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Re: OT:Re: AW: What's experimental?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "andy butler" <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 4:05 PM
Subject: OT:Re: AW: What's experimental?


> Experimental
> (1) music for which the outcome is not foreseen (Cage)
>
> well, if Cage borrowed the term as a label for his music then I guess
> there's no argument with that. Labels are useful.
>
> I'd imagine that a truly experimental musician would have
> a whole catalogue of acknowledged failures along with
> their successful works.
>
> Surely to qualify as an experiment the outcome has to be assessed in some
> way, and  preferably in some way that was decided before the experiment 
> was performed.

Indeed!  Following on this it has to be admitted that while engaged in the 
process of an experiment, it could turn out any possible way, including 
failure... And so if one publishes something and anoints it as 
"experimental", they're also admitting that it wasn't some Grand Design at 
work in their minds, implying a degree of humble pie on the menu.  I've 
heard people introduce a work as "experimental", almost in the sense that 
"it's a miracle this made it to the state you're hearing."  Perhaps a 
balance between our own intent and sheer chaos, then?  I'm happy enough 
with 
that.

SP Goodman
*
http://www.last.fm/user/SPGoodman
http://www.youtube.com/spgoodman
http://www.youtube.com/enturbulata