Two things happened at work today. Firstly Stevo was cranking some absolute classics and secondly James managed to find some old school music where you can almost hear the vinyl crackling away. Without talking about the second thing I wanted to ponder the first thing a little more.
It got me thinking, when was the last time you actually enjoyed music? When was the last time you got home from a long day at the office/classroom/sports field, etc. Lay on your bed, lit a cigarette (change that to suit what ever you do when you aren't doing anything) and enjoyed a whole album for what it is?
It was a question I just really didn't know the answer to. And with having absolutely no music background or understanding of the recording industry, I took to the professionals. Dead Set Radio (DSR), who have just released their debut EP 'Resigned to this Fate'. They know the music making process and now they know the process of putting it on a cd for all to hear.
Sam from DSR tells me he still does it when there is a good album. The last time he did it was with the White Stripes album, listening contently beginning to end.
"The writing process is a bit more disjointed, they just want to get a single out each time. Instead of writing a whole album with a flow from one song to the next. It's more we'll write the good song that goes on the video then we'll write the filler songs until the next good song, so there isn't really the flow between them.
"When you listen to an album it's very start stop so it doesn't matter if you have it on shuffle or not as they are very stand alone things. Where as back then it was more about the album than about the song, as it wasn't about the singles thing." He said.
So what I got from that was its no longer about the music. Its about getting the hit single out. And Sam was quick to add that when DSR release their LP, giving it a story and flow will be important. Something they tried even with their EP.
Zemya DSR's lead vocalist said there are some bands that still theme their albums like "Green Day has a story to all their stuff".
So while I have no grounds to say what I am about to say I feel I am able to make comment as someone who enjoys music, someone who listens to music and can walk down a street whistling the tune.
Don't get into music if you aren't interested in it. I think that is ultimately what it has come down to. People are getting into music banking on their good looks or voice. But when the push comes to shove (I tried to think of something more music related to put there, but no such luck), they are singing someone else's music to push out a hit that will make a bit of money and get them a nice car and a house.
So I challenge you music artists that aren't in it for the love. Remember why you got into music. Put some effort in and think back to the days when music was more important than life itself. Put an album out that tells a story from beginning to end. Where the songs flow and the lyrics paint a mental image.
And that, on behalf of anyone else who feels the same is all I have to say about music and those that make it.
Stop making shit music.
