Is it me or is the current music scene CRAP!

[Spoombung]

In my experience people who say there's no good music anymore are no longer looking. They don't follow the leads, don't take the tips, don't go to gigs, don't listen to records and don't buy music mags anymore. They have tired ears, large mortgages and (usually) one or more children.

[TimR]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='467089' date='Apr 19 2009, 11:07 PM']In my experience people who say there's no good music anymore are no longer looking. They don't follow the leads, don't take the tips, don't go to gigs, don't listen to records and don't buy music mags anymore. They have tired ears, large mortgages and (usually) one or more children.[/quote]

You are correct. I've been to several originals bands gigs recently.
However, to prove I'm the exception to the rule. I have 2 out of the 3 (and my ears are starting to get tired of hearing bands who only do loud and fast), but I have internet and know how to keep a diary. I can get out when the (2) kids have gone to bed.

Edited April 20, 2009 by TimR

[4000]

[quote name='OldGit' post='466899' date='Apr 19 2009, 07:01 PM']I don't think Blackpool is unusual or you are alone here.
Everyone is having a financially hard time..

You playing for nothing does not mean it costs the venue nothing to put you on.
They still have to pay the rent etc, and the staff.

The thing that many bands don't understand is the opportunity costs.
That's the difference between you playing and attracting no one and costing them a night's costs with no profit, and them having a covers band ram the place and them making a shedload of profit and thus staying in business another day.

Good luck getting one of the originals gigs.
Let us know how it goes..[/quote]

The venue is already paying the rent and staff whether we're there or not. I've been doing this for nearly 30 years so I do have a vague idea how it works. As I've already said, we're happy to support someone else, anybody, which means they can have their cake and eat it. They also tend to have covers bands on at weekends anyway, and used to have originals bands one night in the week, which most have stopped doing, so we're not strictly speaking competing with the cover bands anyway so that argument doesn't stand up. Oh, and we've never played a local venue where [i]less[/i] people have turned up as a consequence of us playing, so that's not it either. For the most part, they just don't want to take a chance. It's like the old job chestnut; need a job but no experience. No experience, can't get job. In this case, need audience, can't get gig; no gig, no audience.

I don't know if I posted this earlier, but we once played a week night when a major festival was on and many of the people we knew were away at said festival. That night we had an audience of about 20 or so. The pub we played never, ever got more than 5 people in on any night during the week (it was round the corner from my mate's). We were told we hadn't pulled enough punters so we couldn't have another gig, despite the fact we'd pulled 15 more people than he would have had otherwise in less than ideal circumstances. The pub closed a year or so later.

[Stan_da_man]

[quote name='AM1' post='463445' date='Apr 15 2009, 10:05 PM']That's exactly what I mean by commercialised. It's not about talent, it's about marketability. The quality is dire...unless you really, really dig around.

All the bands I liked as a teenager are what I'm still listening to! Purely because there's so little around that can match up it in terms of musicality.

Music isn't about talent now, it's about sex/marketing as others said, f***ing depressing.

I can't remember the last time I listened to a signed band and got excited by what I heard. Probably 1995.

This is a truly crap time for good music, compared to the late 80s/early 90s..[/quote]
Do you know hold old this is making you sound?

[grumble]

Cant see what the fuss is about, music always had a 'not like the choons when I were a lad' aspect. I'm 53 years old and yet I keep finding stuff coming into the charts every once in a while that is quality. I also delve into the Internet radio stations which has led to me enjoying a lot of Arabic music as well as some grunge etc. that I missed the first time around. Don't complain about the stuff around today when you can listen to [url="http://www.mrscruff.com"]Mr Scruff[/url] !! There is so much out there its scary.
Oh and I loathe Radio 2

[MacDaddy]

what we have today is no different, as many have already pointed out, except that today there are better quality budget instruments, which is good as more people playing. Also it's easier to get better quality recordings on a budget, which is good as more people writing and recording. The internet has made distribution and access to music available to anyone who can record.

The downside is that because of the ease of access and the number of people doing it, there is a lot of crap out there. There has always been crap out there, but perhaps today it's more noticeable because there are greaters numbers able to put a product out for public consumption.

[YouMa]

[quote name='grumble' post='467980' date='Apr 20 2009, 10:52 PM']Cant see what the fuss is about, music always had a 'not like the choons when I were a lad' aspect. I'm 53 years old and yet I keep finding stuff coming into the charts every once in a while that is quality. I also delve into the Internet radio stations which has led to me enjoying a lot of Arabic music as well as some grunge etc. that I missed the first time around. Don't complain about the stuff around today when you can listen to [url="http://www.mrscruff.com"]Mr Scruff[/url] !! There is so much out there its scary.
Oh and I loathe Radio 2 [/quote]


+10 for Mr scruff ,trouser jazz is a brilliant album.

Edited April 21, 2009 by YouMa

[OldGit]

[quote name='4000' post='467785' date='Apr 20 2009, 07:46 PM']The venue is already paying the rent and staff whether we're there or not. I've been doing this for nearly 30 years so I do have a vague idea how it works. As I've already said, we're happy to support someone else, anybody, which means they can have their cake and eat it. They also tend to have covers bands on at weekends anyway, and used to have originals bands one night in the week, which most have stopped doing, so we're not strictly speaking competing with the cover bands anyway so that argument doesn't stand up. Oh, and we've never played a local venue where [i]less[/i] people have turned up as a consequence of us playing, so that's not it either. For the most part, they just don't want to take a chance. It's like the old job chestnut; need a job but no experience. No experience, can't get job. In this case, need audience, can't get gig; no gig, no audience.

