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From: wayne@ada-uts.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: The Best This-ism, Bush-Mania, Frip
Message-ID: <22300026@ada-uts.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-Oct-85 20:29:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: ada-uts.22300026
Posted: Wed Oct 23 20:29:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 26-Oct-85 04:44:17 EDT
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Nf-ID: #N:ada-uts:22300026:000:2732
Nf-From: ada-uts!wayne    Oct 23 20:29:00 1985


This'll be the first note I've ever sent, so be gentle...

I've never believed the way to judge a group or a particular artist
is by counting the number of hits he/she/they has : pop music is for pop
minds.  The way I've judged groups is by listening...  Not the superficial
listening most teenagers or most PMRC members do, but real listening,
with earphones, and most of all sober, without being under the influence
of certain illegal/legal chemicals.

What amazes me is the reasons some people like the music they do.  Why
people actually pay money for a Phil Collins record instead of waiting
for it to be (over) played on the "easy listening" station is beyond me.
But I'm not totally knocking Phil Collins...he is probably the most
prolific pop music generator around today ("In The Air Tonight" is in
my opinion one of his best songs...why can't he do more like them?  The
obvious answer:  pop music listeners don't want them).  But I ask myself
when I listen to one of his songs: what is missing?

The answers, which are my criteria for categorizing music, is the feeling
and the originality of the music.  The feeling is very important.  That
is why I will side with the pro-Bush (Kate, not George...definitely not
George) side anyday.  She IS her songs... she feels her songs.  And I feel
what she's trying to communicate.  I do not get any sense of real feeling
is many of today's pop hits.  Kate Bush, therefore, beats out Barbara
Streisand or Sheena Easton (sp?).

Originality with feeling is also important, but originality can't stand
alone.  That is why I my preference for guitarists will be Robert Fripp
and Jimi Hendrix, among a host of others, over any heavy metal axist.
They are truly original, and they play with feeling, unlike the heavy
metal guitarists who can't be told apart without a score card.
I firmly believe this about Robert, so much so that I attend one of his
seminars in West Virginia.  He is true musician, and above all, a true
artist.("Sheltered Sky" is chilling...especially in concert)

Music is classified as an art.  Art has always had its unappreciated
innovators.  It is a shame these innovators will rarely see glory in
their lifetime, but I can guarantee twenty years from now the next
group of musicians, be they singers or guitarists or armless harmonica
players will look back and say their influences were these unappreciated
heroes and not the hit makers of today.

The moral of this story:  Don't pay attention to pop charts or "Ten Best"
lists.  Pay attention to what's in your heart and in your mind.

                                   Wayne Wylupski
                                   Speaking off the cuff and will
                                   probably regret it...