Book finished: How Music Works
22/09/2014
Two Asides
1. I was impressed to see him write: - Not many foreigners understand the subtle difference between calling it "the south island" of New Zealand, as opposed to "South Island", which makes it sound like an island called "South", a separate place from "North Island". We New Zealanders always speak of the south island, where "south" is just an adjective, and simply tells us which island of our unitary country we are referring to. 2. I saw Talking Heads here in Auckland Town Hall, 6th June, 1979. |
I really enjoyed this. I have not before read so many things in a single book that mirrored my own thoughts. I also had a lot of my presumptions and perceptions of the author's personality confirmed. I was interested to find that he places himself at the mild end of the Asperger's/Autism spectrum, as I do.
The author is a former front man and writer for a band called Talking Heads, who had a modicum of success in the late 70's and through the 80's. He has obviously spent a lot of time thinking about music, as I have, and has considered many of my own pet angles, such as the uses of music, how much the tools affect what is produced, physiological affects of music, and much more. He talks about the history of music-making, and the modern recording process, reminding me I was telling people way back in 1970 that the recording engineer in the studio, or the man at the sound desk in live performances, should be considered a member of the group. After learning about Flamenco, which has always been made by and for themselves by the Spanish Gypsies, when I began to be a regular in bars in 1998, I immediately began to wonder why we don't make more of our own music in bars, instead of passively sucking up all the music videos. You have to go out in the country to find people playing their own instruments in bars, if you are lucky.
He discusses how a venue's accoustics affect the kind of music produced there, and how the technology available affects the music made. I was reminded of my own observation regarding the 20's craze for singing with megaphones. I reckoned they were just looping back the sound they heard from record-players of the time, which had a horn of similar dimensions. Thus the singer could sound "just like the record". This was also the time of the introduction of the "crooner" style, made possible by the microphone. (Ref. below re Opera) p.s. 27/09/14 I have just read in to-be-reviewed "Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918-1964" that they used the megaphones as a form of amplification to be heard above the band and audience. p.p.s. 3/10/2014 Ref. Blog "Book Finished: Blue Smoke". |
His thoughts on Arts Funding:
I have always thought it unfair and elitist that the antiquated pre-amplification screeching of operatics gets considered both worth listening to and worthy of astronomical sums to benefit a tiny fraction of the population.
Interesting also to hear that with Brian Eno....
Interesting also to hear that with Brian Eno....
This is exactly what Pink Floyd tried to do way back in 1971 when they "spent several days at Air Studios, attempting to create music using a variety of household objects".
There is an extensive treatment of the music business as well; it is the first time I have seen a financial breakdown of someone's actual record deals, which I thought was very frank of him.
There is an extensive treatment of the music business as well; it is the first time I have seen a financial breakdown of someone's actual record deals, which I thought was very frank of him.
Overall, I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in making and selling music.
Maybe it might destroy the illusion for those who are purely listeners!
Maybe it might destroy the illusion for those who are purely listeners!
Read as an e-book borrowed from Auckland Libraries via Overdrive, on my Kobo Touch e-reader