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I just read Colin Greenwood's excellent essay that covers the issues Radiohead is facing around how to release its new album.
What is fascinating to me in the essay is the point he makes about there being fewer and fewer real events in music--the more that we have access to music, the more that we can repeat any aspect of it, from a live show to the music itself, the less special it all seems. I often argue to others that music is in many ways much better than it used to be; it is very easy to find an endless number of very good to excellent acts, and one does not have to simply know who knows the cool, unheard of stuff.
On the other hand, it nonetheless seems less exciting to me to find a great new album, if only because there wasn't that much effort to it. And going to a show seems more mundane, as does a record release, and even the music itself. I recall that when I was a teenager, the very materiality of the record, especially vinyl, but even cd's and, to a much lesser extent, cassettes (those were terrible), was part and parcel of the excitement of the music. I actually read the liner notes, and looked at the pictures, and somehow each aspect seemed to support the other to create an entire, unique experience. I no longer feel that way, despite the fact that my love and consumption of music has not faded in the least.
I'll stop before this too becomes an essay. I highly recommend reading Greenwood's piece and am curious if your experiences match or digress from mine.
What is fascinating to me in the essay is the point he makes about there being fewer and fewer real events in music--the more that we have access to music, the more that we can repeat any aspect of it, from a live show to the music itself, the less special it all seems. I often argue to others that music is in many ways much better than it used to be; it is very easy to find an endless number of very good to excellent acts, and one does not have to simply know who knows the cool, unheard of stuff.
On the other hand, it nonetheless seems less exciting to me to find a great new album, if only because there wasn't that much effort to it. And going to a show seems more mundane, as does a record release, and even the music itself. I recall that when I was a teenager, the very materiality of the record, especially vinyl, but even cd's and, to a much lesser extent, cassettes (those were terrible), was part and parcel of the excitement of the music. I actually read the liner notes, and looked at the pictures, and somehow each aspect seemed to support the other to create an entire, unique experience. I no longer feel that way, despite the fact that my love and consumption of music has not faded in the least.
I'll stop before this too becomes an essay. I highly recommend reading Greenwood's piece and am curious if your experiences match or digress from mine.
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