Comments on: And Another One Gone… http://badcoverversion.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/and-another-one-gone/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:04:58 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: badcoverversion http://badcoverversion.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/and-another-one-gone/#comment-9 badcoverversion Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:28:41 +0000 http://badcoverversion.wordpress.com/?p=59#comment-9 Oh, I'd agree, to an extent (though I don't discount that people actually like what's on the Top 40). Which is why I said that we'd like to think that the small stores get by on indie releases, but they don't. They have to sell major-label releases, as well. Also, another topic for another day is the lack of mid-level artists--those who ostensibly walk the line between starving in a garret apartment and producing overtly "commercial" music--on major labels. That category's demise goes back to changes in the recording industry starting in the 1980s... Oh, I’d agree, to an extent (though I don’t discount that people actually like what’s on the Top 40). Which is why I said that we’d like to think that the small stores get by on indie releases, but they don’t. They have to sell major-label releases, as well.

Also, another topic for another day is the lack of mid-level artists–those who ostensibly walk the line between starving in a garret apartment and producing overtly “commercial” music–on major labels. That category’s demise goes back to changes in the recording industry starting in the 1980s…

]]> By: David Niall Wilson http://badcoverversion.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/and-another-one-gone/#comment-8 David Niall Wilson Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:51:29 +0000 http://badcoverversion.wordpress.com/?p=59#comment-8 I think there's more to the top five than just the convenience. I think the sad fact is that the people who genuinely love music - those likely to try something new and branch out into actual "indie" tracks and albums are greatly outnumbered by the scores of people who heard a catchy tune on FM-whatever and rushed to Walmart because the DJ told them to. It's the same with books...The Da Vinci Code was a mediocre at best thriller with very little new to add to the particular conspiracies it expounded - but the people who bought it in droves were people who don't buy and read books regularly...who read it because everyone else was reading it, and not because they really had the urge to read - and so it went through the roof, while much better books by much better writers fell by the wayside. In our society it's hard to figure out the magic median between commercial drek and artistic honesty that will pay the bills. I hope you still have a few independent stores to visit. We have one up in Norfolk called Skinnies that has lasted against the waves of time. -DNW I think there’s more to the top five than just the convenience. I think the sad fact is that the people who genuinely love music – those likely to try something new and branch out into actual “indie” tracks and albums are greatly outnumbered by the scores of people who heard a catchy tune on FM-whatever and rushed to Walmart because the DJ told them to.

It’s the same with books…The Da Vinci Code was a mediocre at best thriller with very little new to add to the particular conspiracies it expounded – but the people who bought it in droves were people who don’t buy and read books regularly…who read it because everyone else was reading it, and not because they really had the urge to read – and so it went through the roof, while much better books by much better writers fell by the wayside.

In our society it’s hard to figure out the magic median between commercial drek and artistic honesty that will pay the bills.

I hope you still have a few independent stores to visit. We have one up in Norfolk called Skinnies that has lasted against the waves of time.

-DNW

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