retro-quotes: a series of germane remarks, by others, plucked from all over the place, and from all over the time
"Imagine a great hall of fetishes where whatever you felt like fucking or being fucked by, however often your tastes might change, no matter what hardware or harnesses were required, you could open the gates and have at it on a comfy mattress at any time of day. That’s what the internet has become for music fans. Plus bleacher seats for a cheering section" - Steve Albini's vision of the music-lover's paradise that is now
The rest of Albini's sunny side up view of the post-Internet music culture is so far from my own perspective it is disorienting.... but then he's not interested in large formations or Events, he's all about micro-scenes and local communities
I have doubts that DIY-ing it all yourself (not just the music, but the production process, the design, the promotion, etc) rather than having it done by seasoned professionals with the machinery in place and year upon years experience (ie. record companies) is really that liberating for musicians, who might be great at the creative aspect but lousy at the putting-what-you've-created-across function.... it's a hugely increased work-load and stress-load... offset by the possiblity of an increased profit margin.... but an increased profit margin on not-a-lot might be no better than a smaller share of quite-a-bit-more. Certainly for an author, DIY-ing is not a good option, unless perhaps you're achieved such superfame (through the old Major Publisher system, of course) that you have a large and loyal constituency / market. But even then you'd have to have employees, or hire the services of experienced hands... in effect reconstituting something rather like a publisher.
1 comment:
the article of Steve Albini is a complete total delirium resembling very much the book "Rational Optimist" by Ridley. The point is that what I know as humble musician, music lover and human being is that thanks to internet and this digital bulimia me and all the people around me (I'm southern italian) have lost the old enthusiasm for music, movies, books, and in general for life, and this is what drives me crazy every day, living a world where all your basic needs are apparently satisfied (among wich the fetish musical nymphomania) but the experience of sublime is forbidden.
Mr Albini speaks from the blind perspective of the privileged anglosaxon artist underground hero that can travel around the world making whatever he wishes to his conditions. He gained this position I agree
Paolo Alessandro Iannone
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