Return-Path: crispen <@ada3.ca.boeing.com:crispen@efftoo>
X-Envelope-To: ALLMUSIC@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Date:         Mon, 16 Nov 1992 09:16:37 CST
From:         crispen <crispen@EFFTOO.BOEING.COM>
Subject:      Re: Today's Music and Change...

"Vampire Lestat" <wk00636@WORLDLINK.COM> (Brett Francis) sez:

>As you will be able to tell from my subject matter I am new to this forum.  I
 am
>not so much interested in conversation in the Chronologically Gifted Music, but
>more in the discussion of where music is going today.

Sure, so long as you can accept that us old farts don't mind listening
to some of the more recent stuff.  My purchases this weekend: Hafler
Trio, Mudhoney, Big Black, Husker Du.  Well, semi-recent, anyway.

>Aside: Music can convey itself without the knowledge of the past nonetheless,
>        This is it's true power.

Well, I doubt that and agree with your earlier point, that you need to
understand the past.  My experience is that the visceral experience of
today's music is enhanced by knowing more about yesterday's music.

This is what the bulk of professional musicians believe, too.  Dave
Mustaine, for example, knows and respects the work of Tal Farlow.  Can
someone remember the musical influences Ice-T named in a recent
MTV interview?  It was mighty impressive.

>So what I am bringing up today is the subject of the ever growing strength of
> the House and Techno Revolution that is going on all around you even if you
> don't know about it.
>
>O.K. before you stop reading this give it a chance.

What on earth makes you think that we haven't listened to techno, acid
house, ambient house, rave, AND THEIR PREDECESSORS?  C'mon man,
lighten up.

>However, recently in my life, within the last year and a half, I have
 completely
> and utterly fallen into this Technological whirlwind of music. There is
> something about this music, Techno and House and Trance, and it's violently
> spiritual defiance of the world around us that grabs one's cells.

OK, you really like it and it really moves you.

>In my experiences I have now met "The Timothy Leary", and oh goodness what a
> man.

The presence of Timothy Leary has historically marked the decline of
fashions.

Brett goes on to talk about the excitement, the lack of social
barriers, and his belief that music can save the world.

I also believe that music can save the world, but only to the extent
that it makes us all more human.  A rave (rave party? whatever) as a
paradigm for society?  Saddam Hussein and his army all dancing with
Bill Clinton and Congress?  Hell, Newt Gingrich dancing at all?  Even
in the 60s I wasn't that idealistic.

But let's cut to the main point: techno.  It disturbs me that the only
thing you haven't talked about is the music.  So, how is the music?
Not as some sort of decoration for the scene, but as music?

If you want to avoid flames in a music list, try talking about music.
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| Rev. Bob "Bob" Crispen        |            "IT FOUND ME!"            |
| crispen@foxy.boeing.com       |      Campus Crusade for Cthulhu      |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
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