importantly, posture and appearance, attitude. All I am saying is that things seem less about making music now than participating in a high-school-like cool-contest. Maybe you've found yourself in a fortunate position where you love what you do and you are doing what you love. Great. I am happy for you. I personally have gone beyond the type of dissatisfaction that breeds ingenuity and have entered the realm of pure dissatisfaction. When I meet artists, I usually end up seeing an arrogant self-serving narcissist who doesn't give a fuck about anything except promoting their shit and making a name and or money. Reltionaships between "musicians" seem to be formed more on a basis of fashion sensibility and looks, status and number of friends on someone's myspace.

"I'll collaborate with you if you will help me blow up."

If you understand what I'm saying, then you understand the reason for my lamentation. If not, the I am happy for you since you aee obviously living your dream. I personally grow more and more disgusted with what I see as time goes by, and want to participate less.

the point of music is creating emotion through sound vibration, but it's boring when you are the only one listening. Like masturbation. Boring.

as far as making music goes, nowadays I seem to be doing it for myself, my girlfriend and my cat. Maybe it's because I suck...wait, lots of people that suck are playing their stuff everywhere. Maybe it's because I am real and don't suck dyck, and all the fake scenesters hate me because of it.

Reasons why I like people who make trance music.... 95% happen to be really nice people.

On the other hand, hardstyle... erm...

err_eur · Post by **err_eur** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:48 pm

OKAY OKAY I admit you guys are right. I went for a jog, which is my favorite thing to do to clear my mind, and I realized that I need to make new friends and meet some serious artists, and I need to completely stay away from clubs and any form of music scenes that are populated by fake ass hipsters. The problem is that a lot of creative people are recluses, and are hard to meet. I probably need to move out of Pennsylvania too, to somewhere a little more liberal and conducive to my creative inspiration. You guys in Europe don't know how good you have it. The USA really is a depressing place for an artist. Read Henry Miller's "Air-Conditioned Nightmare".

lord toranaga · Post by **lord toranaga** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:19 pm

i'm creative, and I'm a recluse.

I love henry miller,

not the most positive outlook on life though.

there are two side to every coin.

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:36 pm

back when i was an aspiring DJ, and was already into writing music, I was instantly disillusioned with the secene of my favorite type of music at the time, but you know what, it didn't make me like the music any less, just a lot of the other people who did. Most of my best friends, like I'd say 99%, don't really even know what deep or tech-house is, and I know a hell of a lot of people. So there're listening to modest mouse or reggae or something, and I'm listening to some crazy experimental techno which they think is weird. So what, different tastes, but at least I like the people. I don't make music with anyone, because nobody I know writes music really, especially not the kind I'm into, so I'm reclusive bout that. The rest is just a big party.

Not ideal, wouldn't mind some collaborations, or even someone to talk shop with, but shit, i love music, but life comes first.

grb

womoma · Post by **womoma** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:24 am

Im gonna stick my neck out to some degree, and play devils advocate to some degree.
I think that "secnes" can be a good thing in some ways.

Please, hear me out.

I like to see things moving or progressing. Good lyrics or a catchy melody is generally a good thing in music, but any style can get boring pretty quickly.

I dont listen to much of the stuff now that I listened to 5 years ago, despite appreciating its artistic merit.
Id much rather seek out new styles and enjoy fresh ideas.

The fact that the majority of people have different taste than yours, and the reality that a large population of the western world listen to shit music is something you may have to learn to live with.

The egotistical pretentious wankers will always be there too, but in my experience there are a lot of musicians and artists who have a genuine passion for music.

The original question, if music has purpose anymore, is absurd in my opinion.

Personally I think this is a very challenging and exciting time for musicians and music in general, and daily I discover new music, from many genres and decades which gives me that thing that we all love about our favourite tracks.

Dont let the bastards get you down, even if they get a record deal and you dont. Its a hobby and a passion isnt it?

Vibrations · Post by **Vibrations** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:41 am

I'm from Vienna - Austria. The "Capital of Classical Music"

And I'm not making music only for myself, my girlfriend and my cat.
Because I have no girlfriend. And my cat always sleeps.

Sometimes shit happens.

onyxashanti · Post by **onyxashanti** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:43 am

man, oh man, does the original post sound like me. after living the dream in europe, moving to NYC was a nightmare. right now i'm so jaded that i have moved back home to mississippi and i havent left the house for weeks. it isnt that the world does or doesnt suck, its just that you get tired of dealing with trivial bullshit from time to time.

i'm lucky. my mom is so happy to see me, and i get to work on building up my online studio session business in peace til i move to berlin next month. the best thing i can advise is to find your happy place by any means neccessary. it may sound humorous, but i'm serious. find that thng that made you want to do music in the first place, and do what you gotta do to do your best work. and refrain from dwelling on how shitty things seem. just realize that you are not the only one who feels this way and maybe once enough people acknowledge it, solutions will become more obvious.

onyx
www.myspace.com/onyxashantisinterstellarribshack
www.myspace.com/windsynthetik

acornblend · Post by **acornblend** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 4:10 am

I'm not sure which situation is better.

1. Living in a well established scene with limitless artistic resources but filled with puffed up unapproachable jerks

or

2. Living in an unknown, ignorant city free from peer influence and trends but alone with no likeminded friends..

i happen to be in situation #2 but i feel like i'm missing out ....or maybe not....

whats your situation??

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 5:18 am

Mulholland Drive was meant to be a TV series, but was so shit they decided
to get something outta it by making it a shit movie instead.

-Ben

gregorythis · Post by **gregorythis** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 5:35 am

to make money

DUH

i kid