To: 'Boy of Destiny'...a fellow Canadian:
>Quote: Music isn't a popularity contest.
I agree you here in principal...but as far as the music INDUSTRY goes, I have to disagree.
If it ISN'T a popularity contest, then explain the success of American and Canadian Idol?
Are they judged on Musicality? REALLY? Or is this a popularity contest?
Commedian Chris Rock summarized this best - in my view:
"Paula Abdul judging a singing contest, is like Christopher Reeve judging a dance contest...it just ain't right..."
And explain William Hung...is the success of this poor 'dropped on his head' baby a result of musicality, or popularity?
The success of MANY musicians over the past number of years has been related to either a) their novelty/gag factor (William Hung) or b)how much sex and/or skin they can show or work into their music (not to mention how much help they get from producers, and how manufactured these artists can sound via digital technology) (Brittney Spears) - which makes up for their relative LACK of musical skill.
These artists become popular, and sell Platinum albums because of one or both of these 2 factors making it the ULTIMATE popularity contest.
In a fair world, I think musicality SHOULD outweigh popularity, or at best there should be a happy medium (i.e. a lot of people would buy an album because the artist is HONESTLY a GOOD MUSICIAN - rather than 'just being good looking' or feeding off their 15 minutes of fame) but (aside from Classical music, and a few rare popular music examples such as Queen) it doesn't work out like that. At least it hasn't lately, from what I can see...
Ultimately this plays heavily into why the U.S. hasn't spent much time in promoting Queen and/or a possible full tour aside from (at present) 2 dates.
My 2 cents...for what it's worth
Andrew
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I'd love to experince the food and culture of Great Britain, especially the faggots. I hear they're quite tasty!
Faggots in a "rich sauce" are tasty..so I read, anyway.
Btw..so excited..Sunday night is the tractor pull, then we are gonna go sit on the porch at night, drink some Buds, and watch the skeeters get fried in the bugzapper. You can't do THAT in the UK!
I am no fan of either Bush or Blair. But comparisons to the US and UK are ridiculous in my opinion because both countries are worlds apart.
Especially musically and socially. Americans love fast everything, cars, food, LOL! The UK is a little more subdued when it comes to atmosphere, maybe we are used to waiting for what we wish as for the US they are the spoiled children who have everything but wanted it yesterday!
LOL! I mean that in a joking fashion as I am older than most of the noticeboard posters here and have travelled extensively I can make a comparison like this. When I was in my 20s I came to the US for the very first time during the Vietnam era and back then it was an amazing country. I landed first in New York City where I was with a very large British tour group, I loved America's openness at that time, of course being a closeted gay man at the time I was terrified of the "Greenwich Village" area which was beginning to be the eventually mecca of gay culture in New York (now of course its Chelsea).
My point is that nowadays that openness or freedom of expression is being stifled (I believe)by many in the US government who are extremely right wing (Mr. Bush Jr.'s lot).
A shame because I would like to return as I have many wonderful friends there (and some former lovers) I would like to see but I would hate to deal with those tossers again.
Well that's my feelings and take from that what you want.
Cheers,
David
Especially musically and socially. Americans love fast everything, cars, food, LOL! The UK is a little more subdued when it comes to atmosphere, maybe we are used to waiting for what we wish as for the US they are the spoiled children who have everything but wanted it yesterday!
LOL! I mean that in a joking fashion as I am older than most of the noticeboard posters here and have travelled extensively I can make a comparison like this. When I was in my 20s I came to the US for the very first time during the Vietnam era and back then it was an amazing country. I landed first in New York City where I was with a very large British tour group, I loved America's openness at that time, of course being a closeted gay man at the time I was terrified of the "Greenwich Village" area which was beginning to be the eventually mecca of gay culture in New York (now of course its Chelsea).
My point is that nowadays that openness or freedom of expression is being stifled (I believe)by many in the US government who are extremely right wing (Mr. Bush Jr.'s lot).
A shame because I would like to return as I have many wonderful friends there (and some former lovers) I would like to see but I would hate to deal with those tossers again.
Well that's my feelings and take from that what you want.
Cheers,
David
I guess this should affect me the most, as I am an American, born and raised.
I'm not going to argue, I'm going to agree. The US does suck when it comes to music. Think about this. Most of the greatest bands (and my faves) came from other countries. Queen, Rolling Stones, Beatles, The Clash, all those excellect rock bands came from England. And there's more where that came from lol
The problem with the US is, well, we change way too much. From the way we dress to the way we talk, nothing stays the same for too long. One day something will be popular, the next day it will be considered "out of date".
Same goes with music. People would rather call Queen fossils instead of calling them idols. People in the US would rather listen to the new Britney Spears album, or watch the newest Brad Pitt movie, or dig into a tabloid magazine and believe all the false crap they put in them.
I loathe the American way. To take the title of a Queen song,
"Is this the world we created?"
I'm not going to argue, I'm going to agree. The US does suck when it comes to music. Think about this. Most of the greatest bands (and my faves) came from other countries. Queen, Rolling Stones, Beatles, The Clash, all those excellect rock bands came from England. And there's more where that came from lol
The problem with the US is, well, we change way too much. From the way we dress to the way we talk, nothing stays the same for too long. One day something will be popular, the next day it will be considered "out of date".
Same goes with music. People would rather call Queen fossils instead of calling them idols. People in the US would rather listen to the new Britney Spears album, or watch the newest Brad Pitt movie, or dig into a tabloid magazine and believe all the false crap they put in them.
