RTP-area local music and culture

[James Hepler <jameshepler AT yahoo.com>]

--- musicscribe AT gmail.com wrote:

> 
> >
> > Heh. "Get a *real* job!" That's what I'm gonna say
> anytime one of my
> > musician friends, like Hepler, starts bitching
> about how his backstage
> > martinis aren't cold enough.
> 
> If someone doesn't like their job, change it, don't
> complain about how
> difficult it is.


Music, job?  You know a lot of people making a living
off the rock? I think it's a bit myopic to treat being
a musician lke it's not much different than working
retail.  I think there's a lot more to it than that. 
Almost every musician I know HAS a real job in
addition to playing music.

And no one was complaining about how hard it is.  I
was saying that it's hard enough and personal enough
that it should be appreciated, because if it wasn't
for the people making the music, there would be no
need for the critic, not that anyone is arguing that
there's a great need for that position in the first
place.  It would be nice though for the critic to
realize that his job depends on having people to
critique.  But I suppose the garbage collector has a
love/hate relationship with refuse as well.

If it weren't hard, it wouldn't be worthwhile.  So
what makes the indy critic's job worthwhile?  The
Anthony Michael Hall-esque pat on the back they give
themselves after coming up with just the right way to
say, "Don't bother seeing this band play"?

> > In case it hasn't been made clear by the other 35
> posts in this thread,
> > we're not having that conversation.
> 
> "I just feel like it's a lot harder to make music
> than
> it is to listen to it.  It's very hard to go on
> tour.
> Booking shows, paying for gas, eating, lodging,
> playing in front of crowds ranging from 4 to 400. 
> And
> I think that the least that the local press can do
> is
> be indifferent."
> 
> I guess you were just skimming that part as well...


Where in that do you derive, "If you don't make it how
can you appreciate how hard it is to do? If you can't
do it how can you criticize someone who does."

I think it's funny that you talk about thin skin and
bruised egos while you lash out at strawmen after
someone DARES critique what you do.

If you'd like clarification, I'll provide it.  What
I'm saying is that by virtue of the fact that there
are people who choose making music OVER going to
school, people who are willing to deliver pizzas so
that work won't get in the way of their craft, there
should be some level of respect.  Even if what they're
making doesn't impress or please you.

You can criticize their music all you want.  But
telling people to steer clear of their shows, I don't
see how that serves any positive purpose other than to
feed a writer's ego.  And frankly, all I can think
when I see that happening is, "Oh someone didn't get
on the guest list for that show".


> > Yet, interestingly enough, it would appear that
> none of the other folks
> > posting in this thread found any of these blurbs
> entertaining or
> > amusing. Maybe you're not trying hard enough.
> 
> I agree. I'm worried, judging from this
> representative sample.....
> fortunately I get paid whether it's good or not.


See?  You already have it better tham musicians do. 
Is this part of why you seem to hate them so much?




       
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