I don't know if I posted this earlier, but we once played a week night when a major festival was on and many of the people we knew were away at said festival. That night we had an audience of about 20 or so. The pub we played never, ever got more than 5 people in on any night during the week (it was round the corner from my mate's). We were told we hadn't pulled enough punters so we couldn't have another gig, despite the fact we'd pulled 15 more people than he would have had otherwise in less than ideal circumstances. The pub closed a year or so later.[/quote]


Ok, I'll shuddup now
Seriously, let us know how it goes blagging a gig ..

[wotnwhy]

it's you

the music scene is not crap, it's thriving. there are just as many exciting bands about now as there ever were. music is being pushed and innovated the same rate as ever.

yes the commercial scene is growing, but thats because commercial music is what people WANT. i know it's hard for people who are into REAL music to understand, but for the vast majority of people music is just something they want in the backround, or a simple 'doop-de-doo' melody with predictable, easy to remember lyrics to sing along to. and these are the people who go out and buy singles, and who listen to radio 1. which means this is the pap that is fed down our throats all day on TV and Radio. but it doesn't mean thats all thats out there.

if you need some inspiration:

Jehst or Dr Syntax - forerunners of UK hip-hop, modern poetry to some of the freshest beats being produced by REAL people.
Ed Solo & Skool of Thought - proving that electronic dance music is much MUCH more than dull, repetitive thuds for drugged up twats
Jamie Lidell - REAL pop
Soil & Pimp Sessions - Still pushing jazz
Flight of the Conchords - comedy music at it's finest
Jazzsteppa - big band dubstep, ultimate power music!
Bjork - needs no description
Plus-Tech Squeeze Box - Japanese craziness at it's absolute finest
Murray Lachlan Young - Spoken word. funny, witty, thought provoking. does a lot of literacy work with children too
Donavon Frankenreiter - Surf pop by a pro surfer, with a moustache
Joanna Newsom - harp and voice. compelling and utterly moving
Youngblood Brass Band - modern brass band who not only know their roots, but use them
Easy Star All Stars - Dub/Reggae re-workers of classic albums
Mr Scruff - DJ and all round 'nice man'. Brings a 'nice tea' stall to festivals he plays
The New Master Sounds - Classic jazz funk with modern twists

[risingson]

Above post = great, love the YB brass band, Bjork and Mr. Scruff especially.

I think a lot of older musicians are used to hearing stuff from back when they were first absorbing music, and are sometimes not always willing to accept the new and unfamiliar... or to put it a better way, are less compelled seek out newer music, and therefore can make generalisations such as 'all new music is crap'. I'm not saying that accounts for every older person, I know my Dad is still really open to new music even now, but I do think that it's a relevant point.

[4000]

[quote name='OldGit' post='468134' date='Apr 21 2009, 09:48 AM']Ok, I'll shuddup now
Seriously, let us know how it goes blagging a gig ..[/quote]

Yeah, I'll shuddup too. You know it's time to stop when you're even boring yourself!

[steve-soar]

[quote name='AM1' post='463379' date='Apr 15 2009, 08:46 PM']Yeah - as the question goes, is the music scene at an all time low??

Online downloading just seems to have killed off bands making money and even touring bands are not exactly rolling in it.

Why are there no new decent bands appearing??

The music scene is SO commercialised now, it's depressing.

Any thoughts...am I alone in feeling like this?[/quote]
No, it's just you.
Touring bands have never been rolling in it, only the big draws make big money.
There are decent band appearing every day.
The music "scene" which you describe is commercial, that's because you listen to commercial music.

Edited April 21, 2009 by steve-soar

[steve-soar]

Jamie Lidell, an absolute talent, check out his Supercollider stuff.

Lady GaGa, is what Madonna would always have wanted to be like, articulate, classically trained and sexy as f***.

[ashevans09]

In a word, no.

As has been said before good music hasn't died, it's just lower prices and the internet have made mediocre music more accessible. Search among the rubble.

[jmstone]

[quote name='ashevans09' post='469195' date='Apr 22 2009, 12:19 AM']In a word, no.

As has been said before good music hasn't died, it's just lower prices and the internet have made mediocre music more accessible. Search among the rubble.[/quote]


.. and of course, the most mediocre is the most accessible of all! (as always)

[alexclaber]

[quote name='steve-soar' post='469179' date='Apr 21 2009, 11:57 PM']Jamie Lidell, an absolute talent, check out his Supercollider stuff.

Lady GaGa, is what Madonna would always have wanted to be like...[/quote]

Both very impressive, his production is fantastic and she can really boogie on them keys!

Alex

[Deep Thought]

[quote name='steve-soar' post='469179' date='Apr 21 2009, 11:57 PM']Lady GaGa, is what Madonna would always have wanted to be like, articulate, classically trained and sexy as f***.[/quote]

Yep, completely agree. I have a feeling she's going to be huge.

As long as I can remember, the vast majority of music has done little for me-not saying it's crap, one man's meat etc. -and amongst all that has been a tiny minority of stuff that I've loved. I don't think things are any different today-although I will say that I seem to like a lot more 'mainstream' music than I used to-see comment above-perhaps that's just me.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='steve-soar' post='469179' date='Apr 21 2009, 11:57 PM']Lady GaGa, is what Madonna would always have wanted to be like, articulate, classically trained and sexy as f***.[/quote]


What?!!!!!

Have you seen her norks? They're like a pair of spaniels ears. And she's got a face like a rabbit.