I just wanted to ask ... if music was an art ... or some kind of separate art?

 

Very strange ... very strange!

 

"The use of culture and art to promote dialogue and understanding is a field that, though the subject of much scholarly attention, has had little impact on the behavior and activities of national governments and other stakeholders in international relations. ..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another interesting note is to think about the music industry as a whole. Why is it that the "mega-music-marts" only sell a fraction of what is out there and basically ignore the foreign music markets? In fact, if one wants to find what is "out there" in the world of music, one has to "self educate" and find it on their own because it is almost as if there are more barriers that only allow certain countries access to the market. The fact is - if "bridging the gap" in the arts were really about international interests then why is "profiteering & the commerce of it all" (well said!) what is obviously central to the industry vs. an integrity that caters to people & cultural diversity? 

The people don't trust the leadership in these instances because there are too many strings attached from invisible interests. They've learned from history what happened to countries that had a natural resource that some greedy corporation wanted & what is currently happening around the globe in sweat shops and to immigrants in the very richest places on earth let alone the shanty towns. 

 

And sometimes worse ... than just decrese public awareness. The barbaric and viciousness with which some of this can happen is not a topic for this board.

 

But I don't have to tell you that my own father was a victim of a lot of persecution and it was one of the reasons why he left Portugal to pursue his literary dream. And works have been published of the many film reviews my father had of American films that at the time were considered "subversive", not to mention about some poetry that my dad (and others) wrote that was considered a symbol of freedom ... like lit candles in the beach at night! 15 years before Elton John!

 

That is the reason, why for me, things like the Epitath comments, or the national anthem done by Jimi, were important .... but sadly, the majority of the discussion here is about the fan and what he/she likes ... and life itself is not important. These days, commercialism is the biggest evil and downright worse than the Fascist days at that time!

 

I prefer not to discuss the Eastern countries on this matter. But I will say that they are facing changes (again!) due to the media and the internet. I doubt that many of the countries in the East that have various reasons for their controls will be able to continue doing so in the next 20 or 30 years. The same thing that happened to Europe, and then Africa will befall them.

 

There are some films on these things and many of them tend to be hidden and only show up on Film Festivals, and you might want to keep track of some of these ... I can remember two right off the bat, that were insane and then some ... "Divorce - Iranian Style" and a Cuban film called "Azucar Amargo" (Bitter Sugar) ... that is outstanding, and also showed that Cuba has a very lively progressive and rock music scene that we have never heard and probably won't in our lifetimes!

 

America's media is not very good at showing or discussing these things because of the commercial and political agreements, be they oil or otherwise. Not to mention that American media is not exactly open minded and capable of giving you an alternative view. They tend to buy out the small magazines with the purpose of killing them! Such is the power of the "corporate" industrialism that we have allowed to be created, that they do pretty much the same thing that many other countries do ... just differently ... buying you out is easier and less hassle! Other countries have not learned that trick yet!

 

... Another interesting note is to think about the music industry as a whole. Why is it that the "mega-music-marts" only sell a fraction of what is out there and basically ignore the foreign music markets? In fact, if one wants to find what is "out there" in the world of music, one has to "self educate" and find it on their own because it is almost as if there are more barriers that only allow certain countries access to the market. The fact is - if "bridging the gap" in the arts were really about international interests then why is "profiteering & the commerce of it all" (well said!) what is obviously central to the industry vs. an integrity that caters to people & cultural diversity? ...

 

I don't think this will ever change in America's culture. America is not showing an artistic history to the world or anyone in order to have a deeper appreciation for it, other than the biggest hits. We're still a country dominated by movies and "stars", that someone told us they were because they dressed a little less ... or sold enough to make a studio one 100 million!

 

Thus, the Wal-Mart's the this and that other stores, only sell that which they have deals with that is guaranteed to sell ... and they excuse that on the basis of underpaid people (minimal wages), no benefits and bad management, so they do not have to do anything else except pay more dividends to their owners and investors. And when it comes to "sharing" ... the rich do not SHARE ... so there goes the definition of a democracy in the name of greed and power! The music business is not any different, and we can even take this to a further extent when some groups and folks were gunned down ... it is by far one of the saddest things I have ever seen in my life. Kill for art ... no .. wait ... kill for my art ... not his! ...

 

I remember when the government was talking "global economy" ... and the first people to fight it? ... you got it ... Americans! ... and it is understand'able ... because none of us would want to get paid less ... so we could support the poor folks in some country ... that probably will never see that money anyway! But it shows you one very important concern ... the differences in values for all items and countries. I can buy 5 to 10 loaves of bread in some of those countries with the same dollar here ... and before a global economy can be done, this needs to be adjusted some ... and it is the same thing in the housing market in America ... where a house in Portland is 150K, in SF it is 600K and in NY it is 900K ... and that is insane ... completely out of line, and the same wood and materials came from the same place.

