Before The Music Dies (doc)

[3-LockBox]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ck+documentary

Talks about the demise of mainstream music. Its long. I'm watching as I type.

You gotta see the part where they talk about making a pop star - killer stuff

Halfway through, and all I can say is....sad....not exactly news...explains a lot of stuff though.

When we say corporate music industry is morally and artistically bankrupt...we don't even know the half of it.

Fave quote so far: "We live in a country that seems to be in a massive state of delusion, where the idea of what you are is more important than you actually being that. And it works as long as everyone is winking at the same time. And then if one person stops winking, you just beat the crap out that person, and either they start winking, or they go somewhere else." - Branford Marsalis - he's never short of opinions is he.

Fabricated pop stars have been around since the beginning of rock music. Look at an act like Fabian, then 5 or 6 years later, The Monkeys. The technology is better, making it easier to make pop stars out the prettiest of people, but there have always been those who wanted to manufacture their own cash cows.

All in all, I still manage to find plenty of good music without listening to the radio. Its radio's loss, not mine. Sure, it'd be great if radio had a little more variety, but with the advent satellite radio and the internet, I'm not so sure radio could still afford to be too brave with its playlist, even if their playlist wasn't a corporate mandate. It's funny to me that music that was popular before the video era (back when MTV/VH-1 showed videos), is the music that continues to appeal to a wide market. I wonder how music post-video era would fare on radio's playlists today.

Watching this documentary, its no wonder corporate music execs want to kill the internet. Despite their attempts to feed us pablum, we still manage to find music that we like, opposed to music they need us to like. Its like trying to contain water - eventually, it finds a crack and....well...

I did find interesting that Dave Matthews Band was used as an example of artistry we're being denied due to "bottom line thinking". Talk about everyone winking at the same time.

[teej]

You are right about the internet....left to just radio I can't imagine finding original music would be easy.

Corporate pop stars are all I listen to at home. I have 2 girls under 10 yrs old....they crave Disney creations. Santa got them boomboxes last Christmas so both have their own little stereo in their rooms...they have music on all the time.

This music facinates me. My kids are irresistabley drawn to it. I can imagine how the song was created, how the good looking figurehead was proped in front of the mic. I find an inordinate amount of major 5ths in the choruses of these creations and it drives me nuts. But I can see the boardroom accountants looking at the bottom lines: songs with at least 8 maj 5ths in the chorus sell 63.2% better than songs without so we need more 5ths!.

Portions of successful pop songs from other eras are utilized in many of these creations. The chorus of the Turtles' "Happy Together" is given differnt lyrics and placed in a Hannah Montana tune, Toni Basil's "Micky" appears in some new song by some kid that can't sing...it's a little disconcerting hearing an old song in my head to suddenly realize it's NOT that old song, it's a new package. Old successful pop rehashed into new sucessful pop. Even the chorus from Barry Manilow's "Mandy" has snuck into one of these songs! My wife and I struggled for a few minutes to figure out exactly what familiar tune was woven through the latest Disney tune. As soon as we figured it out, it was impossible not to hear Barry's singing away.

It was a nightmare hearing "Mandy" on the radio 30 years ago...and it's starting all over again...

But I must confess...challenging myself to analyze this corporate pop is more exciting than listening to a classic rock station!

tj

[Troy]

I've been hearing about this for a while. Too bad I'd have to watch a 77 minute film all tiny and lo-fi on youtube. I'd like to rent it and watch it on my big TV in HD.

I guess it hasn't been released on DVD because the industry doesn't want it to be seen?

I'll try to watch it later, but I don't feel like being depressed today.

[3-LockBox]

'taint youtube...its Google something and it is a larger screen with great res and decent sound.

I don't know if 'the industry' can block it or not, but I bet they don't want anyone seeing it either.

BTW: I have to take my 13 year old daughter and a couple of her friends to see the Hanna Montana movie tomorrow...rather, I'm dropping them off at the movie theater. I couldn't stand her dad back when, so I had a bias against this girl from the get go. I avoid listening to her familiar warbling at all costs. She's a chip off the old mullet alright.

[teej]

BTW: I have to take my 13 year old daughter and a couple of her friends to see the Hanna Montana movie tomorrow...rather, I'm dropping them off at the movie theater. I couldn't stand her dad back when, so I had a bias against this girl from the get go. I avoid listening to her familiar warbling at all costs. She's a chip off the old mullet alright.

Well, I gotta confess I WENT to that movie last weekend with my girls. I don't do movies often, the last one I can remember seeing was Toy Story 2 and that was before I had kids! I shoulda worn a Metallica T-shirt or something.

[3-LockBox]

I shoulda worn a Metallica T-shirt or something.

No - Radiohead