Thursday, October 28, 2010

Hypothesis: The Point of Music is to Evoke Emotion. Agree?

Why do you listen to music & go to shows? Here's my motivation....

I hope Im not the only one, but Im so sick of hearing Eminem & Kanye trying to sing, of drummers being out of work because of producers using loops & ProTools to create repetitive drum lines, and seeings acts that have no business selling out doing so because of mass marketing appeal. The mass music does nothing for me, except keep my ears busy as Im driving around the South Bay. And to be honest, I never understood when I was a kid why my Dad drove with nothing on the radio - but I get it now. Noise. Marketing. Buy this. Be cool and wear this, or be there. Be an artist and buy Apple (yes, Im an Apple Hater).....I just hate it.

Then a friend drove to LA just to go to a show...which I thought was a little strange, because she is what I consider a tastemaker, and she wouldn't do that unless it was worth it. So, even though I hate to be in the popular circle, I found myself perusing this band she was going to see, curious as to why she had to see them, and travel at that. Note: check Mumford & Sons on myspace. Results: (1) it wasn't hiphop; (2) it wasnt the same old 4 man lineup of drums, bass, guitar, vocals; (3) the songwriting, delivery, and emotion of the music was truly unique, which is the most important thing in music to me at some level. Remember, I walk into a venue daily, and probably see 1000 bands a year perform. Alot of them start sounding the same.

And I believe the most important thing in music, or listening, is this: It Evokes Emotion in  Me. My mind & intellect feeds off of it, and it evokes a feeling (doesn't matter what feeling) that I haven't had before. In certain cases, I listen to a song, and I feel like the world is brighter, or Im invincible, or that Love really does exist.....
and in this case, it really hit home on a relevant topic in my life, and gave me some insight....

"And you are not alone in this
As brothers we will stand, and we'll hold your hand, hold your hand.
I will tell the night, and whisper lose your sight. 
I can move the mountains for you."

So again, Do you agree? Why do you listen to music or go to shows? What is a lyric that evokes emotion in you?

2 comments:

jencams@sbcglobal.net said...

Listen to music!!!!!! Music is our religion. Literally.

Anonymous said...

The point of ART is to evoke emotion