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Alternative?!
In a message dated 10/9/98 6:58:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
acaudill at interteamsoftware_com writes:
> Who agree's with me that there is no such thing as Alternative music?
> there's pop (noise-pop, power-pop) and rock (hard rock, softrock, heavy
> metal, punk rock, rockably (sp?)) where's alternative in all that? What is
> Alternative? just something to think about anyway.
Aubrey, you have just now opened a can of worms that I cannot ignore. This is
something I've been ranting about for at least 6 or 7 years now. There _used_
to be "alternative music". I still do believe that there is music that eludes
the mainstream altogether, i suppose you could call it an "alternative" to all
the music that the mainstream embraces. You know what? I believe that 95% of
the public listens to 1% of the music created by somewhat skillful musicians &
writers. To restate, Out of ALL the music out there, the bulk of the public
listens to (or is only aware of) a tiny, tiny pie section of it. This tiny
little section of pie is inflated & crammed down so many throats that people
have this illusion that yes, that is all there is out there. This makes people
feel "comfortable", or "safe" i suppose. Maybe some people actually DO enjoy
that music, more power to 'em if they do.
I only know that I get so very WEARY of limiting my radio listening to NPR
because I cannot listen to this self-proclaimed "modern rock", "alternative
rock", or whatever you want to call it. Those terms _used_ to hold something
for me. For Example: I went to the Lollapalooza fest every year is was going,
1991 to 1997. The first year, Jane's Addiction was the headliner, along with
the Butthole Surfers, Henry Rollins Band, Siouxsie, etc.
Every year after that, the bands were more watered down & more _commercial_.
Snoop Doggy Dogg and Metallica at Loallapalooza?! What the heck?
Zeesh, It's been that way all across the board. Don't get me wrong, just
because something is popular doesn't mean I don't like it. I love Natalie
Merchant, for crying out loud. I just don't like people using a series of
buzzwords that mean absolutely nothing. The alternative IS out there, but
people don't call it alternative. Alternative now dons a new guise...
There's the industrial, for example. This looks at man and machine, with very
intricate & powerful rhythms. I mean *true* industrial, not Marylin or
whatever. Try Einsturzende Neubauten, Laibach, Skinny Puppy or Download.
There's worldbeat or ethnic music, which looks more closely at the essence &
beauty (IMHO) of music. Try newer Dead Can Dance, Lisa Gerrard, Loreena
McKennitt, there's also TONS of traditional Indian, Asian & Celtic cd's at
every Barnes & Noble or Borders.
These are the alternatives.
There's one good thing that I see with what has happened: Before "Smells like
Teen Spirit", the mainstream was either Boyz 2 Men or Poison. I do think that
we've progressed a little bit.
Sorry if I over-extended my limits here as an occasional poster, but there you
have my 1.5 cents. If I were give the full 2 cents, it would take many
volumes.
;) -Jay