In defense of music that "shouldn't be heard"
In his editorial titled "Elegy for the 'Suits' - The Internet, Not the Labels, Hurt the Music Industry" Sal Nunziato concludes he needs the 'suits.'
His position is that he needs the 'suits' (the labels) because it is now possible for anyone with a "computer, a kazoo and an untuned guitar" to "flood the market" with music that is so bad that it shouldn't be heard.
"The suits made hits and created stars because they knew something." I have to agree with this. Not much has changed. The suits still know something. They know how to sell music and maximize the company's profits. For many in the record industry it's not about music - it's about money. The advice from many 'suits' about how to succeed is to figure out what sells and copy that. I hope that doesn't sound too critical. If that's what a (should I substitute the word artist?) performer wants to do - great. Give the masses what they want and love doing it! Nothing wrong with that - but, it's not the only music that deserves to be heard.
Sal Nunziato is a music junkie. There are lots of music junkies in the world. Thankfully, they don't all have the same taste in music.
Sal doesn't want thousands of choices. He wants the suits to cull it down to some choices. Frankly, I think they are doing that. The suits still control the majority of what is listened to in terms of recorded music. The internet gives people who want it access to alternatives and thankfully it's getting easier to find alternative but you have to look for it.
The America restaurant is cited as an analogy of too much to choose from. I'm not familiar with the America restaurant but apparently you have to know karate(? Sal says you needed a 'black belt') to pick up the huge menu. I guess it's closed now. From the reference in the editorial it must have been successful for some time. Maybe it's closed now because the food was mediocre (according to Sal) and not because there were too many choices. We could try to make an analogy based on the assertion that it was {always mobbed because it was colossal} but [wouldn't have lasted a month in a smaller space] to music on the {internet} versus music in an [indie record shop.] Ooops, might be getting too personal. Sorry, I just get upset when my freedom of expression is dissed.
Sal opines about Death, the Detroit band, that made a comeback after a digitized copy of a "perfunctory" album was made public on the internet. He and the suits say "a brief return to the big time is not really a career." If music is just something to sell and a music career is defined by lasting popularity I suppose Sal and the suits are correct.
I'll be releasing my Suite for Kazoo and Untuned Guitar in the near future.
It won't be a kick in the face to anyone talented or 'deserving.' There may actually be someone out there who will enjoy it. Even if there isn't someone who will enjoy it - I'm grateful to have the freedom to express myself and make it in whatever way I choose. If Sal doesn't like it - he doesn't have to listen. Maybe some kids in Chicago will decide to do a cover for the fans they never would have had without the internet in Malaysia.
His position is that he needs the 'suits' (the labels) because it is now possible for anyone with a "computer, a kazoo and an untuned guitar" to "flood the market" with music that is so bad that it shouldn't be heard.
"The suits made hits and created stars because they knew something." I have to agree with this. Not much has changed. The suits still know something. They know how to sell music and maximize the company's profits. For many in the record industry it's not about music - it's about money. The advice from many 'suits' about how to succeed is to figure out what sells and copy that. I hope that doesn't sound too critical. If that's what a (should I substitute the word artist?) performer wants to do - great. Give the masses what they want and love doing it! Nothing wrong with that - but, it's not the only music that deserves to be heard.
Sal Nunziato is a music junkie. There are lots of music junkies in the world. Thankfully, they don't all have the same taste in music.
Sal doesn't want thousands of choices. He wants the suits to cull it down to some choices. Frankly, I think they are doing that. The suits still control the majority of what is listened to in terms of recorded music. The internet gives people who want it access to alternatives and thankfully it's getting easier to find alternative but you have to look for it.
The America restaurant is cited as an analogy of too much to choose from. I'm not familiar with the America restaurant but apparently you have to know karate(? Sal says you needed a 'black belt') to pick up the huge menu. I guess it's closed now. From the reference in the editorial it must have been successful for some time. Maybe it's closed now because the food was mediocre (according to Sal) and not because there were too many choices. We could try to make an analogy based on the assertion that it was {always mobbed because it was colossal} but [wouldn't have lasted a month in a smaller space] to music on the {internet} versus music in an [indie record shop.] Ooops, might be getting too personal. Sorry, I just get upset when my freedom of expression is dissed.
Sal opines about Death, the Detroit band, that made a comeback after a digitized copy of a "perfunctory" album was made public on the internet. He and the suits say "a brief return to the big time is not really a career." If music is just something to sell and a music career is defined by lasting popularity I suppose Sal and the suits are correct.
I'll be releasing my Suite for Kazoo and Untuned Guitar in the near future.
It won't be a kick in the face to anyone talented or 'deserving.' There may actually be someone out there who will enjoy it. Even if there isn't someone who will enjoy it - I'm grateful to have the freedom to express myself and make it in whatever way I choose. If Sal doesn't like it - he doesn't have to listen. Maybe some kids in Chicago will decide to do a cover for the fans they never would have had without the internet in Malaysia.
