Before the Music Dies

[LaurieBlue]

(one of many artist images flashing in the banner)

Never have so few companies controlled so much of the music played on the radio and for sale at retail stores. At the same time, there are more bands and more ways to discover their music than ever. Music seems to have split in two - the homogenous corporate product that is spoonfed to consumers and the diverse independent music that finds devoted fans online and at clubs across the country.

BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. The answers they found on this journey–ultimately, the promise that the future holds–are what makes BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES both riveting and exhilarating.


At the heart of BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES are interviews with musicians, industry insiders, music critics, and fans that reveal how music has reached this moment of truth. Featured performances from a truly diverse group of artists, ranging from The Dave Matthews Band and Erykah Badu to Seattle street performers and Mississippi gospel singers show us that great music is always out there... as long as you know where to look. BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES will renew your passion for great music, and inspire you to play an active part in its future.

http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/blog/about-the-film

[Dee.]

BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES will renew your passion for great music.

Hey, man, we already know.  The trailer shows the guy interviewing girls coming out of an Ashley Simpson concert and he asks them about Bob Dylan.  Well, no shit they don't care about Bob Dylan.  They're 14 year olds who relate to pop music on a superficial level - and there is nothing wrong with that.  Music serves different purposes for different people, different ages.  Let's be fair.

[leafygreens]

I also agree with Deanna that music serves different purposes for different people and ages.  Not everyone is going to be super passionate about music, nor care about the roots of where it came from.  Even adults, not just 14 year olds.  There's a lot of work that goes into being passionate about music - you have to study it, seek it out, analyze it.  A lot of people don't place that much importance on it and want an easy way to be entertained.  And that's okay, too.

Let's also not forget that music got wrapped up in marketing and commerce a loooonnng time ago.  The possibilities of what could be done with it weren't so many or so ubiquitous (like the multimedia bombardment that is possible today), but it happend.

[amybee]

Hey cincinnati/northern ky locals...
The carnegie arts center in covington, kentucky is hosting a screening friday, march 30 at 8pm with a panel discussion.  
http://www.thecarnegie.com/

[Coltrane]

BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES will renew your passion for great music.

Hey, man, we already know.  The trailer shows the guy interviewing girls coming out of an Ashley Simpson concert and he asks them about Bob Dylan.  Well, no shit they don't care about Bob Dylan.  They're 14 year olds who relate to pop music on a superficial level - and there is nothing wrong with that.  Music serves different purposes for different people, different ages.  Let's be fair.

Hell, I loved Poison when I was 14. And I'm not even talking about Bell Biv Devoe. They should interview those girls in 6 or 7 years after they go to college and hook up with the brooding loner who has tons of cd's, including Lester Young and James Brown and the first Arcade Fire record. Give kids a chance to listen. These days, when you're 14, it's hard to control the sensory overload , especially if your parents have shitty records (like mine did.....lots of Streisand, if you're wondering).

[Coltrane]

okay. So I just watched the trailer and now I think I'm pissed off. When was there ever a time when commercial music didn't exist?? Haven't the Grammys ALWAYS sucked ass?!? Didn't Peter Frampton top the charts at one point? Barry Manilow? Etc, etc, etc. Can't you still see a kick-ass indie band every night of the week in most cities?? Why all of a sudden is there some crisis in music (and art in general)?? Hasn't it always existed??

Did I miss something??


Maybe I should just see the movie...

[Ghosts_on_TV]

My parents had awesome records. I was lucky. Raised on Roxy Music and The Talking Heads and Lou Reed and The Grateful Dead.

[KC]

okay. So I just watched the trailer and now I think I'm pissed off. When was there ever a time when commercial music didn't exist?? Haven't the Grammys ALWAYS sucked ass?!? Didn't Peter Frampton top the charts at one point? Barry Manilow? Etc, etc, etc. Can't you still see a kick-ass indie band every night of the week in most cities?? Why all of a sudden is there some crisis in music (and art in general)?? Hasn't it always existed??

Did I miss something??


Maybe I should just see the movie...

Commercial music has always existed, the difference now with the internet is that we see all the things that the radio stations are missing (pretty much everything). Sure you could always go check out a local band back in the day, but now you can check out the local bands of cities you don't live in.

The crisis lies with the people who don't make the effort to seek out music they like. Some of the best bands today such as (insert just about any good band here) get absolutely no MTV/Radio air time. So these people making little effort never get exposed, which leads to these bands not selling as many records as they should be. Since, Ashley Simpson is clogging the airwaves.

[ycartrob]

aaahhhhh, my favorite debate. People deciding what is "good" music.

And if you asked people coming out of a MMJ show to name their favorite Niccolò Paganini violin concerto, what would most say? Would it then matter if people really knew what "good" music is or would it be more appropriate to talk about which music moves you?

it's all subjective and I really can't stand people telling me what "good" music is.

[mjkoehler]

My parents had awesome records. I was lucky. Raised on Roxy Music and The Talking Heads and Lou Reed and The Grateful Dead.

Nice. Thankfully my dad was into CCR, The Doors, The Beatles, and strangly Judus Priest along with Glenn Miller and a whole hell of a lot of big band stuff. Mom was into Kenny Rogers and Johnny Mathis. ewwww I do not want to even think why.

As Tracy said, it's all subjective. You like what you like and you cannot control it. Your tastes will change with the wind sometimes. You can try to be a music "snob" but all it's gonna get you is a lot of frustation. Yes commercial music has always existed and will always exist.

