I put these two forms of music in the same category: Crap. Bad. Worthless. Fad.
Both are created without instruments and mostly by digital methods. Both are overly hyped and marketed through cheesy methods. Both make for terrible, terrible live performances. Both will burn out in due time.
Some of the most popular examples of both swipe style, content, melody from other genres and artists under the guise of “sampling”. Now, I realize the plenty of rock musicians “borrow” from and sound a lot like other rock musicians. But in rock’s highest form, they try not to.
I am perpetually concerned about the ignorance of most of society over what is good, and what is crap music. I’ve been listening to a lot of jazz and classical in my car too and from work, and that’s good. Most of the music I listen to at work is good. Most of “pop” music is bad, and not created from a genuine desire to make good music for people. When the desire behind a person’s creativity swings over to money-making or pimping your ride, the credibility of the creative output hits the crapper.
It’s the motivation behind the music that I look for in good music. Why’d you record “My Humps”? Probably not for the same reason Ian Mackaye recorded “Waiting Room”. It’s not hard to see the difference. One is cheesy and fraught with bad intentions of ripping people off for as much money as possible. The other was created from real emotion and with no other motivation than to express true feelings with musical talent. One song deserves ridicule, and the other deserves praise. But instead, one gets massive airplay to the point of brainwashing people into humming the crap they hear. And the other is respected within tight circles for it’s complete purity.
Some music straddles the line, and this is the line of purity. It’s the line between making music for fun and making music for money. Modest Mouse now falls in this category as money becomes as bigger motivator than creative credibility. Some bands quit when they arrive at the line of purity, some take it much much further. Two examples of taking it too far are the bands Aerosmith and Pearl Jam, continuing to play with no other motivation than milking past success. When your past success is clearly the best you’re ever going to do, hang up the road show and take up knitting. And don’t fool yourself into thinking your last album pushed the limits again. Don’t lie to yourself, it’s embarrassing.
I am positive that reading this will piss a bunch of you off. “Hey, I like rap, and I buy ringtones every once in a while. Why is he making me feel bad?”. It’s not about you, or your feelings. It’s about the music and it’s about building a broader awareness of crap. Everyone needs a reminder every now and then that we’re constantly being brainwashed by marketing and media to believe in crap, to listen to crap, to eat crap and to buy crap. Don’t do it.
There’s nothing better than the loud rock purity of Butt Pie. And there’s nothing worse than Ringtones and (c)Rap. Don’t be afraid to change your mind when you know it’s right.
15 responses so far ↓
1 Cris // Apr 6, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Chuck D.
2 Vince // Apr 6, 2007 at 7:32 pm
VH-1?
PS: Meghan is watching the Beastie Boys live at WK Founder’s Day right now.
3 J. O'Shea // Apr 6, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Vin, you change your mind.
I can’t believe a music lover like you dismisses all of hip hop so easily. You should at least respect it while simultaneously loathing it as I do to Eric Clapton.
This one’s been brewing for a while.
The people who started hip hop weren’t in it for the bling. They were trying to move bodies.
During the recent induction of the first rap group to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame (how do you feel about that one?), one of the Furious Five questioned what was up with all the bullshit in today’s hip hop. I’m not saying that popular rap hasn’t needed a face lift for about 15 years. It is stale sometimes. Espeically videos.
I agree that large number of current hip hop artists are light on the talent and very heavy on the marketing. But, when the talent is at the top level, rap and hip hop can be amazing music.
You need more sampling. Listen to Girl Talk’s Night Ripper. A truly amazing album with about 30 seconds of original music. The way he puts parts of such different songs together in a way that creates a totally unique, cohesive, and addictive album is unbelievable. Notorious B.I.G. over “Tiny Dancer” is out of this world. It gives me the chills.
The Melvins are to me what all of hip hop is to you. I’ll never get it.
Always make bad shows? I’ve never seen people react to music like they reacted to KRS-ONE.
The Roots live (with their live instruments) would be terrible? C’mon.
The Fugazi show with you in Montreal is in my top 5 of all time.
Seeing Low tomorrow night. Should be very intense.
You’re missing out. I’m going to send you some hip hop and you can’t listen to anything else for a couple weeks.
Fuck ringtones. I’ve always preferred vibrations.
J
P.S. Rush is good music. Mix Master Mike did a great scratch routine with “Tom Sawyer” at the beginning of some Beastie Boys shows. You should check out a recording of it. I bet you’d love it.
