I picked up the new Tool CD, 10,000 days. It's. Amazing. There are so few bands out there that make me really rock out, plain and simple. I'm not really into metal (or whatever you'd call them) but their music is so driving. And it got me to thinking about what we call music in this country.
Know who is among the top ten billboard this week? Go ahead, ask me. Let's see. Oh, the Smashing Pumpkins' new album. I heard it was really good. Oh look, number three: Hannah Montana. Hmm, I'll bet that CD has some pretty musically-amazing songs on it. Op, look at this, Kelly Clarkson. That's the American Idol chick, right? Yeah, she's got a great voice. Did she write her own lyrics? Hmm. Here we go: Number seven, Linkin Park. Yeah, they're hardcore.
Seriously. Hannah effing Montana. Linkin Park. Really? Seriously?
Now don't get me wrong here, people can listen to whomever they wish. I understand that people have an ear for different music. If you're down with Linkin Park's amazing struggle w/in because his latest girlfriend broke his heart, or he had another bad day which constituted another pissed off bitch-fest, to each his own. It makes me mad that the true musicians are the dudes on the 16th street mall begging, while Hannah Montana is making millions because she's got a cute face and had voice training in 6th grade, but whatever. No, my beef is with the mere concept that bands/ singers are praised for the same 4 chords over and over again.
I love Tool because they're genuine musicians. Because their baselines are creative. Because their drummer knows what 3/4 or 6/8 time is. Because their songs actually progress. We don't have the formula 1st verse, chorus, 2nd verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus, 1/2 chorus, chorus. No no, they let the their songs develop. It's not fast food, where they give everything right there in front of you. It tastes alright, you know you're going to get something familiar. You know exactly what to expect, when to expect, and it goes down easy. No no, Tool is a 4 course dinner, served one dish at a time, arranged and cooked to be an experience. The chef is an artist, expressing himself, and more importantly, pushing himself.
Linkin Park is McDonalds.
You wanna know what I look for in a band? Creativity. Expression. Something unique. I want to hear something new, both lyrically and musically. I don't want to have a Wal-mart band I can go to a certain section labeled "moody screamo" or "stereotypical black person gloating."
I don't care how you grew up in da hood, and playas been talkin smack bout yo bitches.
I don't want to hear how you roll wit 22s on your Escalade. I think it's pretty dumb you have to find reasons not to like the east side or the west side. I don't care because Tupac said it before you. Dre has been saying it for years. They were artists (not a huge Tupac fan, but he's an icon, so I'm assuming he did something besides get killed) and more important than that, they were pioneers.
I saw a Paris Hilton CD yesterday. I didn't even touch it.
I know you love Jesus. I don't doubt it. But I've heard of "Jesus' faithfulness" so many times I have to wonder if people aren't just speaking of it because someone else said it.
My problem, I guess, is it seems to me artists don't express themselves. I'm sure Linkin Park is pissed off because his girl left him again. But that's all there is to it. They use the exact same 4 chords. They never stray out of 4/4 time.
The+same+formula= Linkin Park= Good Charlette= Most rap artists= most country artists.
Just because you can sing, or play the guitar, doesn't mean you have the gift. It doesn't mean you know how to express yourself musically (not just lyrically).
Sterling wrote this song. I only heard the chord progression and half the first verse, but it wasn't just another Christian song. Him and David were trying to remember how it went, and I could see in both of them the search. I could see the passion. I could see the expression. Ask me if I ever saw that at Evergreen Fellowship. Ask me how many times I saw that in chapel. Go ahead. Ask me.
But, I have accomplished nothing. So, I'm going to listen to Tool's amazing new CD. I'm going to enjoy The David J. Matthews Band, The Mountain Goats, The Streets, Crowder, Damien Rice, Coldplay, Incubus, Jimmy Eat World, Modest Mouse, Radiohead, Rage, The White Stripes and the other bands that offer something that's actually musically stimulating. I'm going to pour a 40 on a sidewalk for those who can't get signed, while Hannah Montana is at the top of the billboard. We live in a fallen world.
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4 comments:
"I'm going to pour a 40 on a sidewalk for those who can't get signed, while Hannah Montana is at the top of the billboard. We live in a fallen world."
I loved this entire post, but that was my favorite part.
Will you marry me?
Wow! you touched on some good points... especially about how some musicians only use 4 chords. I think worship music in particular is being revolutionized for the next generation where musicians are going to have to express themselves more in their music meaning they are going to have to come up with different chord progressions instead of everysong being G, D, Em, C
kelly clarkson HAS written her own shizzle...among writting music for others.
and if you ever. EVER! compare linkin park to the rubble known as good char-shit, so help me God i will put your hand in hot water while you sleep when we go camping.
You missed the point of the whole article, my friend. It doesn't matter whether or not she wrote her own lyrics. That's become a standard for a legit artist because of even shittier "artists" like Britney Spears and Lil Bowwow or whatever the hell he's calling himself these days. The point of the article is that, while they can take the stage and pose as doing something artistic (ie play the guitar, sing well, etc) they don't have the soul. They don't present musical expression. Linkin Park is a shitty band because they play the exact same 4 chords in every. single. song. Each song has the same progression, and the same 4/4 rhythm. They pretend they're singing about different girls, or they fact that they're pissed off about something else, when really what it comes down to is writing another meaningless song, for another meaningless cd, not expressing oneself artistically. If they genuinely wanted to be taken seriously, and weren't just concerned w/ MTV, selling CDs, and having a bunch of horny teenage girls and pissed off teenage boys lunging for them on stage, they would stray from their usual formula, and.... oh yeah, show artistic expression.
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