Indie Music

GregK · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:58 am Post subject:

Well, I have not been all over the place- really only Canada and mexico as far as other countries are concerned. However, I remember when I studied French I and II in high school that I was rather shocked to learn that most of the European countries- and Canada require that the children learn and speak French, English and either Spanish or German. I sadly have to say that since I have moved into the Raleigh, NC area from the New England area that there appears that many schools in the south are not giving the same level of education that children in the Northeast have received. I actually remember having a conversation with a woman in her late forties -who has been born and raised in North Carolina. we were talking about allergies and she said to me in all certainty that "Flowers give off pollen, but trees and grasses don't have pollen." -now this is something that I remember from somewhere around 5th or 6th grade- so I told her "Im no botanist, but I can safely say that tress and grasses have pollen." Upon saying it- the woman's eyes glazed over and I could tell she had no clue what a botanist was- yet she held a degree from one of the area Universities. Now, I'm sure that over the past few years that education has probably declined everywhere- not just in one particular spot in America, but I seriously feel that other countries are still teaching their children math and science and those kids FAR EXCEED THE US KIDS IN THESE AREAS. I do not have proof for this- so right now this is just my feeling on this matter. I also feel that a bad example is being given to many kids from the welfare system in America- which seems to be showing that you don't have to learn anything- you don't have to get a job.. you don't have to contribute anything and everything can be given to you. So yes, maybe I DO think that other countries do a better job than America. We have it better than many other countries -in so many different ways- just look at your life- or mine..I mean I am on lunch-at my job, I have a roof over my head and I'm earning an income- drive an SUV and just paid for lunch without worrying about the money..many countries don't have that.. WE HAVE ALL THIS- AND WE STILL DON'T REALLY GET IT- A POVERTY-STRICKEN KID IN SOME WAR-TORN PLACE CAN POINT TO A MAP AND FIND WASHINGTON DC OR KICK OUR TAILS AT CHESS WHILE WE SIT IN AIR-CONDITIONED COMFORT WITH A SEVEN DOLLAR LUNCH AND NOT A CLUE. This far exceeds just a swear word or two.. and maybe I need a good kick in the a** for what I m saying- but I'm only saying what I see and what I hear from ALL AROUND ME.. so who REALLY needs the a** kicking?

MrsPeabody · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 3:13 pm Post subject: the real subject here

I think we all could go on and on with stories about the dumb people we've met in this country... and we'd all be hypocrites for doing so because there's always going be something you don't know that someone else does and they're going to think you're a moron for not knowing so...

What the real focus of this thread is is the effect of language used in music, and I think Reconsiderate is right to point out that lack of grammar has an effect on people's general intelligence as well. I have to say that it sounds like nails on a chalk board to me when people use incorrect grammar in speech and songs. It's just proliferating confusion which leads to conflict.

Let me clarify that statement. Many conflicts come from a lack of understanding of words. If someone says something to you using words that you don't understand, you can misinterpret their comment as being an attack when maybe it was a compliment. Or, due to cultural differences, a word/phrase may mean something positive to you while you are deeply offending someone of another culture. This lack of understanding has historically lead to lots of deadly conflicts.

I am fighting the urge to bring up the 'ebonics' issue becase while it drives me crazy to hear people say things like, "we ain't gonna do dis or dat," or use singular verbs with plural nouns or plural verbs with singular nouns or whatever, I can also see the other side of the story where people argue that ebonics has become a cultural language... And it is certainly perpetuated by artists who write lyrics/raps in this dialect...

But when an American goes to another country and speaks this way (or speaks in a language that is littered with four-letter vulgarity), I can also see how they would view that American as less intelligent, and treat them that way. I can also see how someone brought up with lack-luster speech would become frustrated, annoyed and angered by a foreigner who views them as less intelligent based on their speech.

My point here is that there's no harm in striving to speak and write eloquently. In another thread on this site, someone asks, "what gets you going about music." One thing that really gets me is intelligent, unique and eloquent lyrical talent. And that doesn't mean that the lyrics are fully of words that I have to look up in the dictionary (although I did learn a lot of fine words that way as a teen). The lyrics should be full of thoughtfully placed words that express sentiments in ways I myself have never thought to express them.

I'll stop ranting now...

Reconsiderate · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: the real subject here

Reconsiderate · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:38 pm Post subject:

ChicagoMusicPromotions · Guest More posts by Anonymous 0.000 Music Forte Dollars

well like one of my producers told me he has a 4 cuss word limit while making music for people or producing. It devalues you as a artist and also as well only "catures" to a nitch market "ghetto" and or gangsta type of rap, hiphop or hardcore type of music scene.

MrsPeabody · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:39 am Post subject:

ChicagoMusicPromotions · Guest More posts by Anonymous 0.000 Music Forte Dollars

lol WOW yes my spelling sucks, and i am just stating in general for example you get a hiphop or rap song where you can count f*** , This Bitch that f*** that etc is not very well. And yes it does de value an artist (personality) it really does show the recording industry what type of person they are.

ChicagoMusicPromotions · Guest More posts by Anonymous 0.000 Music Forte Dollars

lol I am just stating in general for example you get a hiphop or rap song where you got more cuss words then music it does devalue them and well they wont make it very far in teh music industry (go ahread) try to market a song to film, tv, radio, or labels that have at least 10 to 15 cuss words in the song and see how far you get. I am not just stating this as a opinion i have heard many good songs with limited Cuss worlds, marylynn manson, korn, NIN, and some others and yes hardcore is a nitch market.

tell me how many gangsta rap artists do you know who have not been shot, banned from performing in countrys or on drug charges?

MrsPeabody · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:49 am Post subject:

"Let's repeat ourselves
Let's repeat ourselves
Let's repeat our mistakes and never learn to learn from them"

Thanks for proving my point.

Learn to edit...

ChicagoMusicPromotions · Guest More posts by Anonymous 0.000 Music Forte Dollars

I never said spelling was one of my Key features. It seems your kind of bitter about opinions and or imput reguarding cuss words in music.

i am stating fact since i do music promotions when you get emails. phone calls on a weekly basis from film companys, independent labels and other sources looking for music and you send them a song with alot of cuss words in it they need a "radio" edited song and or they dont want a song that has 10 + cuss words in it. - FACT

MrsPeabody · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 11:17 am Post subject:

Greetings -- you're missing my whole point that cursing excessively brings down the quality of music and the general intelligence of the population just the same as a lack of grammar and attention to editing perpetuates this unintelligence...

If all you care about is what record companies think -- GREAT! I don't care!

I care about the decline of intelligence due to unintelligent media which you exemplify in your posts with in correct seplling And tHe usE oF ranDom CapitAlization and incorrect grammar

Not to mention that I have to read your sentences several times just to get what you're trying to say because you don't pay attention to these things.

If I were a record company executive, I would refuse an album that was this blatantly incoherent.

And by the way, ending your statement with "FACT" doesn't make it any more forcibly appealing to the mind.

djsmooth4lyfe · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:19 pm Post subject:

It could but theres a limit to how much swearing would sell records...too much swearing would not sell as much records

GregK · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

Ok, if that were the case then the Sex Pistols NEVER would have made it, or Guns N Roses.. I mean the sex Pistols songs- hell..I remember one song "Bodies" where practically a whole VERSE was made up of the F word! - but then again..they had Sid, so it was cool. I suppose that too many cuss words COULD hurt you- ie you probably won't get mainstream exposure- but in the UNDERGROUND if word gets out that you are making music with TONS of cuss words and every parent hates you and every organization thinks you are evil- you'll probably make a fortune!