 

Somewhere along the way that has to get adjusted before someone can appreciate the idea of a global economy, something that even New York'rs don't accept very well ... their very own sells 100k albums and becomes an instant star ... but a small band from Vermont ... who? ... from where? ... buncha losers! And seeing the Steinbremmers or anyone else buy their "championships" ... is no different. But we LOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEE a winner and not a winer!

 

...The people don't trust the leadership in these instances because there are too many strings attached from invisible interests. They've learned from history what happened to countries that had a natural resource that some greedy corporation wanted & what is currently happening around the globe in sweat shops and to immigrants in the very richest places on earth let alone the shanty towns.  ...

 

There is nothig to trust in any leadership and anyone thinking that one leadership is better than the other are simply thinking themselves better than the other person, or examples. The only thing that bothers me about America is that there is not enough respect for the "beauty" and the "art" of  it all ... but there is for "American Idol" ... or some Star Search ... and that tells you that the interests are almost exclusive with one thing ... advertising. And the smaller bands, arts and works, tend to not get accepted, understood, checked out ... and totally ignored. Sometimes, one person or two make it out of those areas, but all in all, these are rare.

 

We had a "revolution" in the late 60's about this ... and guess what is needed again? ... but the media is going to kill it like they did then ... be it on account of drugs, sex, or whatever ... and too many of us are too comfortably numb (now you know why I can't stand that song!) to give a damn about it, or anything else ... except ... when is the next Rush album out? ... or Mars Volta ...

 

I'm guilty too, I suppose, but I still fight for the underdog and the ones that aren't known or discussed ... despite so many people in this borad not liking it, or thinking that making fun of me is where it's at ... in the end, it's about their "art" ... and I'm not sure they have one ... because the only art they know is someone else's!

 

And that is the real issue ...

Progressive rock/music has such a necessary role to play and it is a fortunate setting for anyone on the "inside". I can go into a club and hear an act unknown to me or hear an album and not judge the group by band member looks or age, social status or the size of the venue or hits, radio play, or any other commercial factors except for technical ability & originality. I react to everything by the music/content because it is foremost in my mind. So much of what society and popularity entertain themselves with is a kind of living through seeing someone who is wealthy, well known/famous, or credited by sales, popular songs, and awards. Millions of people are impressed by a fake image and will pay $20 of the CD, $30 for the DVD, and $40-$100 for the concert where they'll get T-shirts, key chains, buttons, & bumper stickers to tell the world they were there. Progressive rock is almost the antithesis of this. It's a community of "word of mouth" fans & almost better not be known by the squares who just wanna dance in 4/4 and have their verse, chorus, verse, chorus, guitar solo, chorus until the song dies formula. I think we represent the ears of those who listen beyond the current fad or pop moment wrapped in yet another formula or extreme. When classical & jazz music began, many wanted to hear popular twists in the opera or at the dance parlor, these are not what has been remembered. Beethoven's quartets were too much for the masses, Mozart was too complex and Be Bop'ers like Coltrane were the heavy metal of the day. To think that a little caravan with a two fingered gypsy guitarist would influence so many throughout the world is unimaginable - and this is exactly why I wonder about the foreign music masters that should be more visible. The world without Django Reinhardt would be that much more empty. 

This is what I was getting at in terms of foreign markets. I'm sure there's unknown brilliance out there that has little chance to blossom. When guitarists like Steve Morse leave the music industry because it's more profitable for them to become a pilot than after 5 years of accolades from the public & industry pro's like "best guitarist" (whatever that means) than it's likely that those in foreign markets will have even less of a chance. Here in the twin cities I've been to a few shows (Tony McAlpine, Scott Henderson, among others...) where they were basically playing to an empty room while people like Garth Brooks or Neil Diamond sell out 9 consecutive shows in a 15,000 seated hockey stadium. 

I'm convinced that many of the local people/bands far exceed the MTV hype. I can't imagine the music scene in places like Boston or parts of CA, NY, FL, WA, and numerous cities where there's an abundance of talented locals. But this is just the U.S.  I imagine other parts of the globe are more importantly unique and could add new dimensions to the limitless boundaries of modern recorded & live music. 

I'm not purely an underdog person. I'm grateful to bands like The Police, Toto, Supertramp, Styx, Rush, Yes, and any groups who did some pop that enabled such a market to still exist. It's amazing when you see how big Iron Maiden & Rush are in other countries still - huge turn out's (80,000!) and how those populations have really embraced such bands while places like the U.S. only noticed them during successful selling albums or marketing campaigns. Talk about culture, what about throw away culture that treats art/music like interior design or one that believes the hype & buys into the image? There are serious implications in a society when areas of passion & beauty are treated like Ikea furniture. A Band like Rush is a good platform for a multicultural exchange but the reality is that they are not pawns like the next Hootie & The Hypes that will dance for invisible interests.