I generally agree with and like and enjoy your writing JA (apologies in advance for addressing you directly). But besides being a bit self congratulatory and rambling and unfocused, your commment that "90% of music is crap" doesn't sit well with me at all. Let me tell you a couple of short stories. A few weeks back a buddy of mine and I drove from my hometown of Columbus OH to Newport KY to see Alejandro Escovedo. Alejandro's music is revered/respected by a great number of far more successful musicians and his work and musicianship speaks for itself and yet while he has done alright, he (IMO) has never come close to gaining the audience and attention and commercial success he "deserves". Of course, how anyone can use the word "deserve" when it comes to music and commercial success is a philosophical debate in it's own right. On the way to the show I played Midlake's two releases "The Trials of Van Occupanther" and "The Courage of Others". My buddy, a musician in a local band that primarily plays Alt-Country declared Midlake to be "Prog-Rock Crap". To quote Tom Gillette, I smiled my evil smile. Maybe. But maybe if my friend listened ten more times and let it soak in he would feel quite differently. Probably even. One more quick story. Last Friday I saw OH native Tim Easton at a small venue here in Columbus. Here again is an amazing musician with friends like Steve Earle and Lucinda who can draw maybe seventy five fans at $10 a ticket on a Friday night leaving me to scratch my head to the point of drawing blood. Like Alejandro, he is "deserving" of far more radio play and commercial success in return for the amazing shows he gives to his diehard fans. My point is that no John, 90% of music out there is fantastic amazing soul-redeeming art that fails to find an adequate audience. I would agree however that 90% of the top 20 in just about every genre is total crap, but that accounts for maybe one half of one percent of all music.
I generally agree with and like and enjoy your writing JA (apologies in advance for addressing you directly). But besides being a bit self congratulatory and rambling and unfocused, your commment that "90% of music is crap" doesn't sit well with me at all. Let me tell you a couple of short stories. A few weeks back a buddy of mine and I drove from my hometown of Columbus OH to Newport KY to see Alejandro Escovedo. Alejandro's music is revered/respected by a great number of far more successful musicians and his work and musicianship speaks for itself and yet while he has done alright, he (IMO) has never come close to gaining the audience and attention and commercial success he "deserves". Of course, how anyone can use the word "deserve" when it comes to music and commercial success is a philosophical debate in it's own right. On the way to the show I played Midlake's two releases "The Trials of Van Occupanther" and "The Courage of Others". My buddy, a musician in a local band that primarily plays Alt-Country declared Midlake to be "Prog-Rock Crap". To quote Tom Gillette, I smiled my evil smile. Maybe. But maybe if my friend listened ten more times and let it soak in he would feel quite differently. Probably even. One more quick story. Last Friday I saw OH native Tim Easton at a small venue here in Columbus. Here again is an amazing musician with friends like Steve Earle and Lucinda who can draw maybe seventy five fans at $10 a ticket on a Friday night leaving me to scratch my head to the point of drawing blood. Like Alejandro, he is "deserving" of far more radio play and commercial success in return for the amazing shows he gives to his diehard fans. My point is that no John, 90% of music out there is fantastic amazing soul-redeeming art that fails to find an adequate audience. I would agree however that 90% of the top 20 in just about every genre is total crap, but that accounts for maybe one half of one percent of all music.