4 Vince // Apr 6, 2007 at 8:03 pm
You are the Midnight commenter. Can’t stand vibrations. Shem would kick my ass right now…
5 LG // Apr 6, 2007 at 8:12 pm
you made me want to listen to Fugazi. nice one.
have you seen the pick of destiny?
6 Johnny Bowles // Apr 6, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Damn, Vince.
Damn.
The whole thing about music is that it moves you. No judgement, no rules, no shit. Of course there’s a lot of what we hear as totally craptrastic junk out there, but just because we think it sucks doesn’t mean it’s not the tits to someone else.
It ain’t all easy to peg, either. Just as a weird example, who woulda thunk that I would be a big All Saints fan — no joke. That shit is tight — listen to “Pure Shores.” Bunch of silly Brit girls, right? Fuck that — that song is awesome. Love it, no apologies. Or check out Anastacia, if you want to get some bitchcakes white-girl soul. Lady rocks it like Taylor Dayne. And you know I still prefer Sabbath to pretty much anything else, but at least I’m open to crazy different shit.
So ends my rant,
xxoo
jpb
7 Johnny Bowles // Apr 6, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Of course, given the choice, Repeater on constant repeat would be optimal…
8 Cris // Apr 7, 2007 at 9:03 am
Chuck D. Vin, not Flavor Flav.
9 Vince // Apr 9, 2007 at 10:53 am
Rap is dead. And it’s not just me sayin’.
10 J. O'Shea // Apr 9, 2007 at 12:41 pm
You and Nas always speak in unison.
You’ve got me fired up about this one.
“One is cheesy and fraught with bad intentions of ripping people off for as much money as possible. The other was created from real emotion and with no other motivation than to express true feelings with musical talent. One song deserves ridicule, and the other deserves praise. But instead, one gets massive airplay to the point of brainwashing people into humming the crap they hear. And the other is respected within tight circles for it’s complete purity.”
Rock music and hip hop could be either of those two music types.
Which type would KISS be?
The Low show on Saturday was amazing. Those are two of the best voices in music and prolly the best combo right now. Listen to Take Your Time on their new album.
You’re down on rap, but indie rock and “punk” are just as much of a total joke now. A lot of those all-black clothing wearing, spiky belt bands are as funny as the hip hop parodies on Saturday Night Live.
You should check out Unwound. No longer together but people lost their shit out there about that band when they were together. I think you’d be into them.
Listen to “Britney’s Silver Can” from James Kochalka’s recent album. A 3-minute outro with a beautifully repeated “Justin Timberlake” refrain. Pure genius.
Don’t listen to anything except M.I.A’s “Arular” for a couple weeks. It’s an amazing album that is sure to bring out your inner hoochie mama.
Even Ian McKaye wants you to listen to different music.
Take me to CMJ again.
J
11 Vince // Apr 10, 2007 at 5:28 am
Bad music is bad music. Kiss made some, everyone makes some. I have never found a great rap “song”. I do listen to different music, and none of it will ever be called rap, fusion, hip, hop, twee, infused, bubblegum, pop, or easy. Cope says to listen to “The Sword”, best he’s heard in 10 years.
PS: Nothing was better than our radio shows, J. And thanks for hooking me into Archers of Loaf.
12 g-lo // Apr 10, 2007 at 11:02 am
My Humps?
13 J. O'Shea // May 21, 2007 at 11:53 am
I can’t believe you spoke ill of Eddie and Pearl Jam. Your bro Nick was hurt by that. Eddie loves music, surfing, trying to help others, and trying to bring down effed governments. That’s a lot more than I can say for a lot of us.
Archers of Loaf – 1 of the top 5 bands of all time. The others are AC/DC, The Clash, Beasties, and the Dead Kennedys.
Zeppelin, Public Enemy, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, the Replacements, and Sonic Youth (?) would prolly round out the top 10, in no particular order.
I love your blog.
Peace.
14 Vince // May 21, 2007 at 5:40 pm
You suck at hating music, man.
15 Shem // Jan 14, 2010 at 7:56 am
Vince,
I’ll try not to rant here.
Hip Hop and Rap are not a fad.
Most of today’s Rap is formulaic and self righteous.
However, like any “genre” of music; there are true gems and true road apples that make you feel something…good or bad.
Yesterday, I listened to fIREHOSE (which I haven’t done in years), Jay Z, and Tchaikovsky.
How’s that for diversity?
Challenge your ears and your mind.
Shem
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