Re: [microsound] Re: the great depression of experimental music?

[michael trommer <trommer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> If you look at this problem historically, art has always needed some
> form of patronage to support it, and the patronage continually evolves
> with the art.  While all of the new means of disseminating music that
> are being discussed here are great (internet, mp3s, cdrs, etc.), I
> don't think there's anything wrong with artists expecting to make some
> money for what they do.  Bach worked for the church, Haydn the king,
> and Verdi and Wagner had popular audiences in their own times.  In the
> twentieth century commercial recording emerged as a new way of
> supporting music, as did public funding through grants, etc.  Now it
> seems as if both of these means are falling by the wayside, to be
> replaced with what?  I don't like the idea of art being something that
> is done strictly on the "hobby" or amateur level financially.  Art is
> too important of a component in society to be relegated to that
> position.  The idea is that the artist has to beat the game of
> economics somehow, like Duchamp suggested.

patronage is necessary...hmmm.

i really don't think so.

i have no sugar daddy.

even though i release stuff on fairly well-respected labels (i.e. transmat)
i have a day job that i don't intend to leave. i've probably spent more
money in the process of making music than i've made and i have no problem
with this. i don't see any reason to apply for grants when i can afford to
do what i do (and others can't and are thus more in need of this money).
music is fun ...it's playing (we 'play' music, after all).

the reality: most of my stuff has been composed in my underpants, through
the very intellectual process of sheer  fucking about (not that anyone wants
to know or cares), but the point is that i often feel silly having to
contextualize my stuff into the appropriate discourse demanded by whatever
label or gallery is displaying/releasing my work. do i tell them that most
of the best bits were accidents ? no... i can't...it's not allowed.
furthermore, i find that about 90% of the stuff that is created from a
purely conceptual framework really isn't that interesting to listen to. i
would go right ahead and say it downright sucks.

.... i think that this necessary association with patronage is a fairly
western view of things.
in some societies art is integrated into the societal fabric and has no
commodity value. i find this REALLY refreshing...and hard to truly
experience, unfortunately.

....which brings us to this western necessity of creating a myth of the
hallowed ARTISTE...something that makes me crazy but is necessary in order
to increase the value of this 'artist' commodity. it tends to encourage this
self-aggrandizing, self-important ridiculousness, whether it be in mille
plateaux's liner notes or britney spears' spouting her views on american
politics.

....anyone read any good artist/musician press releases lately ?

'where is music headed today' ? 'what's the next step ?' 'are we in a state
of crisis ?" who cares ? the use of the word 'crisis' is ridiculous in this
context, demeaning to the real crises that are ongoing throughout the world.
if we were/are, it's not going to be resolved by some chin-stroking
intellectual, but probably by some kid in his basement who doesn't give a
flying fuck about the intellectual discourses being debated in the land of
laptopia, but with some SOUL.

yowza.

whew...i feel better now.

i think i need some sleep tho.


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