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Message no. 1
From: The Reverend <MDB0213@*****.TAMU.EDU>
Subject: The New Music... is here?
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 17:05:56 -0500
] I'd like to ask one thing now. Does anyone has any idea of how Maria Mercuria
]l music sounds like?
In a word, odd. Strange to us. Remember, this is the music that would have
Elvis spinning in his grave...

](I don't think Nirvana wouldn't sound that good in the voice of a woman.)
Biased, aren't ya? I could see some of it working, depending on the singer.
But that's NOT going to use a "Whitney Houston" delivery

]Is is it like Mettalica? Depeche Mode? The Cure? KLF? New Kids on the Block?
](*gasp*) Napalm Death? DRI? 2 Unlimited? Doors? Beattles? Paula Abdul? Enya?
]Digital Orgasm? Pearl Jam?
There are probably going to be several different styles.

](Well... it certainly has to be te kind of music that the 'average Joe' likes
Not necessarily. In S-beat, they mention that the energy that the musicians
give are about as important as the music itself.

Personally, I think the music's going to be VERY changing, and probably fairly
complex. Considering that most pop rhythms are created by computer (s-beat
again), the good music is going to be that which is complex, possibly majestic.
IMHO, I think they're (FASA) pointing at Progressive music. Not alternative,
although I could see the corps continuing to keep their hold on the music, keep
it alive for more money (no flames on the list... take it to
alt.music.progressive or alt.music.alternative). Why Prog? It's complex,
changing, and I've seen some of the stuff already! With one group I listen to,
Marillion, the lead singer has on "MIDI Gloves", which he can use for (I
believe; haven't seen him live) keyboards, whilst still running around the
stage. Also, there is a band called (Arakeen?), (similar to ELP in style),
that doesn't have a keyboardist. Instead, the guitar player has his guitar
hooked up to a midi box, and comes out sounding like keyboards!!! Synthaxe,
anyone?

Just some ideas. Rev
---
The Reverend "They called me the Reverend when I entered the church unstained"
Fear the Information Revolution...for it has reached the hands of the strange.
PGP 2.2 Public Key Block available upon request
Message no. 2
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: The New Music... is here?
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 18:00:41 GMT
>There are probably going to be several different styles.

Correctomundo Holy reverend: look at how many different music styles and
groups there are now, including bands and singers that don't fit neatly into
any single category. It'll be like that.

>Not necessarily. In S-beat, they mention that the energy that the musicians
>give are about as important as the music itself.

Speaking as a performance-type major, this is very important, especially in
live performances. You have to grab the audiences attention from the beginning
and maintain your "energy level" (that's the term used); if you fail to do
either of these, it doesn't matter how well you perform technically; the
audience just isn't involved. Think about that when you watch TV; some show
makes you laugh but some really GRAB you; it's the latter that stay on the
air.

>Personally, I think the music's going to be VERY changing, and probably fairly
>complex. Considering that most pop rhythms are created by computer (s-beat
>again), the good music is going to be that which is complex, possibly majestic.

By computer-generated, I suppose you mean generated with the help of a computer.
No computer, at least not in Srun, is going to be capable creating all the
complex variations in music that a human being can make. There' a LOT of variety
in music, from basic major chords up to diminished minor chords with flatted
9ths and 13ths (don't try this at home, kids). Real Creativity will remain the
exclusive province of Humaniti for some time to come.


J Roberson
Message no. 3
From: Chris Siebenmann <cks@********.UTCS.TORONTO.EDU>
Subject: Re: The New Music... is here?
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1993 22:29:10 -0400
I have no idea what the music of 2050 will sound like, and I'm not
sure it's really possible to extrapolate; consider what popular music
sounded like in the 19030s for an idea of the scale of changes possible.
Sixty years can make an enourmous difference.

As to the inspiration of Concrete Dreams; I suspect not Tangerine Dream,
since CD apparently has a vocalist. There is/was a band called Concrete
Blonde; people who've actually heard their music will have a better idea
if it comes close to the CD described in the media book.

- cks
Message no. 4
From: Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU>
Subject: Re: The New Music... is here?
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 02:10:39 EDT
>>>>> "cks" == Chris Siebenmann
<cks@********.utcs.toronto.edu> writes:

cks> I have no idea what the music of 2050 will sound like, and I'm not
cks> sure it's really possible to extrapolate; consider what popular music
cks> sounded like in the 19030s for an idea of the scale of changes
cks> possible. Sixty years can make an enourmous difference.

Chris is right. I mean, for all we know, everyone in 2050 will be
immitating Cocteau Twins (which would be both very sad and very difficult,
which any CT fans already know :-). What I can guess is that, given the
state of mainstream music today and the lack of a mainstream counterculture
in the mid 2000s, most of what you'll find on the shelf will be sanitized,
unoriginal, probalby lots of synthwork (they're drum machines now, why not
guitar and base machines down the line?) if not total synth. Jimmi Hendrix
wouldn't even get his foot in the door, let alone his name on a contract.

cks> As to the inspiration of Concrete Dreams; I suspect not Tangerine
cks> Dream, since CD apparently has a vocalist.

<grin> he does have a point.

cks> There is/was a band called Concrete Blonde; people who've actually

Concrete Blonde is still around; they've got a new album coming out RSN.

cks> heard their music will have a better idea if it comes close to the CD
cks> described in the media book.

I somehow get the impression that Concrete Dreams is more like a cross
between the Greatful Dead and Led Zeppelin, with a sharper and harder edge.

--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat
ask about rat-pgp.el v1.63 PGP Public Key Block available upon request
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Odds don't matter when Humans want something bad enough. --UHED series 507
Message no. 5
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: The New Music... is here?
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 1993 12:37:04 GMT
>. . . most of what you'll find on the shelf will be sanitized,
>unoriginal, probalby lots of synthwork (they're drum machines now, why not
>guitar and base machines down the line?) if not total synth. Jimmi Hendrix
>wouldn't even get his foot in the door, let alone his name on a contract.

I ran into this "problem" when I went back and started reading various
cyberpunk short stories; a lot of them involved rock 'n' roll forever, but
I could see that other styles were rising up alongside rock. I think that a
Jimi Hendrix type could make it big ("the real thing, man! None of this
synth-crap").

Another thing is that I've heard a lot of musicians are heading back to
analog sounds and recordings. Some sounds just sound better produced analog
instead of digital. Also, I think Aerosmith's last album was AAA on the
CD. Analog Recording, Analog Mix, and Analog Master.


J Roberson
Message no. 6
From: Chris Siebenmann <cks@********.UTCS.TORONTO.EDU>
Subject: Re: The New Music... is here?
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1993 00:20:51 -0400
I think it's pretty safe to say that the mainstream popular music
of any era is pretty much mass-produced, sanitized, schlock. I doubt
2050 will be any different, although I suspect the schlock then will
be more musically broad and that (cross fingers) there will be more
opportunities for good fringe music to exist and propagate.

- cks

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