We need to come up with new revolutionary music. Many bands today claim to be revolutionary, but they aren't really. They are called revolutionary because only two people have heard of them, not because they're musically different. We need to do something new here.
We need to start with classical music. Why is it that classical music are mostly played on piano or on string instruments? Why can't we throw in an electric guitar? Maybe more youths will be drawn to "real music" if we do this. Steal a typical youth's iPod and you'll see that it's full of junk. How could they even call that noise "music"?
As for our revolutionary rock bands, we need to turn them upside down. Why do rock bands always consist of guitar, bass, keyboard, and drum? Why can't we use new instruments? We should replace the drum with a xylophone. The music would have a nicer ring to it. Then we should replace the keyboard with an accordion. I sat through an accordion performance last night and found out that accordions are surprisingly cool. They made me feel just like at a festival. We should also drop the guitar for an ukulele (they look similar). As for the alternative to bass, let's go with a triangle. If you can make a successful rock music using these instruments, then you should be proud.
Then there's the problem of matching a melody with the lyrics. Why is it that bubblegum melodies always go with lovey-dovey lyrics? Why can't we have something new? Why can't we use a bubblegum melody for a song that talks about suicide? Anyway, why can't all the black guys switch place with the white blonde girls? Maybe mainstream music videos would be more interesting once the black guys start wearing tights, dancing seductively, and breathing sexily through the entire song. Similarly, all the white blonde girls should show that they can rap better than Natalie Portman.
Sounds a lot like my blog. I actually thought about this when we talked about rap music in my class. I have so many problems with it. I don't see the artistry in the music or the lyrics personally. But, I thought, "how cool would it
be if a rap group were a 'tribute band' to Virgil and they sung/rapped Virgil's Aeneid or something unconventional like that". That would be pretty much the most awesome thing ever. The same thing with the way women or people in general write music(and sing for that matter) in the music industry. It would be great if people were encouraged to go out and find inspiration in unconventional things and used unconventional song structures like Iambic meter or Petrarchan verse. Of course, I wouldn't wnat someone to write about what I want them to write about. It would have to start by one group/artist/band teaching others, by action, that people don't have to write about the same 'experiences' or play music the same way. Also, it would be awesome if people were influenced to find the sort of music which fit their music. I thought it would be cool if a group traveled to Romania and had some sort of gypsy band play these ancient instruments in their music. Or something like that. This has happened on an nonmainstream level but not yet on the mainstream level.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR
Awesome. I'd like to see someone do a literature-based rap.
This white guy in my building blazed through a rap he composed ABOUT HAMLET. It was amazingly brilliant; it rocked my socks off and then back on again.
A somewhat revolutionary group of musicians that fits everProg's criteria is Anathallo; they are sort of progressive/indie rock/folk, and use two sets of glockenspiels, a trombone and some other brass instrument I can't identify, huge marching band drums, and chains and such, even live (as well as the other standard rock instruments). I saw them play tonight in NJ; fantastic. here they are:
http://www.myspace.com/anathallo
the Trans-Siberia orchestra and Ludacris are execrable.
Finally, I dream of forming a band. I play the guitar. We'd play rock music that sounds like classical music. Check back with me in a few years?
Michael Allen Yarbrough (PBUH)
Uhm...am I mistaken or was your name Goosebumpsfan? I could've sworn that was your name when I replied to this thread.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR
Ha. Maybe it's time that you get your eyes checked. :S
:p
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR
You have to look but it's out there. There are alot of revolutionary musci things going on (the trans-siberian orchestra is one of the closest things to crazy different), violinists plying rock, and if you listen hard enough alot of classical beats are being used in rap music. Ludacris uses some beethoven i think.
To be true,I just want to here some music that actually means someting again.
Have a nice day!
-Mossi
You have to look but it's out there. There are alot of revolutionary musci things going on (the trans-siberian orchestra is one of the closest things to crazy different), violinists plying rock, and if you listen hard enough alot of classical beats are being used in rap music. Ludacris uses some beethoven i think.
To be true,I just want to here some music that actually means someting again.
Have a nice day!
-Mossi
Perhaps, but we need to work on making them more popular.
The music these days, is so bad. Its virtually unlistenable
Maybe you shouldn't have relied on the virtual.
Wouldn't folk rap be awesome? I also thought about that in my class how awesome it would be to see someone rap something with an Irish/Medieval flair (Like She/He Moved Through the Fair)and with the whole whistles and bag pipes and such.
Music should mean being openly original, though. It's not something you should feel you have to hide. Also, I don't see why musicians can't CREATE their own music, instead of "sampling" others works. Why not create your own short sonata to rival Betthoven. Ok, well not rival. But just to create your own stuff. I don't think the fact that someone uses someone elses work excuses the original discussion brought up
I think the music industry needs a makeover.
