Re: Looping is overrated :)

["savior-onasis" <savior-onasis@kc.rr.com>]

"Let's face it, looping and looping tools are pretty damn geeky
as a rule. We don't do this for the money or glamour..."

Now you tell me! ;-)  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Legion" <legion@helpwantedproductions.com>
To: <Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 4:47 PM
Subject: Looping is overrated :)


> OK forgive the baiting title but there is a point to this. From all the
> recent discussions on moving to somewhere else because the "loop
> community" seems stronger, to Loopfests and such I felt I had to pipe
> up.
> 
> The greatest music I have heard from loopers (from  the Looper's Delight
> CDs to recommendations in posting from Phil Keaggy to David Zorn) seems
> to me to be good *despite* looping, not because of it. Now don't get me
> wrong, I am all for looping and looping tools, and repetition, and
> messing with sound backwards, sideways, and again and again in-yo-face.
> I think my personal track record (for those of you who know me LOL)
> speaks for itself. BUT I personally feel that looping *itself* isn't the
> point, even on a list of people called the Looper's Delight.  It's what
> you DO with looping and boy there is some *great* stuff done with
> looping out there.
> 
> This may be stating the obvious but the gist I was getting is some
> people feel that they need to go somewhere where looping is encouraged
> or more prevalent and things would be different for them.  I think that
> is a red herring. Loop where you are and DO something YOU want to do
> with it. Let's face it, looping and looping tools are pretty damn geeky
> as a rule. We don't do this for the money or glamour, we do it because
> our brains are wired differently (wrong? :)) Given that, you don't need
> to move across the country to be "successful" in looping or even play a
> gig with three or ten other loopers. As a matter of fact I've found more
> success when I *didn't* play with other loopers but as part of a diverse
> lineup of other acts. You reach more people that way and some of them
> even kind of dig it. I personally think I played better too.
> 
> Phil Keaggy is consider an amazing *musician* not known to the general
> public as a looper. Adrian Belew uses looping out the wazoo but he also
> has a strong  pop sensibility and tremendous talent as a songwriter and
> singer. Etc. People do fabulous things with all sorts of boxes. Buying
> an EDP or Jamman or whatever or seeing a band with one doesn't mean
> it'll be interesting or good or shite, it's just a box after all. Let's
> not forget where the loop soul comes from.
> 
> Again, I am ALL for wanking and looping for the sake of it too. (Lord
> knows I am!) That is fun and has it's place as much as anything else.
> But let's keep it in perspective, we can (and DO ) do that anywhere. You
> don't HAVE to  move or congregate  to play. If you mix it up or play
> with other bands I guarantee you will not only get a bigger audience but
> you'll find your loop chops improving as well.
> 
> And BTW Chicago is the GREATEST musical community this country has to
> offer IMO. I'd move from SF to there instead of the other way around
> LOL!
> 
> 
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