Another Music Direct Catalog observation


I didn't want to hijack an existing thread about the current catalog's Joni cover so I started this one.

You know, I was thinking about this after I received my catalog and how burned out I was on "boomer music". I know as a Gen Xer, I've been saturated by Boomer culture since I came of age in the 80's, and my appreciation for these artists has waned in part because of their saturation in audiophile circles.

Yes, the MD catalog does pay lip service to contemporary artists, but its adherence to a musical paradigm that peaked 45 years ago or so is symptomatic of the undeniable waning of "hi-fi" as a hobby.
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Reminds me of applying for a weekend job at the local record store around 1983. Manager reeled off about 5 current artists and I responded with a blank stare. Told him that I only bought music that had been out at least 5 years before buying the album. Needless to say they stayed in business a few more years without my services. 

It all comes down to economics.

But there's no real analogy between the industrial military complex known as the music industry churning out mindless pabulum that is pre-designed to achieve hit status, vs. the bottom-line antics of figuring out to pay an 80-strong group of professional instrumentalists a living wage.

Those who bemoan the influence of the historically relevant genius musicians of the past, although obviously entitled to their opinions, should dig a little deeper than a Rolling Stone list...that’s sort of like basing musical relevance opinions on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Talk to musicians. Joni at the peak of her powers (or at any time really) produced brilliant and innovative stuff, but many great artists were below the popular music radar, and that’s still the case. Little Feat anyone? They were revered by the musicians of their day including Led Zep and everybody else with taste...no Hall of Fame for those guys...Many know about the tragic early demise of Jeff Buckley but few remember his brilliant dad Tim. Oh well. Jazz, interestingly, has current utterly astonishing musicians (Vijay Iyer, Craig Taborn, Brad Mehldau, Patricia Barber...on and on) making some great stuff, and that sells at a level lower than children’s recordings. Get out to the small venue clubs and support the "new kids" in the singer songwriter world...Anais Mitchell, although she likely will curtail her solo gigs due to the astonishing Broadway success of her play, "Hadestown," is astonishing (never heard of her? There ya go)...I worked with her in various venues over decades, as well as with countless other "unpopular music business" talented younger people...they’re out there, you just have to get off yer butt and support ’em.

Amen, Wolf. In the singer/songwriter genre, there are contemporary artists as great as have ever lived, imo. You’ll never hear them on the radio or see them on TV (Letterman and The Larry Sanders Show often did, though), and certainly not on Awards shows. With one notable exception: the Americana Music Association Annual Honor Show held in The Ryman Auditorium.

At that show you will see and hear the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, T Bone Burnette, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale (often the host), Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell, Richard Thompson, Levon Helm (after his passing, there was a great tribute to him, an assembled All-Star ensemble performing a great version of "The Weight"), Buddy Guy, Rosanne Cash, Irma Thomas, John Prine, Steve Earle, John Fogerty, Billy Bob Thornton, Loretta Lynn, Elvis Costello, Jason Isbell, Joe Henry, Maria Muldaur, Mavis Staples, Rhiannon Gibbons, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Gregg Allman, and hundreds more, even Robert freakin’ Plant!

Most of the above are pretty long-in-the-tooth, but that’s the reality: It takes some livin’ to get really, really good.