I loathe the American way. To take the title of a Queen song,
"Is this the world we created?"
Even better, come to Scotland!
It rains, it rains more, and it's cold!
And you get to eat great Scottish food like Pizza's, Curry's, Chinese Take Away's etc.
Great Fun!
It rains, it rains more, and it's cold!
And you get to eat great Scottish food like Pizza's, Curry's, Chinese Take Away's etc.
Great Fun!
In a country with a complete moron as president, whrere stadiums sell out with dumb monstertruck races, i am not surprised they don't get the finesse of Queen...
I thought George Bush was their President?
Even better, come to Scotland!
It rains, it rains more, and it's cold!
I was there in January and froze my ass off. It wasn't the actual temp, it was the icy cold wind that gets ya..brrrrrr..
Feels good blowing up yer kilt though lass.
Pieter you gave such a picture in my dirty little head, honey!
Now just STOP THAT!
Now just STOP THAT!
I want to live in England! No fair, but no, I have to be a crappy American with no British acent. Damn. I hate America.
exactly how i feel...i am moving there, oh yes! *shifty eyes* but seriously, once i get out of High School, me and my friend are moving there...hopefully.
Because America sucks and are stupid.
Hello! I'm from the States! Am I stupid?!
Feels good blowing up yer kilt though lass.
To do list for the Meadowlands tailgate party: Set up blocks of ice and strategically placed exhaust fans.
Feels good blowing up yer kilt though lass.
To do list for the Meadowlands tailgate party: Set up blocks of ice and strategically placed exhaust fans.
*LOL*!!
All these UK men are just upset homosexuals, its ok.
The problem with American culture as a whole is the widespread disease we know as marketing and advertising. We sell, sell, sell in America and it's not about offering the best product. It's about offering the most profitable product. You can't just be a good musician, you have to be cool, have an edge or be one of the beautiful people.
Movie studios edit so many films again and again, not to make them better but to get a PG rating so that more people will see it. We recycle plots, themes and jokes over and over again because idiots keep laughing at them(how many fucking times must I see in a movie: a) someone run into a wall or get hit by some random object as a gag b) someone unwittingly eat or drink something that the audience saw get tainted, but they don't know. DURR!!!!). Clint Eastwood once said that marketing is a warped concept. Don't try and figure out what the audience likes and wants. Make a good film and your audience will come to you. It's so sad that on the movieguide website for Dallas, two 10 film lists are next to each other. One is the top ten highest grossing films, the other 10 are the critically acclaimed films. What's so freaking sad is that there is on average only 1 film at a time that would be on both lists. We focus so much of our art and culture around children. It makes one really hate kids at times.
Leaving Queen out, what says it all in comparison are the two bands that seem to top the 2 countries. Leaving out Queen, the Beatles are England's prize and for the USA, probably the biggest is the Eagles. These perfectly represent their nation's musical culture as a whole. One band is inventive, creative, full of energy and has such a wide variety of sounds from album to album and song to song. The other is some lame ass, dry as dirt, all their shit sounds alike, overrated, wattered down band that focuses their music on soulfully singing meaningful lyrics. The Beatles had better lyrics, they just realized what everyone seems to have forgotten these days: Lyrics are lyrics but it is the instrumentation and sound that makes music. The Eagles have hits that seem like they wrote the musical part in half and hour. The Beatles(and especially Queen) seem like they spend weeks just recording one song.
I'm rambling now. The bottom line is that as long as we keep buying the shit they sell us, it will never get better. Like the great Bill Hicks said 15 years ago, "Debbie Gibson had the number one best selling album in America this year. Now if that doesn't make your blood fucking curdle!"
Movie studios edit so many films again and again, not to make them better but to get a PG rating so that more people will see it. We recycle plots, themes and jokes over and over again because idiots keep laughing at them(how many fucking times must I see in a movie: a) someone run into a wall or get hit by some random object as a gag b) someone unwittingly eat or drink something that the audience saw get tainted, but they don't know. DURR!!!!). Clint Eastwood once said that marketing is a warped concept. Don't try and figure out what the audience likes and wants. Make a good film and your audience will come to you. It's so sad that on the movieguide website for Dallas, two 10 film lists are next to each other. One is the top ten highest grossing films, the other 10 are the critically acclaimed films. What's so freaking sad is that there is on average only 1 film at a time that would be on both lists. We focus so much of our art and culture around children. It makes one really hate kids at times.
Leaving Queen out, what says it all in comparison are the two bands that seem to top the 2 countries. Leaving out Queen, the Beatles are England's prize and for the USA, probably the biggest is the Eagles. These perfectly represent their nation's musical culture as a whole. One band is inventive, creative, full of energy and has such a wide variety of sounds from album to album and song to song. The other is some lame ass, dry as dirt, all their shit sounds alike, overrated, wattered down band that focuses their music on soulfully singing meaningful lyrics. The Beatles had better lyrics, they just realized what everyone seems to have forgotten these days: Lyrics are lyrics but it is the instrumentation and sound that makes music. The Eagles have hits that seem like they wrote the musical part in half and hour. The Beatles(and especially Queen) seem like they spend weeks just recording one song.
I'm rambling now. The bottom line is that as long as we keep buying the shit they sell us, it will never get better. Like the great Bill Hicks said 15 years ago, "Debbie Gibson had the number one best selling album in America this year. Now if that doesn't make your blood fucking curdle!"