What's perplexing you today?

[lumberjim]

here he is

[TheDaVinciChode]

Originally Posted by classicman

BS. I've been rereading your post above for 2 days. I agree with much of it.

I welcome further debate!

--

What's been perplexing me, today? Hm... Well, I posted a little about it, in a different thread, and it's still perplexing me, to this day:

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

The ever-growing realisation that mainstream music no longer requires any talent... not like it did, two decades ago.

Voices are more synthetic, than real, these days. "Glee" is the most recent proof of this.

How is it that we can call modern-day musicians, "musicians" at all? Computers do most of the work... most are no-talent FACES for the public to eat up... and even those WITH talent, if they're new on the scene (from the early 90s onwards,) will still have somewhat synthesised voices... The music industry doesn't seem to cater to individuality, or uniqueness, any more... it wants everyone to sound the same, in accordance to whatever the model-standard is, at the time.

Lyrics, too, are atrocious, by "yesteryear's" standards... So much repetition, so little originality... Mostly based around a terribly repetitive beat, which rarely requires any talent to produce. (Again, it's mostly computer-aided.)

The music industry has been seeing a steady decline in talent, originality, and amazement, over the last two decades... and yet, an incredible increase in profit, and no-name, no-talent wannabes shot to super-stardom - Tells you something about how easily the general public is driven to want, to consume, whatever the media throws at them, eh?

Don't even get me started on the banality of Hollywood, also within the last two decades. Most "blockbuster" movies are simple re-makes of movies from two or more decades ago... Add some flashy effects, some generally poor acting (in comparison,) and you get a global hit of unoriginal garbage. Where are the original scripts? What happened to great actors? (Like in the music industry - There are some great actors, but you'll find most of them are from BEFORE the great slump in quality, that we've been seeing, these last two decades.)

Entertainment is all about cheap, poor quality products, hyped up to the global media, with only one desire - huge profit... Gone are the days where music, and movies, were made to entertain, to show one's ability to create something truly memorable... Now, we all cling to the global media's every word, whilst the entertainment industry spoon-feeds us with ideas of flashy gimmicks, delusions of grandeur, hiding the terribly mundane nature of everything it produces.

When will people wake up, smell the roses, and force the industry to revert back to a state of decency?

Will they ever? That perplexes me, sirs and madams, to no end.

[Shawnee123]

Don't even get me started on the banality of Hollywood, also within the last two decades. Most "blockbuster" movies are simple re-makes of movies from two or more decades ago... Add some flashy effects, some generally poor acting (in comparison,) and you get a global hit of unoriginal garbage. Where are the original scripts? What happened to great actors? (Like in the music industry - There are some great actors, but you'll find most of them are from BEFORE the great slump in quality, that we've been seeing, these last two decades.)

Oh, I agree re: movies. Hint: Independent Film.

[classicman]

They are playing to the masses. Musically speaking, its a new world. It is all flash and sex pretty much. The world seemingly doesn't want talent - they want their immediate desires fulfilled.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

Kids these days! Get offa mah lawn!

Sorry man, but almost every single word of your post could have come from a guy in the 1950s talking about Elvis. It's true that nowadays a lot of work is done by computers rather than the studio musicians (aka uncredited working stiffs,) but you are deluding yourself with these fantasies that it used to be so much different. A little good and a lot of crap comes out of every generation, and it's not this generation's fault that you've conveniently forgotten all of your own generation's crap.

[squirell nutkin]

Snap.

[TheDaVinciChode]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Sorry man, but almost every single word of your post could have come from a guy in the 1950s talking about Elvis. It's true that nowadays a lot of work is done by computers rather than the studio musicians (aka uncredited working stiffs,) but you are deluding yourself with these fantasies that it used to be so much different. A little good and a lot of crap comes out of every generation, and it's not this generation's fault that you've conveniently forgotten all of your own generation's crap.

Being 22 years old, this generation is my generation. (Well, moreso the mid 90s, but still, well in to the "digitally enhanced" era of the music industry.)

The use of electrical instruments (electric guitar, keyboard, etc,) is not the same as digitally enhancing a voice... These instruments must still be played, with precision, to produce a harmonious sound. They may not require tuning, like guitars and pianos of old, but that did not touch on the musician's talent to play them - Voices, on the other hand, filtered, re-filtered, phased and altered with a computer program, can sound however you wish, with no talent required from the person producing the voice. A man can sound like a woman, a dog can sing opera.

No, sir, it isn't the same. Not at all.

Lyrically speaking, there was little in the way of repetitive, three-word songs, right up until the last two decades... Lyrics still had meaning, much as they did in the very-olden days... so, again, it's nothing the same as comparing the last 20 years of music, to previous years of music.

Charisma, musical talent, ability, experience, and time, all played an important role, in the 50s, in the 70s, in the 80s... and before that, too; before the rise of "pop" music, before "rock 'n' roll." Sure, old people may've complained that it wasn't "music" in comparison to classically composed music, but that was more due to the profound change in music, rather than the lack of ability, of talent, of those producing it.

This isn't a change in music... it's a change in quality, in production, in talent.

[squirell nutkin]

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

No, sir, it isn't the same. Not at all.

That would be Ma'am to you.

[monster]

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

Being 22 years old, this generation is my generation.

dream on, honey. Welcome to OldFartLand.

Lyrically speaking, there was little in the way of repetitive, three-word songs, right up until the last two decades... Lyrics still had meaning, much as they did in the very-olden days... so, again, it's nothing the same as comparing the last 20 years of music, to previous years of music.

Wrong again. It's just that the three word songs didn't survive as well. (Da Da Da, anyone?) This parody should give you an idea that there was lyrical crap around before you were born, sonny....

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

What's been mildly perplexing me, ever since America decided to "police the world," is, well......

I would be quite happy if they cut off all aid to all countries for the next 5 years and see how the "Hopey Changey Thing" works out for them....

No deployments.

No payments to the fucked up UN.

No payments to anyone.

KumbyafuckingAHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by TheDaVinciChode

Lyrically speaking, there was little in the way of repetitive, three-word songs, right up until the last two decades... Lyrics still had meaning, much as they did in the very-olden days... so, again, it's nothing the same as comparing the last 20 years of music, to previous years of music.

These boots were made for walkin'
That's just what they'll do
One of these days these boots
Are gonna walk all over you.

Yes, that is lyrical genius right there.

[monster]

The rest of the world would be much happier. Trust us on this. Oh and pay us what you owe us.....

[TheMercenary]

I agree, pay us what you owe us...

[monster]

which is...?

[TheMercenary]

First it would have to be measured...