2008 Woodie Awards
Image-based ideals spoil the sound waves
Colin Mason
Issue date: 10/20/06 Section: Perspectives
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I find myself wondering, "What has happened to music and the music industry over the course of the last thirty years?" Where are all the bands and movements of music that are relevant and have the fire and brimstone these days? The answer is none, not at least the ones that can be heard on regular FM radio or seen on MTV and VH1.
The sad thing about music today is that it is totally image-based, with many of the musicians strolling into the studio with ideas and having a producer or team of producers write the actual tune. The best part is the shamelessness of it.
You can watch episodes of the hit VH1 reality show "Hogan Knows Best" when you see his daughter Brooke trying to decide which musical avenue to go down, and then going in to record with rough ideas while a couple producers sit around and write the tunes. One of those producers is the one who signed her, Scott Storch.
Storch is more of an "artist" then the ones he produces. He is a fine example of someone who can rake in Grammy nominations and tons of loot for no-talent clowns like Paris Hilton or any ubiquitous rapper who rolls into the studio with a suitcase full of cash looking for some beats to be made for them.
Storch prefers to make his own music for these artists, rather than sampling. He plays keyboards, piano, clav0inet, violin and bagpipes.
Another big example is the Matrix production team. They have created hits for artists such as Nick Lachey, Ashley Simpson, Hilary Duff, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Shakira and that guy named Ashley Parker Angel who had a short-lived reality show on MTV. I noticed a trend when looking at those artists: it's all watered-down, third-rate swill!
On the topic of image being everything, I was asked to review a CD by a new band from London called "Towers of London." There was a sticker on the front from the record label saying that they were a combination of Motley Crue and the Sex Pistols.
I thought this would be good because I love the Sex Pistols. Sure, they had the Crue look, but their sound was nothing like the Pistols or Motley Crue.
The sad thing about music today is that it is totally image-based, with many of the musicians strolling into the studio with ideas and having a producer or team of producers write the actual tune. The best part is the shamelessness of it.
You can watch episodes of the hit VH1 reality show "Hogan Knows Best" when you see his daughter Brooke trying to decide which musical avenue to go down, and then going in to record with rough ideas while a couple producers sit around and write the tunes. One of those producers is the one who signed her, Scott Storch.
Storch is more of an "artist" then the ones he produces. He is a fine example of someone who can rake in Grammy nominations and tons of loot for no-talent clowns like Paris Hilton or any ubiquitous rapper who rolls into the studio with a suitcase full of cash looking for some beats to be made for them.
Storch prefers to make his own music for these artists, rather than sampling. He plays keyboards, piano, clav0inet, violin and bagpipes.
Another big example is the Matrix production team. They have created hits for artists such as Nick Lachey, Ashley Simpson, Hilary Duff, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Shakira and that guy named Ashley Parker Angel who had a short-lived reality show on MTV. I noticed a trend when looking at those artists: it's all watered-down, third-rate swill!
On the topic of image being everything, I was asked to review a CD by a new band from London called "Towers of London." There was a sticker on the front from the record label saying that they were a combination of Motley Crue and the Sex Pistols.
I thought this would be good because I love the Sex Pistols. Sure, they had the Crue look, but their sound was nothing like the Pistols or Motley Crue.
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