Comments on: John Mellencamp: Organizing Artists is Like Herding Cats http://www.100eyes.org/2009/03/john-mellencamp-organizing-artists-is-like-herding-cats/ Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:03:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Andy http://www.100eyes.org/2009/03/john-mellencamp-organizing-artists-is-like-herding-cats/#comment-60 Andy Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:49:46 +0000 http://www.100eyes.org/?p=683#comment-60 Agree Brian, some of the comments are self-serving at best, but his discussion of the effect of the digitization of music, and its colossal failure reminds me a lot of the predicament that photographers are in. Agree Brian, some of the comments are self-serving at best, but his discussion of the effect of the digitization of music, and its colossal failure reminds me a lot of the predicament that photographers are in.

]]> By: Brian Frank http://www.100eyes.org/2009/03/john-mellencamp-organizing-artists-is-like-herding-cats/#comment-59 Brian Frank Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:17:25 +0000 http://www.100eyes.org/?p=683#comment-59 Seems to me there is a little hypocrisy in this posting. He refers to "The Monster Mash" as trifle? This is the same man who wrote his last hit "This is Our Country" as a commercial for Chevy trucks. He is not the first musician to write a song, then sell it for commercial use. That use was one of the most blatant. I'm only speaking from perception, but it seems that the relative innocent practice of letting a company use a song in a commercial has evolved and culminated in his epic sell-out masterpiece. Does he not see the parallels between the merging of the music and commercial industry to the push to streamline radio ratings? He continues to compare the memorability of one of his songs to the entire Mariah Carey library. The implication being that is a song is not memorable, then it's not good. What a load of crap. Does that make "Who Let the Dogs Out" ingenious, since even Mitt Romney know the chorus? I think bands like Radiohead, The Black Keys and Nine Inch Nails are brilliant, but I certainly couldn't sit here and sing their songs. Can anyone who hasn't studied classical music remember the lyrics to Ave Maria? He does make many good points. but seems that the criticisms might have carried a little more weight if they were discussed by someone else, perhaps someone who either is actually benefitting from the system, or who has a little cleaner pedigree. I've always felt that 90% of the music, whatever the genre, was crap, leaving 10% of pure gold. Seems that percentage of gold has shrunk considerably in the last decade, which should annoy all of us who consider themselves music lovers. There is still some really good music available, you just have to hunt more. This also gives us the opportunity to rummage through old music to discover some real gems. I recently stumbled across Otis Spann, who was the piano player for Muddy Waters during his height. Spann has some masterful songs like "Blues for Martin Luther King" and "One More Mile to Go" that rip your heart out every time you hear them. Check them out. Seems to me there is a little hypocrisy in this posting. He refers to “The Monster Mash” as trifle? This is the same man who wrote his last hit “This is Our Country” as a commercial for Chevy trucks. He is not the first musician to write a song, then sell it for commercial use. That use was one of the most blatant. I’m only speaking from perception, but it seems that the relative innocent practice of letting a company use a song in a commercial has evolved and culminated in his epic sell-out masterpiece. Does he not see the parallels between the merging of the music and commercial industry to the push to streamline radio ratings?

He continues to compare the memorability of one of his songs to the entire Mariah Carey library. The implication being that is a song is not memorable, then it’s not good. What a load of crap. Does that make “Who Let the Dogs Out” ingenious, since even Mitt Romney know the chorus? I think bands like Radiohead, The Black Keys and Nine Inch Nails are brilliant, but I certainly couldn’t sit here and sing their songs. Can anyone who hasn’t studied classical music remember the lyrics to Ave Maria?

He does make many good points. but seems that the criticisms might have carried a little more weight if they were discussed by someone else, perhaps someone who either is actually benefitting from the system, or who has a little cleaner pedigree.

I’ve always felt that 90% of the music, whatever the genre, was crap, leaving 10% of pure gold. Seems that percentage of gold has shrunk considerably in the last decade, which should annoy all of us who consider themselves music lovers. There is still some really good music available, you just have to hunt more.

This also gives us the opportunity to rummage through old music to discover some real gems. I recently stumbled across Otis Spann, who was the piano player for Muddy Waters during his height. Spann has some masterful songs like “Blues for Martin Luther King” and “One More Mile to Go” that rip your heart out every time you hear them. Check them out.

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