[microsound] microsound Digest, Vol 1, Issue 6

Mon Jan 19 17:44:56 EST 2009

>> part of running a "free" but controlled democracy involves >> commodifying all threatening forms of media
> this is not 'free' democracy - this is state capitalism, > corporatocracy or fascism> if 'social control' is engaged it is the power elite who wields this > weapon> and 'power over' someone takes the concept of 'free' out of the mix
yeah, well, i put "free" in quotes for a reason.  i think a big selling point for america is that it's a country in which you're supposedly free to do as you wish, choose your own destiny outside of preset class hierachies and so on, and free to believe what you want, but as i pointed out earlier, these are clear farces, and even the idea that americans think they possess such a nebulous unreality as "freedom" helps control their behavior, they're less likely to question the means of control.  the idea is that nobody in power minds your art or the way you dress because after it's been commodified by capitalism, the threat has been removed, and that activity is now a pacifying force--a much more advanced form of control and order than in an authoritarian system wherein you're told what to do and what not to do and thereby pacified, but that pacification process is too blatant and unrest is more likely.  it's so subtle, i bet most american presidents aren't even aware of it and have more or less good intentions for their country.

> what are the earlier post digital mediums?
well, i always associated subversion of cd-rom technology (oval), using other digital glitches or software failures in music, diy cd-r distrobution, low-bitrate mp3 music, tracker revival, and so on as being the earlier post-digital aesthetic, all of which i consider to be very successful artistic harnessings of the technology to further society because they were successful subversions and had the potential of artistically transcending the process and medium.  now, there's web 2.0, blogosphere, myspace, cell phones, and as an artistic consumer, nothing i've seen ever on myspace (for example) has successfully challenged or subverted that medium rather than be subjugated to it.  in fact, everything i've seen on those mediums would be better elsewhere, where the medium is subservient to the message, and even makes the message more poignant.  i don't think there's any type of sound or art you can put on myspace that will be made better beacuse of it.  it's really tough because i want to see the means of production and distribution of art made accessible to the masses just as much as the next guy, but you have to ask, at what price (if any)?  it's a question too many artists don't seem to be asking themselves.  there does seem to be something relating convenience to appreciation, if you sell someone a vinyl they have to sit down and pay attention to at home, and they pay a lot of money for it.  they'll probably appreciate the vinyl more than if it's a free stream on myspace as they are checking their email or looking at porn.  of course, money relative to appreciation is a bad situation too, but there are ways of getting around that, too, it doesn't have to be a price-gouged limited clear vinyl which, in fact, i'd be too scared to even open and put down on my turntable.

i agree with charles turner about the local approach, lately i've just been getting back to cassette culture (although i was never in it in the first place, being too young...) and, as he wrote, condemning myself into obscurity at the same time.  if i were ever to establish a following through that method, it'd probably happen through someone else finding the tape and blogging about it, more than likely, and often times the obscurity card is just another plea for popularity.  everything's a niche market these days, anyway.  it's their way or no way, it seems.

> Is the content I produce really a symptom of a larger machine? How do> you know it's a symptom and not a struggle against the machine?
i think you have to assume the worst scenario and be as rigorous in possible towards improving it.  there's no way to know, but even if you were a struggle against the machine, you'd always want to strengthen your struggle, right?  anyway, speaking for most of us, when i sit down to make music, i'm not consciously thinking "time to struggle against the machine."  i don't really have any political agenda at all in music itself, it's not something i consider really powerful or even very good, but in some ways that's its own struggle, and being aware of it on some level dictates, for me, mostly marketing and medium decisions.  coincidentally, subtle environmentalism has an influence on the packaging and means of production to, but it's not a conscious effort or anything i'd want to overtly advetise.  i'm not advocating some big rage against the machine or muslimgauze type thing where the music is all about politics and nothing else, the pitfalls on that route are obvious and many.  typically, i think it's just best to foster a better worldview emotionally and intellectually rather than politically, the political message being implicit.

i wonder if live music has been changed much since the advent of web 2.0, or since the advent of anything.... i'm trying to figure out why i think shows suck more nowadays.  maybe it's the advent of cell phone cameras, people are more removed from the moment... i should also mention in passing that technology itself isn't really the problem, it's what people do with it.  new post-digital mediums might be an exception, though.  i guess everything's a problem in my book until it's been proven that it can be subverted and controlled for the sake of human art.  maybe i'm putting too much faith in art.

for recommendations about readings on music and politics, check out writings by my favorite prog drummers chris cutler and charles hayward on their websites and in interviews.  some of what they're talking about should be taken with a grain of salt, but for drummers, they're pretty smart.  other than music, adam curtis documentaries are very nice (watched them on youtube, "lol"), guy debord's society of the spectacle, etc.  i also like lydia lunch a lot, she has an interesting point (among others) in "diy or die" about how many forces there are in everyday life designed to waste your time and prevent you from even focusing on art, the internet being one of them, ironically something i did by watching that documentary.  sorry this is so long, c'est la vie.

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