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RE: [microsound] two very important questions



can you explain what's implied by "markers of power" & "power
structures"? 
is the context socio-political, or in regard to music theory? 

if the latter, please ignore this email ; )

if the former... 

music in our culture is obviously a huge part of the very conscious and
refined practice of spreading/enforcing cultural memes, styles, norms
and associated products. regimenting behaviour is an extension of this,
especially with the young, impressionable and those who just want to
stay
cool! 
 
further, popular music that seems to work into this becomes popular by
no small coincidence. 

not that executives at big record companies and, er, clearchannel, are
out to set the agendas and directions for our culture at large (?!), but
they seem to be very well practiced at supporting and propagating
specific aspects of it. 

studying tv/radio-programming trends and the narratives of 'top selling'
hits may or may not reveal latent support of seemingly unrelated
(political) events such as, say, invading iraq. but at least in america
the relationship between those who are creating/spreading popular music
and those who have physical power seems to be getting closer and closer.
the same could be argued for those who are pushing commercial aspects of
cultural power such as food, clothing, and basically whatever you're
seeing britney's face plastered on this week. 

if this is true... because these systems are consciously created, they
can of course be consciously subverted. but the big question doesn't
strike me as whether or not it's possible to create alternative musical
narratives, or even how you would got about this, but rather how would
you make these narratives at all effective?? we're creating ripples in a
stormy ocean. 


"Percentage of songs on Billboard's Top 20 list during 2004 whose lyrics
mention at least one brand name: 40" - Harpers.org

"I want to be the song that you hear in your head " - Bono


- Richard 

(and with tongue firmly placed in cheek: http://www.iinion.net/str8.mp3)





>...yes fortean (sorry for the spellerzz) and other methods do 
> keep music and power structures separate...

>... How do musical recordings function as markers of power
> and codes for regimenting behavior...


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