RE: looping as sin

["Michael P. Hughes, Ph.D." <pycraft@elec.gla.ac.uk>]

At 10:45 PM 2/10/98 -0500, you wrote:

>
>Reg
>
>>Sure; looped noodles can be inspiring (as well as the name of a tasty
>>Chinese meal...?), but I feel that often we loopers are all too willing 
>to
>>do our trial-and-error compositions in public.
>Artists of many mediums fall prey to that temptation. Unfortunately,
>observing a great experimenter can give the false sense that it is from 
>the
>nature of experimentation that the greatness comes.  

I seem to remember a quote from one of the Grateful Dead:  "We made it up
as we went along; some nights it was great, some nights it sucked" (I'm
paraphrasing). Problem is, some people paid to see them suck.  Perhaps
musicians have a responsibility to prepare "just in case" - so that even if
you're not hitting a high (so to speak) the audience are at least
garuanteed a good night out, which is what they've paid for.

Some musicians _do_ play experimental music to receptive audiences (I'm
thinking here of the mythical NY loft scene) - but if that's what the
audences are getting, they should be warned.  YOu don't go to a play
expecting to be told that the company are about to make it up as they go
along, but if you're forwarned (isn't there a bamous Boston/Chicago comedic
improv theatre), it can be wonderful.

Michael

(Ranting away - sorry!)