Musical Elitism?

So, I've been thinking a long time about this post the last week or two, but the last 12 or so days have been totally hectic. Between working a 10 day streak and the four gigs I had last week, it was a wonder I found time to eat and sleep properly. Oh wait, I didn't... oh well, so it goes.

Before all the crazy happened, my brain was kick started by this post from Alex W. Rodriguez. It was a pretty lighthearted piece, and I didn't dwell on it long until I stumbled across a particular documentary on Hulu.

Firstly, if you haven't watched Before the Music Dies, do so right now. I mean it, stop reading and watch all of it. Mainly because it is eyeopening, but also because this post was born of my thoughts after seeing it fully for the first time.

I remember some years ago while visiting with a friend, someone had brought the documentary over and I had watched the first 45 minutes or so. That had been enough to stick with me for close to four years, but when I discovered (it's amazing what you will find while researching bands on youtube) that it was free to watch whenever I wanted on the internet, I was overjoyed. More importantly however, the film's relevance to me had changed completely.

Four years ago I didn't play in a band I could consider my own. I didn't really understand the time commitment and mental effort it took to play with a group that wanted to succeed professionally. I wasn't spending most Sundays working eight hours and eating quickly before going to a 3-4 hour rehearsal. I didn't play 4 gigs in a week, I wasn't writing music. I hadn't been to a sound check in my life, nor was I playing gigs that went over four hours in length. So while the documentary by Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen was incredibly interesting to me, I didn't connect with it as I did now.

One of the things I came away asking myself was, "What makes quality music?" The main concern of the filmmakers was the rapid decline in the quality of the current pop music and musicians. To explain this decline they pointed to Clear Channel and pop radio as the culprits. I can totally agree with them on this end, and I started looking more closely around me at the music my peers were listening to.

I already knew most of my fellow music heads could be just as opinionated as I, but what intrigued me was their knowledge and open enjoyment of the pop music industry. Do they look at Telephone they same way they do a piece by Mozart or Brahms? Not that I can tell, but they often find an equal amount of short term enjoyment in it. Lia often says, "it's catchy, don't judge it so quickly. People enjoy this rhythmic style." And both she and Kim like to listen to Beyonce (Play Put a Ring on It and they go nuts). These are young, intelligent musicians with degrees in performance and education, and perhaps that is something Shapter and Rasmussen overlooked.

I understand the filmmakers intent, and I completely agree with their take on the industry and radio. I can't stand to listen to Z100 or 107.5 for more than ten minutes, but it isn't always because of the music. Part of the argument presented by Before the Music Dies is the influence of advertisement and the advent of playlists on radio stations. It was interesting to hear about a time when local DJ's were popular and radio stations had a hometown feel to them. I also recognize the lack of substance in much of the pop world. Branford Marsalis says in the film, "The reality is that superficiality is in, and depth and quality is kind of out." Listening in on pop radio today, you can hear what he's talking about.


I was left thinking that my fellow music majors and I were the only ones left on earth who didn't listen to pop radio. So I set out, as the filmmakers had, to find people around me who enjoyed other kinds of music. Like the documentary, I didn't look far.

I started with my coworkers. Working in the electronics industry, we're exposed every day to the pop elements by way of the car stereos and speaker systems that are always on during store hours. It seemed to go 50/50. Some care little about music, concerning themselves more with the cultural aspect of pop radio. A few seem to genuinely like Jay-Z and Usher, as well as most of the songs on the radio, but I would hear one common complaint: "I'm tired of hearing this song." The other half are really invested in their music. One of my coworkers owns a few hundred records that he is in the process of converting. I was amazed, because as he is relatively close in age to myself it was apparent that he had gone out of the way to collect a obsolete form of recording. Why? Because he liked the sound of vinyl better. Another coworker and I spent the better half of a shift talking about what he finds enjoyable in music. Chris the Comcast rep is a reggae nut, but enjoys a wide variety of non-pop music, from rock to funk.

When the Phunkestra opened for the B*Side Players, I was happy to note the group of fans who were there, singing along with the San Diego based band. It is evident that people want to hear substantial music, as the film points out. But does that mean anything and everything on pop radio or coming from Sony Records or written by Lady Gaga is to be deemed superficial? I will always be skeptical, but I would hate to jump on something that way.

I'd be really interested to hear what everyone thinks. I know I don't have a ton of readers, but I feel like this is a subject that everyone who cares about music should be talking about with each other and friends. What is music with substance to you? Do you shun pop radio? What makes a great band or artist?

I leave you with my substance for the week.

EDIT: It's now open for commenting for anyone.