Comments on: Let Us Rock: Thoughts on Jason Falkner and the Mao LH Show http://layabozi.com/2009/11/let-us-rock-thoughts-on-jason-falkner-and-the-mao-lh-show/ Shanghai's music webzine; the world of music in Shanghai, China and in the big rollin' globe. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:45:01 +0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andy Best http://layabozi.com/2009/11/let-us-rock-thoughts-on-jason-falkner-and-the-mao-lh-show/comment-page-1/#comment-2434 Andy Best Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:48:15 +0000 http://www.layabozi.com/?p=2984#comment-2434 I agree with that especially in that the young MJ, when he is singing "I want you back", has it ... whatever 'it' is ... and then later, for me, it's just creative marketing of a product. I agree with that especially in that the young MJ, when he is singing “I want you back”, has it … whatever ‘it’ is … and then later, for me, it’s just creative marketing of a product.

]]> By: Mike http://layabozi.com/2009/11/let-us-rock-thoughts-on-jason-falkner-and-the-mao-lh-show/comment-page-1/#comment-2423 Mike Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:22:39 +0000 http://www.layabozi.com/?p=2984#comment-2423 Thanks Andy. I remember how knocked out I was when I first read the idea of morals and aesthetics being connected. I had picked up that the community element in the Shanghai rock scene is big for you, Jake, a few others I know, and clearly for many people I don't know. What I was talking about was technical and compositional ability to some extent, but also the thing that is called "musicality" where I come from. The best way to describe it is if you took ten people and had them play the same notes, but one person really made them come alive and be music rather than just notes. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is but I don't think it's abstract at all. I would say that an absence of musicality is one of the things that make Kenny G and bad pop bad. I believe also, though there's no way to prove it, that Kenny G and bad pop music are actually cynical and dishonest. With Thriller you raise a difficult question for me because I do like it despite finding its hollowness a little disturbing, especially in light of how MJ turned out. I can't even listen to Jackson 5 because I can almost hear his young psyche getting twisted. Thanks Andy. I remember how knocked out I was when I first read the idea of morals and aesthetics being connected. I had picked up that the community element in the Shanghai rock scene is big for you, Jake, a few others I know, and clearly for many people I don’t know. What I was talking about was technical and compositional ability to some extent, but also the thing that is called “musicality” where I come from. The best way to describe it is if you took ten people and had them play the same notes, but one person really made them come alive and be music rather than just notes. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is but I don’t think it’s abstract at all.
I would say that an absence of musicality is one of the things that make Kenny G and bad pop bad. I believe also, though there’s no way to prove it, that Kenny G and bad pop music are actually cynical and dishonest.
With Thriller you raise a difficult question for me because I do like it despite finding its hollowness a little disturbing, especially in light of how MJ turned out. I can’t even listen to Jackson 5 because I can almost hear his young psyche getting twisted.

]]> By: Andy Best http://layabozi.com/2009/11/let-us-rock-thoughts-on-jason-falkner-and-the-mao-lh-show/comment-page-1/#comment-2417 Andy Best Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:35:43 +0000 http://www.layabozi.com/?p=2984#comment-2417 "I know music has many uses to many people and some people would rather hear a good idea poorly executed, or focus more on lyrics or stage presence or whatever, but I’d be interested to hear if other people agree that musically they totally blew away the Mushrooms and Crystal Butterfly." This is a really excellent point and one that I have done a lot of thinking about. Growing up I was exclusively into metal and then 3rd gen Punk (starting with Op Ivy)because of the cultural aspect. In both cases, first with rock clubs, denim and hair and friends, then later with skateboarding, the music drove the lifestyle and the lyrics and lifestyle drove my love of the music. Despite being a guitarist myself, I have never found composition and technical ability to attract me as an abstract. It has to have a context and a style. For example, in Punk, a sketchily dispatched strong idea is correct in some cases while a well structured melody that builds fails. What grips us is a lyric that resonates in your own life, especially something you feel is repressed and needs to be said out. Also, the lifestyle and beliefs of the band feed the appeal and style of the music too. It can't be separated. That why Kenny G sucks so bad. And why pop thrives in a world filled with a bland middle class whose lives are governed by consumerist values. What are you clinging to in Thriller? Your shared fear of zombies and love of cheesey dance moves? This is why the Mushrooms are great, because rocking out to their live show is an experience that is part of a community. The fans are in constant touch with the band via the Douban pages and they all feel they share culture and lives. The meaning of the band and their merit is derived from something other than how their music compares to other genre pieces in history. But for me, of course, I try to keep myself out of it. My fav band of all time are Propagandhi. Period. “I know music has many uses to many people and some people would rather hear a good idea poorly executed, or focus more on lyrics or stage presence or whatever, but I’d be interested to hear if other people agree that musically they totally blew away the Mushrooms and Crystal Butterfly.”

This is a really excellent point and one that I have done a lot of thinking about.

Growing up I was exclusively into metal and then 3rd gen Punk (starting with Op Ivy)because of the cultural aspect. In both cases, first with rock clubs, denim and hair and friends, then later with skateboarding, the music drove the lifestyle and the lyrics and lifestyle drove my love of the music.

Despite being a guitarist myself, I have never found composition and technical ability to attract me as an abstract. It has to have a context and a style. For example, in Punk, a sketchily dispatched strong idea is correct in some cases while a well structured melody that builds fails.

What grips us is a lyric that resonates in your own life, especially something you feel is repressed and needs to be said out. Also, the lifestyle and beliefs of the band feed the appeal and style of the music too. It can’t be separated.

That why Kenny G sucks so bad.

And why pop thrives in a world filled with a bland middle class whose lives are governed by consumerist values.

What are you clinging to in Thriller? Your shared fear of zombies and love of cheesey dance moves?

This is why the Mushrooms are great, because rocking out to their live show is an experience that is part of a community. The fans are in constant touch with the band via the Douban pages and they all feel they share culture and lives. The meaning of the band and their merit is derived from something other than how their music compares to other genre pieces in history.

But for me, of course, I try to keep myself out of it. My fav band of all time are Propagandhi. Period.

]]>