Re: Do you even know the definition of the word influential?!

[Greg Waltzer <gwaltzer@optonline.net>]

I guess when I'm talking about influence I mean "artistic inspiration,"
not "getting people to buy things".
I realize that's not where the discussion started.

Tomorrow's innovators are probably not getting their ideas from mainstream radio or MTV. That's what is great about the internet - you can seek out what turns you on, it doesn't have to be blasted at you in a mass promotion that is commercially (not artistically) motivated.

AKASHMUSIC@aol.com wrote:

In a message dated 8/26/2002 5:00:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time, gwaltzer@optonline.net writes:

Does something have to be currently popular to be
considered relevant?

more or less - yup.

But ya know, King Crimson summed themselves up quite adequetely yrs ago in that song "I'm a dinosaur"... even they realize where they stand perhaps more than you :)

Another fact I'm realizing and coming to accept for myself is that I'm 32 & about to turn 33. I strongly feel & realize that I'm simply old now by industry standards as for the most part I am way older than the types of musicians who sell and influence ( if u can call it that ) other kids these days.

& Kids may listen to classic rock & sing along, but I dont see them droppin the cash they do on Classic Rock like will in a flash for Jah Rule, P-Diddy or O-Town.

The rock thing and the perspective of rock as a foundation for musical experience is very prevalent here IMHO on LD.

But IMHO the rock thing is way dead and the perspective it would give ya is one that kinda clouds what and where peoples heads are at today which is altogether different than what we (over 30 types associated and grew up having affinity toward ).

And this summer the hottest fashion's on the streets of Philly & NYC it seems are Sean Jean Tee-Shirts, Sean Jean Blue Jeans and Accessories.

I just dont see too many Steve Miller Shirts or see many Jerry Garcia or Fripp or Lynard Skynard Tees on the streets ( maybe down south its a different stor ).

However,  I do see Linkin Park Tees, Korn Tees, and I do hear blarin from cars Eminem, Ashanti, P-Diddy, Nelly, Pink, Jah Rule, Outkast, Red Hot Chili Peppers ( another bunch of old farts but they still sell records ).

I dont hear people balrin JOhn Cage or Keith Tippet from car stereos...I dont hear Lynard Skynard much from car loads of 16-19 yr old Boys and girls on south street....I dont hear any John Coltrane other than edited - samples of his horn in Hip-Hop grooves from underground DJ's...I dont hear kids looking for the latest in Brazillian Jazz and Free improv or African drumming or Gamelan music as I dont think anybody 12-21 really knows where the Bill laswell lies.

& I really dont think you hear kids talking about the intricacies or finer statements and articulations of any guitar or bass solo these days unless you are hanging out with folks - kids ( usually over 25 big-kid types ) who work in music stores or record collector/record geek hole in the wall type record shops.

I think that most kids today would say Allan Hold's what? if u were to mention Allan Holdworth's name.

I am convinced that most people think Soft Machine is an ice cream machine with multiple flavors.

I think people think yes is more or less a formal word of accepotance.

I also suspect people think of Genesis as Genetic cloning.

And I think that for the most part people really dont care about the details or history or depth of any influence that the folks over 30 have.

The only thing folks  care about is feeling entertained or seeing something they can identify with and wanne be like for themselves - it aint a rock n roller thats for sure.

& I think most follk especially younger ones 12-21 ( most folks in general do too ) loathe music they feel they would need an encylopedia to reference or worse yet, being lectured to or having to deal with anything that is experimental and "meandering" without referenceable grooves and without that familiar looped beat pumpin in 4/4 dawg.

These days, what is old is something that hasnt sold in 6months and or that which didnt reach a sizable audience after its initial release; thats really the definition of washed up these days by industry standards.

But what is old happens a lot faster these days than before as that what is held onto is a lot less than ever b4 IMHO.