[Thelonious Monk]

kinda confusing topic, i know. i'm talking about things like...

an extreme case: a few weeks ago, i downloaded an album by Burzum. it was great black metal. then i found out that the guy had murdered a member of the band Mayhem, burned down 3 churches (one of the sites of these burned down churches was actually the album cover) and was a neo-nazi pagan who hates all christians/jews and i think was racist on the side too. that's a bit... extreme for me. i deleted the album, and have no desire to get it again. i just can't help but think "this guy burned down 3 churches and killed a dude and probably hates me, that jerk!" when i listen to his music.

anybody else had a similar experience?

 

[sammage]

Been a fan of Andy Hunter's music for a year or so, which is electronic/dance...so was much surprised to see it listed as "Christian" music, not usually my cup of tea. Didn't change my opinion of the music one iota, but then again noone died.

 

[shineman]

Music is music. The other stuff does not change my enjoyment. The othe stuff may influence my decision on weather I choose to financially support this person by buying their product (music).

 

[riceboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shineman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Music is music. The other stuff does not change my enjoyment. The othe stuff may influence my decision on weather I choose to financially support this person by buying their product (music).

Yup same here. The other stuff may influence my decision on weather I choose to financially support the artists.

 

[asmox]

I could not care less. I listen to music for the music.

 

[Quixizous]

My coworkers are all Republicans (I'm politically non-denominational) and they dislike Pearl Jam and Green Day. Mostly because of their politics, I'm sure.

 

[unclejr]

Nah, Monk, I feel ya. I respectfully disagree that the music is just about the music -- that makes it this individual, isolated, non-shared experience. And it's cool if you're a musician hangin out in your basement just playing for yourself, that's your deal. But music should be about the people -- all the people -- involved in the process of making and listening to music.

That philosophy is the only reason that illegal P2P is just not a viable option. Sometimes albums are still released as art and not just commercialized nonsense (though there's plenty of that too). So the artists and the producers and the photogs etc etc etc. all matter.

The engineers and producers just don't get props like they should -- I don't think they ever have, either. But I don't think they're less important than the artist. Can people name the producers on Michael Jackson's Thriller, the former best selling album worldwide? Most people cannot, which is terribly sad since Quincy Jones in particular has had an invaluable contribution on so much great music. (Think, Soul Bossa Nova, the eventual theme of Austin Powers).

Anyway, to me the music is solely about the interaction between people -- sharing it, hearing it from an artist, etc. That's why it's so interesting hearing all the little nuances in this strange hobby of ours. Why did Rudy Van Gelder or Michael Cuscuna choose to emphasize or tweak a certain musical passage?

And that's also why, if someone like Wynton Marsalis goes on some kind of ridiculous rant about hip hop or Bill Cosby or white kids or whatever, I might be much more/less inclined to care about what he says through his music.

I can't imagine music without trying to understand that shared connection/emotional experience.

 

[kodreaming]

For a lot people, music is just music.
But, I agree that listening to music is emotional experience. If the musician has something bothering me, I can't make myself enjoy his/her music too much...

 

[KevDo]

nothing as extreme as that but i'm with you on your view, if that was my case i wouldn't listen to his music either.

I like finding out the background of the artists i listen to, gives me more of an insight into maybe where they're coming from or how they feel; plus it's interesting, makes you feel like you know the music better because you know them better (or so you think)..

Knowing more of the artist, i think, can definitely improve the music.. since that's what music's all about, strings, connections, feelings, meanings and those are things that you can relate to the artist as well.

 

[titaniumx3]

I think it would only affect me if the lyrics were purposely offensive, as opposed being satirical.

 

[fatcat28037]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif kinda confusing topic, i know. i'm talking about things like... an extreme case: a few weeks ago, i downloaded an album by Burzum. it was great black metal. then i found out that the guy had murdered a member of the band Mayhem, burned down 3 churches (one of the sites of these burned down churches was actually the album cover) and was a neo-nazi pagan who hates all christians/jews and i think was racist on the side too. that's a bit... extreme for me. i deleted the album, and have no desire to get it again. i just can't help but think "this guy burned down 3 churches and killed a dude and probably hates me, that jerk!" when i listen to his music. anybody else had a similar experience?

For the most part I don't, but I think a lot of people do. look at the Dixie Chicks or Garth Brooks. When Garth left his first wife, the mother of his daughters, his career went from 60 to 0 in about 2 nano seconds. In your example I'd have to boycott his stuff. I just wouldn't want to put money in his pocket so he could buy more bullets or accelerant.

 

[titaniumx3]

Well you can always enjoy their music without funding them, lol.

 

[Enverxis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thelonious Monk /img/forum/go_quote.gif kinda confusing topic, i know. i'm talking about things like... an extreme case: a few weeks ago, i downloaded an album by Burzum. it was great black metal. then i found out that the guy had murdered a member of the band Mayhem, burned down 3 churches (one of the sites of these burned down churches was actually the album cover) and was a neo-nazi pagan who hates all christians/jews and i think was racist on the side too. that's a bit... extreme for me. i deleted the album, and have no desire to get it again. i just can't help but think "this guy burned down 3 churches and killed a dude and probably hates me, that jerk!" when i listen to his music. anybody else had a similar experience?

Those same things spell 'interesting music' to me rather than 'that jerk'

 

[unclejr]

I've also purposefully sought out someone's music because I thought they might have something interesting to say. Sometimes I don't particularly like the music, but I can respect their message, and dissociate the two.

 

[Night Surfer]

I had to come to terms with Elton John being bisexual back when I was 14 yrs old in 1975. Haven't had any issues with anybody since.