In the mush that resides upstairs over the past few months, I keep hearing this little voice asking me “Where is music actually going? Is there some future destination?” I don’t know if I have an answer, but I think there is a financial analogy that is appropriate: Much as the dollar has depreciated over time as large institutions have gotten involved in the control and distribution of it, music has followed an eerily similar path after record labels and the media have conglomerated into faceless, tasteless blobs, distorting “what is music” and devaluing it faster than a cheap suit. Like the dollar losing 95% its value over the last 100 or so years, “music” at least corporate generated music, is now literally worthless.

How did I come to this inevitable conclusion? Well to start with, looking through my collection I noticed that there isn’t much that is really “new”. I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater here–there are some newer artists that are absolutely amazing and I have purchased their music too. Ibibio Sound Machine (who isn’t that new anymore) comes to mind. However, I notice that I am purchasing (and interested in) more music from the past than anything else. (Hat tip to Pandora!) And once again, RIP Roy Ayers!

When I think about the relative value of those CD’s (or vinyl) the value has actually gone up! Sure, many of those works are likely out of print now, but compare and contrast the cost of a music work from the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s to today’s music of “Generation Z”. They practically give those CD’s away! Do they have any value at all? Will they hold any value over time? I think not. The CD’s I have from 3 and 4 decades ago are worth 3-4x (used!) what a new CD from generic artist XYZ is worth. I think this says something…

I have been noticing that I don’t recognize many of the contemporary artists anymore. I mean, I’m IN this business and I can’t tell one from another today. If the music was out of sight, I would tune in, but it isn’t. Of course, there are those bright spots. But do they only shine because the landscape is so dull? If you are paying attention, nothing is really new from these “new” artists. The band Jungle comes to mind. These guys are great. However, they are regurgitating 60’s Motown with what is known as the stereotypical UK “pop” sound. I like them a lot. But would they stand out as much in the hey day of Motown??

I’ve noticed that music has gone way more visual today than it used to be. It’s almost as if the visual aspect is pasting over that area of your brain that is supposed to be listening. Instead of hearing good music, the listener is simply being distracted by cool, flashy visual aids. Many music videos seem to cater to heavy drug use. I’m not throwing stones here–smoke ’em if you got ’em. But the “video” in the music video seems detached from the actual music in most cases and overly, heavily graphical. In the 70’s & 80’s, a music video used to show the band performing. I mean, sometimes they would put Duran Duran on a boat with the sax player floating off into the horizon, or in the jungle with hot chicks but there were no special effects or big visual distractions and distortions. And some of those videos are really iconic! Today is different though. It’s less performance and more visual art, for visual art’s sake–if you can call it that.

The biggest record label mind fuck is this super high functioning autistic version of what is now called “crossover”. Back in the day, crossover music was a natural progression. For example, The Police fused Reggae with Punk Rock. Santana fused Latin music with Rock. Yngwie fused Classical music with Metal. Even De La Soul fused Jazz with Hip-Hop. There are hundreds of mixing bowls, some larger than others that seemed to be a more organic representation of the times and evolution of music. It felt right, it sounded right and the blend created a new genre of its own in many cases.

Today, “crossover” means take Artist X (whatever genre they represent) and produce their music in the most popular genre of today to sell records. How else can you explain Kendrick Lamar?? Dude, Schoolly D. would have capped this dude so fast. BIGGIE is rolling over in his grave RIGHT NOW. And if Schoolly D. didn’t finish the job, you just know B.I.G. would open the door and waive the .44 at Kendrick’s lame ass. Kendrick–you have a choice man–have you no shame?! Why are you rapping Country?? And how the actual fuck has Country turned into Rap at the same time Rap has turned into Country??? What the hell is going on here?

There are so many analogues of what has been the overused term of the “Decline of Civilization”. There are many, many examples of Rome and its exploits right at the end of its 1000 year stretch. For lack of a complete history lesson, let’s just say things started to get whacky. For those paying attention at the time (and now) this was the slow, creeping vibe that overtook the intuitive, telling them “Sum Ting Wong”. Yeah, like Steve Buschemi said in Armageddon, “It’s all wrong!”

I think the music (or lack thereof) is trying to tell us something. There is absolutely no reason–in this day of magical computers and everyone and their pet rabbit owning studio software–that music shouldn’t be flourishing. But maybe the fact that everyone and their pet rabbit owns studio software is part of the problem. I was talking with a drummer buddy (who is great) after listening to his CD and asked him how he got to be that good on keys. The solos on his album were pretty good! He replied that this was an actual (sort of AI) program that he could choose solo parts and mold them together without actually having to play them. I mean, MIDI is awesome for stuff, but this is a whole ‘nother level of Whoa Nelly! Now musicians (term used loosely today, I suppose) don’t even have to play the instruments. Wow.

Is AI going to save us? Probably not. And if AI isn’t tuned in to the truly “great” works of the past, we (well, I say that in the “royal” we fashion, but I ain’t gonna be there) are going to have music in the future guided by GIGO (garbage in, garbage out). Which will probably be fine because many a brain of the younger, television educated yout’s generations have the same issue. So it will be a marriage made in hell. Unfortunately though, we will likely lose a very fine art. Beethoven and Bach will be just strange words to the scores of future generations. I can just imagine the question “What was this thing called Classical music?” Or, “Why did people play Jazz? It’s so unorganized!” Ha. I can’t wait to not see it!

It is usually at this place (in these pseudo rants) where I tell the reader what they can do about it. Sure:

LISTEN TO GOOD MUSIC. SHARE GOOD MUSIC WITH OTHER PEOPLE. SEARCH OUT AND FIND BETTER MUSIC! EDUCATE YOURSELF TO BE A BETTER MUSIC LISTENER!!

However, like how I imagine Gold looking at the US $ right now, I really don’t give a fuck. While I agree with Gandhi in being the change you want to see, the world gets what it gets and sometimes “deserves” ain’t got nothing to do with it. Maybe every once in a while a reckoning comes just because. That giant meteor doesn’t have to be a bad thing. At least in the case of music (and per the Chinese proverb): Don’t think about all the good music you’ve lost; think instead of about all the shitty music that was yet to be created that never happened. And have a good laugh. Because THAT is where music is going. And our civilization (if you can call it that today) is going right over the falls with it.

Signing off for now. Until next time, have a good time all the time.