[aMD]

My parents had awesome records. I was lucky. Raised on Roxy Music and The Talking Heads and Lou Reed and The Grateful Dead.

As Tracy said, it's all subjective. You like what you like and you cannot control it. Your tastes will change with the wind sometimes. You can try to be a music "snob" but all it's gonna get you is a lot of frustation. Yes commercial music has always existed and will always exist.

I don't really think commercial music has existed outside of the past century.  Music was often commissioned but that's a lot different than today's idea of commercial music.  

I'm in the minority that believe that music is not completely subjective, if that makes me a music snob that's fine.  I just refuse to believe that Mozart's concertos have the same musical merit as the theme song to who's the boss, but that's just me.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

My parents had awesome records. I was lucky. Raised on Roxy Music and The Talking Heads and Lou Reed and The Grateful Dead.

As Tracy said, it's all subjective. You like what you like and you cannot control it. Your tastes will change with the wind sometimes. You can try to be a music "snob" but all it's gonna get you is a lot of frustation. Yes commercial music has always existed and will always exist.

I don't really think commercial music has existed outside of the past century.  Music was often commissioned but that's a lot different than today's idea of commercial music.  

I'm in the minority that believe that music is not completely subjective, if that makes me a music snob that's fine.  I just refuse to believe that Mozart's concertos have the same musical merit as the theme song to who's the boss, but that's just me.

I don't think it's completely subjective either. And I've been called a music snob before, but I'm really far from it.  It's funny that the people that call me a music snob pretty much only listen to middle of the road modern rock or mainstream rap, yet my musical tastes include many many genres of music, yet I'm the music snob. I don't get it.

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

I'm in the minority that believe that music is not completely subjective, if that makes me a music snob that's fine.  I just refuse to believe that Mozart's concertos have the same musical merit as the theme song to who's the boss, but that's just me.

And that's fine for you.  You can't convince me otherwise.  That Who's the Boss theme song has more merit than that Franz Lizt, what was he smokin'?  

What you think about music is your truth, and certainly not mine.  All you can do is try desperately to convince anyone that your truth is somehow more "correct" or valid and even if you convinced billions of people of your truth, it wouldn't be any more "correct" or valid.  There is a universal truth here-that your truth is not my truth or anyone elses truth.  Other than that, the only other universal truth is death.

[aMD]

I'm in the minority that believe that music is not completely subjective, if that makes me a music snob that's fine.  I just refuse to believe that Mozart's concertos have the same musical merit as the theme song to who's the boss, but that's just me.

And that's fine for you.  You can't convince me otherwise.  That Who's the Boss theme song has more merit than that Franz Lizt, what was he smokin'?  

What you think about music is your truth, and certainly not mine.  All you can do is try desperately to convince anyone that your truth is somehow more "correct" or valid and even if you convinced billions of people of your truth, it wouldn't be any more "correct" or valid.  There is a universal truth here-that your truth is not my truth or anyone elses truth.  Other than that, the only other universal truth is death.

huh?

[megisnotreal]

I like the concept, but I don't think that music is on its proverbial deathbed.

Sure, it seems as though the airwaves are innundated with (what I think is) corporate crap, but in order for those songs to make progress on the charts, they have to appeal to someone. Hell, most songs won't even be played on a radio station until that station's music consulting firm gives them the go-ahead... and they don't give the go-ahead until the songs have been tested several times in various demographics.

To me, the notion that music is "dying" is a bit pretentious. My not liking a certain song or artist does not strip that music of its vaildity. Example: I fucking hate Nickelback; however, said band can still sell records. People listen to and purchase music because they LIKE it, because it speaks to them in some way or another--regardless of what "chart" it's on.

Using my (or anyone else's) opinion to measure all music is just ridiculous.  I don't like some of the songs we play at my station, but when someone calls to request, say... Michael Bolton, I play it anyway--because that will make him/her happy. I'm not going to be all," Hell no; I am not playing anything from that no talent assclown."

I guess I'll just sum up this pointless rant with an appliacable quote from the Dude himself: "That's just, like, your opinion, man."

[Nikkogino]

okay, blah blah....my question is:

Has anyone seen this to know what MMJ does?  Is it a performance clip or interview?  Thanks.

[amybee]

okay, blah blah....my question is:

Has anyone seen this to know what MMJ does?  Is it a performance clip or interview?  Thanks.

I will be seeing it this friday, so I am unable to give a review/form my opinion at this point.  I would imagine that it shows clips of them speaking on the issue, a performance would be lovely.  There are screenings scheduled all across the country (varied dates)...you may want to check out the website.

[ms. yvon]

a friend told me about this film and gave me the impression that it was about the perils of the CONSOLIDATION of the music biz and airwaves, not so much about what is good or bad.

still:  i haven't seen it, so i could be talking out my ear.   ;)

[amybee]

I think this film provided some interesting insight.  One thing that really stood out was the fact that in 1996 the law allowing one company to only own 40 stations nationwide was changed.  The result: clear channel multiplying like gremlins in water.  So, djs have to play the same songs over and over again because they have "tested" well for the mainstream audience.  
The mmj clip was only about 10 seconds long.  It featured patrick and bo with jim speaking about how he feels lucky to be on ato's label.  There were some great performance clips of erykah badu and calexico.  In my opinion, it's worth checking out.