Bread and Circuses

When I brought up the topic of a storyteller, there was a very interesting comment made. It said that there are not any great storytellers because people do not seem themselves in crisis nor do people feel a compelling reason to write music. I would agree and disagree. I do not think that white suburban kids have a crisis at hand. We are the sons and daughters of modern lords (in the middle ages sense). We have everything we could possibly want and more. It makes us if we are not careful pleasure junkies. We want music that sounds good, but doesn't have substance; we want many consumer goods, but don't want to think where they came from; we want much food, but we don't want to think what's inside it or where it came from. The list goes on, but we are generation that apparently does not live in fear of our choices and there's the problem. We don't understand how our choices affect other people especially when it comes to politics. So what if there are only two political parties and one President? What about your congressman, senators, city councilmen? These people are equally important. We need to realize that every politician is a voice to be heard and our voices should be heard.

Now that I am done being the modern Jefferson, back to the music. I think in the urban areas there has been a great growth and great destruction of a modern storyteller - the rap artist. Rap music was the music of the inner city, those people have something to worry about and while they shelter themselves with their inability to get out from under, they are aware of the issues. However, do not think that all rap music is good. The rubbish indirectly created by the suburbanites, and don't think it hasn't been; 50 cent, Jay-Z, Ludicrous, etc. While the music has become more polished, it's not necessarily telling a better story in fact it's sending the wrong message. It appears to promote violence not try to explain it. As the BBC said, listen to old school rap, or find a rap artist outside the states. The middle easterners in Europe are surprisingly picking up this art form to explain their own issues.

On the hand, country music , Chris Thile being included in that group has some really good storytellers, but even that music can get out hand. Sugar Hill Records is one of the last great hubs for true storytellers and passerbys of folk.

In popular music I did forget about some of the women lately who have become good storytellers like Sarah Mclachlan and Mary J. Blige.

In all, I think we are generation that has not grown up on truly understand the purpose of music, its form and its function. It's sad but true. Most music listen to by people like me is some type of Indie/Rock/Pop. The music is catchy, but is just a loud version of music that's been played for a long time with similar lyrics. Dave Matthews has the largest following of them all because he is in fact different. He has different lyrics and different melodies. That doesn't make him amazing. It makes him someone with a mind:) Our generation likes Dave Matthews because in a desert we want something resembles water and right now we can't tell the difference between the the water and sand.