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From: adolph@ssc-vax.UUCP (Mark Adolph)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: The disdain for newer music
Message-ID: <277@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 17-Dec-84 18:37:54 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.277
Posted: Mon Dec 17 18:37:54 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Dec-84 02:27:51 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 54

*** YOUR MESSAGE ***

How many times have you heard/read one of the following?

	"I like their old stuff much better."
	"They've really sold out."
	"They were better before they became so famous."

While this is true in some cases (Manhattan Transfer?), I submit that in
many cases this is an expression partially of elitism and partially of a
Reaganesque feeling that `nothing can be as good as the old days', rather
than a fair appraisal of the music.

Think about it.  Is there not a certain pride in being able to introduce someone
else to some hitherto unknown group, and have that person recognize along with 
you that this music, although not widely acclaimed, is very good stuff.  It's
the same sort of thinking that keeps big city residents searching for "their
little hangout".  One can also sit safely back and assure oneself that while
the masses are placating themselves with Duran Duran and Michael Jackson,
you are reaching a higher plane by listening to Electro & The Quantum Leaps,
a group out of North Platt, Nebraska who are destined to be the biggest thing
since the automatic transmission (at which time, they can safely be accused of 
selling out), as soon as everyone else wakes up and realizes what YOU have
known all along.  

Then again, how many songs bring back memories?  I, for one, have very strong
and specific memories whenever I hear Earth, Wind & Fire do "September", but 
haven't bought one of their albums in years.  Has their music really changed,
or am I unwilling to accept that anything could compete with those memories?
Was Prince's "Controversy" really better than "When Doves Cry", or have we
simply known the latter longer?

I feel that opinions like this can have a stifling effect on performers and
prevent them from growing and changing.  Sure, we liked "Yes I Can Can", 
but isn't it good to hear The Pointer Sisters strike out in a new direction
so successfully with "Jump (For My Love)" and "I'm So Excited"?  And some
esoteric souls have liked "Weird Al" Yankovic since he was singing "My Bologna",
accompanied by only an accordian, but I'm sure that they must be happy to hear 
real instrumentation on "Eat It".  This could never have happened if people
didn't accept his new sound, locking him into a James Brown-like 
repetitousness.

I've probably invited 4-6 weeks worth of flames, but I'm frankly tired of
hearing statements like those at the beginning of this message, especially
when they seem to be a result of sweeping anti-popularism (I love inventing
words!), rather than seriously listening to the music in question.

					-- Mark A.
					...uw-beaver!ssc-vax!adolph

   "Computers are like preppies: they just boil around in their own way 
	and you have to do things their way or they blow you off."

	"Everything that was different was a different thing..."