Tonight, it's Music Out

-Warning-
Nathan Waxing Philosophical
please, start with another Journal Entry if this is your first visit to the site. I'm weird like that. Not too often though, I promise.


I'm going out tonight, to a local rock concert. It's a thing that I do. This time, my mind will be wrapped around the festivities. Your true love, your friends, and with any luck, a toast or two.

Some great music will sort of leave a brush stroke across the whole evening. Normally I'm at a concert, I'm like a horse with those blinders on, focused only on the music. I'm trying to combine the two worlds and just kick back once in a while. Loosen up Nathan, willya?

Friday night, and I'm cuttin loose with some fine folks, Mother Mother providing the entertainment. Sorry, no notepad this time.

Showing up at the office drunk is a little different than writing music reviews, but I think my focus on restraint will pay off this time. I don't have to write about every show, nor do I have to get drunk at every show. Heck, I know it'll be great, so why write about it? Because you can! That's what's great about free speech. Anyone can do it for free, but if you're doing it for money.... please tell me your secret.

A hobo approached us today in front of a Gas Town rehearsal studio, selling a CD of his street music songs. He knows someone with a mac and used their microphone. 5 bucks? Looking at the burned cd, I was almost tempted, but then I thought "what if the cd doesn't even work. jesus, this guy wreaks like booze. what if he's starving, and he needs the money. what's up with that bandage on his hand." I reluctantly said 'no thanks' on the cd. You never know, I could have been looking at the next Wesley Willis. Only much smaller, and more beardy. From the whiff of this troubadour though, I figured it would probably be Barney Gumble's solo album.

People are either for, or against home recording. You talk about the years gone by, when you were forced to go into a studio with someone who knew what they were doing, and you remember the records that came out were pure gold! A mixture of what's established and what's new. Today, musicians are recording themselves in every town, every neighborhood, and castles and cabins around the world. With a simple internet connection, you can independently release that music, and leave chance to decide if anything ever happens with it. You could record an album, post it online and walk away from it for five years, then come back, make another one. Technically, you have 5 years experience in the music industry. I think that's what scares the old guard. Even The world is getting smaller now. I'm in the position where I can produce web content, like music, videos and websites, then post it online to anyone who is interested. It's all new to me, but here I am riding the wave.

I love new things. Time was, you had to be patient when expecting new things. I remember the anticipation of waiting for your fave band's new record. Going to a smaller shop and ordering a cd, tape or vinyl. Buying tickets to the all-ages show that weekend, inquiring about band names you've overheard at the shows. My Saturdays, well the more innocent ones during high school.

Those days are gone. If I want to find some new music on Nov 28th, 2008 you know how I, and most people get it? Online. You know who is giving it away? You and me are.

In the vinyl heyday, this worked out perfect for the record industry. If people like the record, they're gonna play it out, and they'll have to buy another copy. Collectors buying plastic-wrapped discs, never to see the light of day. We have these big pressing plants pumping out The White Album and feeding consumerism. This is music for crying out loud. You're not gonna buy it the same way you wear out a pair of jeans and replace them. I still go buy my tickets at the record store, and I know it gives them a profit. What's wrong with that? I'm not getting my music there anymore, that's what's wrong with it. We're too tempted by new things, and trying to get them for free. We're giving away our own music to anyone who wants it, and we're de-valuing the really goood music.


We all have our excuses. It's funny when people say "I bought a copy of this band's cd 10 years ago. I'm just re-downloading it because the cd is scratched or I gave it away. I've paid my dues. I bought enough records in my day. Or my classic, I'm a broke musician/student/journalist/painter." But I suppose we could buy it online, too. Wait, if I'm at the grocery store, waiting in line to buy a chocolate bar, and someone offers me a free sample of theirs, what am I gonna do? Even sweeter, this chocolate bar tastes like a Queens of The Stone Age bar, but it's crispier, and has 2 more albums. Want it for free?

There are 2 sides to every coin. I'm not here to preach for either side. I can prove to you that I still buy some of my music at record stores, I can prove to you that some of my music was free. what's the difference. what's over is over. I can't wait for the day when music is legitimized for what is is, and we don't have to cheat the system anymore to get what we need.

Let's stop waiting around for the music industry to catch up with our needs. Let's change the way we treat our music, and the system will be forced to catch up.

In my eyes, these musings are no way an authority on anything, just an avid music fan trying to do what he loves, and stay out of trouble doing it. Thank you for reading, I'm really honored to be doing this.




But back to my earlier point. Partying and drinking; combined with writing coherent thoughts... has mixed results for myself personally. Anyone who has sent an email while drunk knows this all too well.


If you want to hear how the show went, you'll have to join me tonight!


Mother Mother
live at Richards on Richards
Tonight! FRI Nov 28th
with guests.
Doors 8pm