If you want revolutionary try Sigur Ros or Michael Pitt's project Pagoda(on his official page)
The first time I downloaded one of their songs(Sigur Ros), I listed the song as something from Motzart. I couldn't remember who sung it for a while.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR
agreed. folk rap would be somethin else. and while using classical beats in a rap song could be considered 'revolutionary', it's not original. I totally hate hearing remakes of songs too, does it bother anyone else? to me, if you have to sing someone else's song instead of writing your own, you aren't really a musician.
Why would there even be "remakes of songs"? A remake of a movie would be understandable, but a remake of a song?
"if you have to sing someone else's song instead of writing your own, you aren't really a musician."
Not really. Some people are good songwriters but terrible singers. I'm still undecided as to what kind of person would qualify to be a "musician." I'm gonna look at the dictionary now.
Covers aren't bad but the problem is that most artist put out album after and album of 10 or however #-song insertions of no more than sampled music. In fact, most mainstream artist/groups don't even write their own music. A lot of the music companies help them with writing the lyrics. I don't see how someone could build up a catalogue of 20+ unorginal songs and feel like an acomplished musician/songwriter. Especially since a lot of mainstream acts also usually don't have a hand in the composition of music.
I, for one, hate remakes of movies. Think of all the production work that goes into movies. What a waste of time, money, and resources.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR
I can't help but think you are just too lazy to troll through some crap to find the diamonds out there. And what is wrong with some good, basic rock and roll anyway? I just wish I could hear some guitars instead of all the drums bands use now.
A more popular band that I would consider revolutionary - Modest Mouse. Listen good and carefully. Those melodies are actually two guitars banging out nearly random notes and non-musical chords that combine to create a musical sound. It is a fucking work of genius to get something listenable from that. Plus they put the banjo back in popular music.
BTW, we already did the orchestra/classical/rock thing. It was called prog rock. Check out King Chrimson or Rush or Yes. They mostly made music for themselves and got pompous though. King Crimson plays in some of the weirdest time signatures.
Search YouTube for "no fun fest" It ain't music, but I think it might count as revolutionary.
Check out Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds for light lovey melodies coupled to songs about beating your lover to death with a rock because, "all beauty must die." From the song They Call Me the Wild Rose.
Plenty of industrial bands have been using random scrap and power tools to create music of all stripes, from scary noise to haunting textural landscapes.
Aphex Twin has done some incredibly interesting stuff with analog recording and loopings.
Doctor Nerve- Frank Zappa influence + Thrash metal + Jazz = freaking amazing.
Oh, and ukeleles are fucking lame.
Res ipsa loquitur.
memor mori, mahalo.
Can't you see I'm too busy doing and thinking about important things to do my own homework? Appreciate the recommendations. Thanks.
This response was for Dr. Gonzalo.
BUT, I think the original discussion was how we want to find a way to influence mainstream artist/groups/bands to make music that is as artsy as the artist/g/b that are out there but not publicized.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR
You can't really influence an artist except through support or by making art yourself. The best answer to me would be to alter the structure of the industry. Right now the industry treats music as a mine. It digs through the most promising and accesible purveyors of a certain kind of music until we are sick of it and then moves on to the next group of big groups. Look at bands like Hawthorn(e?) Heights. They are awful, but they are emo-core so they get a deal. Luckily we have bands like Fallout Boy to off set them, but the industry will just throw out Killers and Fallout Boy clones until they can't find anymore.
Basically nobody knows what will sell so once they find something that does they are afraid to leave that pattern until it isn't making money anymore. You want artier music, buy artier music and the record companies will follow. When indie bands sell a lot of records or have a lot of success they tend to get major record deals. Mostly arty stuff is blips on the radar of majors because the money makers can't find other bands to fit the mold. Who the hell else sounds like Modest Mouse?
Res ipsa loquitur.
memor mori, mahalo.
I don't believe that. In some ways I think it has to do with the way our society is structured. American society. Although pop/rap/etc. is the popular type of music in other countries, it is not as widespread as it is in our nation. The vocal style may still be present but I see a lot more creativity and artistry with music and lyrics and even voice. For some reason, I think it has to do with education. If you take, uhm, trying to come up with a name from thin air, well there's this Norwegian folk group called Gaate. The band(including a female) were about 14 years old when they began. They are AMAZING. You have to wonder how did they(these young kids) end up playing the sort of music they did. I think it's not so much a culture issue as it is an education issue. I bet kids over in that country learn about mythology and have contacts with things that we don't over here in the U.Ss. The same can be said for other countries. So, in a way, I think that the education system influences people and how they make decisions when they go out into the world. Maybe the old stereotype that kids aren't interested in those kinds of things influence how people make music too. A lot of factors go in. Maybe if there were courses on ancient cultures/mythology/ etc. I'm blabbing now and not really coherent. But I think that people can be influenced. But first, as you said, the structure has to change.
I fear no man(Nazgul)...i'm no man(Eowyn) -LoTR