Well put Don. I share that view. mvm
> John P. wrote:
>> "Flinstoneyerfired" <mmurph@onlink.net> wrote in a message
>>
>>>> "Any number of people can prove that a certain music, Zappa's for
>>>> example, sucks, has no value and is of little or no interest."
>>> Seems like a purposeless exercise to me- either you like it or you
>>> don't and that will inform whether you think "it sucks" or not.
>>> Besides, isn't it more valuable to try to appreciate something you
>>> don't like- especially if a lot of others like it- this doesn't mean
>>> you will like it, it just means that you may learn something.
>> The purpose of the exercise was to repeat his claim word for word in
>> an effort to get him to explain how it works one way, but not the
>> other.
>> As for value and music appreciation.... it's still subjective. As a
>> musician, I see no value in Zappa's work. I see nothing to
>> appreciate. It just an opinion.
>>
>> As for a lot of others liking it... let's consider this;
>> A highly successful recording artist hits a milestone when
>> he/she/they/it sell one million <albums>. There are over 300 million
>> people in the US. Over 6 billion in the world. That a million people
>> have "voted" for that music represents a very small segment of the
>> population. Even if a "lot" of people like it, it is possible, maybe
>> even probable, there are a lot more who don't. ... but then, it only
>> matters if you like it or don't.
>> Music is an individual thing. What you like, what you appreciate (but
>> don't like), what speaks to you, what makes you feel, what makes you
>> think, what you are moved to play, what you are moved to write... all
>> of it is very personal to the individual. No one opinion or group of
>> like minded opinions validates, invalidates or in any way changes the
>> opinion any given individual may hold.
>>
>> Aside from that, there is some segment of people that claim to like
>> or "get" an artist, because they are trying to create an impression
>> of themselves.
>
> Couldn't it just be because they do ... get it? Or do you have this
> mysterious psychic power that tells you they are wrong? What you seem to be
> saying here is that you think there isn't anything to get. But maybe that's
> just you and not Zappa.
>
>> Likely, these same people feel the need to wear their
>> clothing labels on the outside. Zappa was exactly the type of artist
>> who would attract these clowns. They get more from saying "I get
>> Zappa and I don't like that mainstream crap", then they actually do
>> from listening to his music, or appreciating his work.
>
> And you know this ... how? I really haven't seen a lot of posts saying that
> "I get Zappa *and* I don't like that mainstream crap". Rather, I've seen
> guys saying they get some aspect or other about Zappa and his music.
>
>> While I can,
>> and do, respect other's opinions and the work of artists I may not
>> particularly care for, I have no respect for these type of people.
>> Their opinions are meaningless, because even *they* don't believe
>> them. They are simply parroting a line in the hopes of making you
>> believe they are something they are not.
>
> And, evidently, people who get what Zappa was doing are all this kind of
> people ... or isn't that what you were saying. And, of course, that doesn't
> include you. ;-)
>
> I probably should go on record as saying that I don't like every piece of FZ
> work I've heard, but some is fun, some is interestingly obtuse, and some is
> brilliant.
>
> What I find interesting is that somehow the quality of art is being found to
> be nothing more than opinion. It's a view very reflective of modern times,
> but IMO it's just another part of the dumbing down of society.
>
> Don
>
>
