Re: loop religion (1)

["Alan Imberg" <alan_i@sprynet.com>]

Hasn't it always been a human trait to mimic or replicate the human
experience through art? I agree that many of us could benefit from going
through life paying close attention to our surroundings, viewing and
listening to everything with awareness. I personally attempt to do this (I
get easily distracted) in my efforts to be more spiritually thoughtful and
reflective. There is a correlation between the times I'm successful at 
being
mindful of my surroundings and the times I'm most satisfied with my musical
output. I don't think there is an arrogant motive to create music that
rivals nature's music. I believe there is an inner need to participate with
nature and I do so by twiddling knobs and strumming chords. Boy, now I'm
starting to get deep. I need to go watch ESPN! -- Alan
-----Original Message-----
From: Morgan Lang <mhl21@columbia.edu>
To: Loopers Delight <Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com>
Date: Friday, April 09, 1999 12:23 PM
Subject: RE: loop religion (1)


><there is no difference between music and environmental
><sounds, as John Cage pointed out.
>
>Your point is well taken. However, I must ask why, if "there is no
difference
>between music and environmental sounds," people continue to make "music"?
>Isn't it conceited of us to think that we can make better sounds than 
>those
>that we might encounter taking a walk, for example? Is the ultimate point
of
>Cage and the other aleatorists (including Olivieros) to make us consider
>taking a walk to be as "active" a musical activity as making a music
commodity
>such as a CD?
>
>It might be useful for us all to take a big step back (or forward) and ask
why
>we prefer to strum chords and twiddle knobs instead of, say, considering
the
>sound of our own breathing to be music. (As a former smoker, I can
>conceptually get behind "musical breathing"...wheeze, gasp...).
>
>Anyway,
>
>MHL.
>