What is so uncool about melody and good musicianship?
- Thread starter daveK
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Hey Folks,
I'm brand new here. This is an interesting thread. My musical tastes really run all over the map, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Searchers, Fairport Convention (an A&M band!). I also like Jazz, Miles Davis especially and Stan Getz. I have a lot of folk music in my collection, I love Phil Ochs and Richard and Mimi Farina. And I also love the Tijuana Brass.
I've listened to Herb since I was 5 years old (I just turned 50). The Mexican Shuffle really got me (the Teabury commercial) and when I heard A Taste Of Honey I was sold. It may not be cool to admit liking the TJB but who cares? The older I get the less I care what anyone else thinks about my musical tastes. To me one of the great things about Herb's music is that it really appeals to all generations (even if some won't admit it). The melody and the hooks are all there and the musicianship makes it all valid. Hip or not, I still like 'em.
JZ
I'm brand new here. This is an interesting thread. My musical tastes really run all over the map, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Searchers, Fairport Convention (an A&M band!). I also like Jazz, Miles Davis especially and Stan Getz. I have a lot of folk music in my collection, I love Phil Ochs and Richard and Mimi Farina. And I also love the Tijuana Brass.
I've listened to Herb since I was 5 years old (I just turned 50). The Mexican Shuffle really got me (the Teabury commercial) and when I heard A Taste Of Honey I was sold. It may not be cool to admit liking the TJB but who cares? The older I get the less I care what anyone else thinks about my musical tastes. To me one of the great things about Herb's music is that it really appeals to all generations (even if some won't admit it). The melody and the hooks are all there and the musicianship makes it all valid. Hip or not, I still like 'em.
JZ
Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar
Member
Hey All. Just remember...'UGLY' sells! That's why tatoos and rings in the nose are so big. 
People buy pants and shirts with the holes already in them. 
Soon there will be an antiperspirant that smells like stinky arm pit. 
I think we at the Corner all want some edge in our music, with beauty, and a little sense of humor.
later.........J
People buy pants and shirts with the holes already in them. Soon there will be an antiperspirant that smells like stinky arm pit. I think we at the Corner all want some edge in our music, with beauty, and a little sense of humor.
later.........J
mikeargo
Well-Known Member
Dave, try throwing a little Tchaikovsky or Debussy or Chopin or J. Strauss into the mix and see what kind of reaction you get. Those old long-haired cats knew how important melody is to music appreciation. Or, if you fear being pummeled on all sides by cards and chips (and salsa), swing with a little Ellington or Goodman or Mercer, maybe a little Billie Holiday, or if you want to completely blow them away, anything by Bill Evans. You never know what will wake somebody up to something different.
=Mike A.
=Mike A.
Skeeterbytes
New Member
As my metalhead friends would say: melody and musicianship are usually found in wimpy music. Much of the current rock and hip-hop that passes as music is largely void of a decent melody because it's main purpose is to stimulate the tuff-guy, culturally-stupid mindset of a typical 18-30 year old. That's where the $$$ is at. I found this a lot back in the 90's. Metallica, Slayer and most of all: Pantera. Most of them are extremely skilled at the instruments but lacking anything that seems like a melody or musicianship. It's about being masculine and strong. Ever notice that NO WWE wrestler has "Top of the World" or "Year of the Cat" as their theme song? Yeah, exactly.
In addition to that, everything available now is mastered "hot" (aka Loudness War. Look it up on the web. It's a nightmare.) I was really skeptical of how bad the TJB remasters were going to be since the thing now is to squeeze the dynamic range out and raise the overall average volume to make it sound "louder". To my surprise, they are magnificent.
It's a lot easier to notice the melody when you are accustomed to playing it. You have to remember that a majority of people don't know how to play an instrument with any degree of proficiency. Much of that is passed on (or NOT passed on in this case) from the parent who's job is to make sure the kid is well-rounded more or less. Without that ability to appreciate it, it's lost. That's why in more ways that this, Western society is getting dumber by the generation. At least that's my take. I'm open to being wrong.
In addition to that, everything available now is mastered "hot" (aka Loudness War. Look it up on the web. It's a nightmare.) I was really skeptical of how bad the TJB remasters were going to be since the thing now is to squeeze the dynamic range out and raise the overall average volume to make it sound "louder". To my surprise, they are magnificent.
It's a lot easier to notice the melody when you are accustomed to playing it. You have to remember that a majority of people don't know how to play an instrument with any degree of proficiency. Much of that is passed on (or NOT passed on in this case) from the parent who's job is to make sure the kid is well-rounded more or less. Without that ability to appreciate it, it's lost. That's why in more ways that this, Western society is getting dumber by the generation. At least that's my take. I'm open to being wrong.
Captaindave
Well-Known Member
Well, Skeeterbytes, I like your post and you have my agreement from top to bottom. You and I probably see much of this in very similar ways.
Let me just add that in addition to playing the melody on an instrument makes it easier to identify the melody, it's also the ability to even know what melody is or what that word means. I think melody driven music - whether vocal or instrumental - has been in decline for many, many years.
I think some of that decline of melody got its start back in the 1960s. I remember the music I liked back then as a teenager, and most of it was melody oriented music. I did not relate very much to the guitar dominated music of the sixties; rather my likes were in the areas of instrumental, such as the Tijuana Brass, and vocal dominated sounds, such as the Classics IV and the Association. being a trumpet player, a melody instrument, may have had something to do with that.
Let me just add that in addition to playing the melody on an instrument makes it easier to identify the melody, it's also the ability to even know what melody is or what that word means. I think melody driven music - whether vocal or instrumental - has been in decline for many, many years.
I think some of that decline of melody got its start back in the 1960s. I remember the music I liked back then as a teenager, and most of it was melody oriented music. I did not relate very much to the guitar dominated music of the sixties; rather my likes were in the areas of instrumental, such as the Tijuana Brass, and vocal dominated sounds, such as the Classics IV and the Association. being a trumpet player, a melody instrument, may have had something to do with that.
Skeeter & Capt Dave,
I agree and think you're spot on with your assessment. I can pinpoint the moment in time down to the year and month...
August 1969 was the point where America, pop culture and things in general here went wrong. Of course the roots of what went wrong at that point can be traced back to other events prior to that month & year, but that's indeed when it happened and most anyone between the ages of 15 and 25 that month and year are largely to blame (and continue to screw things up to this day even though they're now 56 to 66 years old). Not everyone in that age bracket, mind you, but a good large number of them! (I don't need my A&M buddies in that age group to think I blame them).
--Mr Bill
I agree and think you're spot on with your assessment. I can pinpoint the moment in time down to the year and month...
August 1969 was the point where America, pop culture and things in general here went wrong. Of course the roots of what went wrong at that point can be traced back to other events prior to that month & year, but that's indeed when it happened and most anyone between the ages of 15 and 25 that month and year are largely to blame (and continue to screw things up to this day even though they're now 56 to 66 years old). Not everyone in that age bracket, mind you, but a good large number of them! (I don't need my A&M buddies in that age group to think I blame them).
--Mr Bill
Well you had the Moody Blues, who were always big on melody, and later in the 1970's you had the Raspberries, who proved one could be melodic and still have a heavier sound. While I agree that melody began to take a back seat sometime around 1970, it wasn't completely gone. It's around today, though you have to do some digging to find it. The Ravonettes are an example with songs like "Last Dance".
Captaindave
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