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Fair ~ Feels like: 15°F Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 |
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Rock Music & MePosted Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at 4:31 PM
My father instilled music in me very young. I watched as that brilliant man taught himself the guitar; I listened to his song, and it [music] became my passion. My father explained the music, the tone, the rhythm, the meaning. He explained lyrics and how it meets different peoples needs; how someone can interpret a song differently. Talent lives in those fingers. I only hoped one day, his genius would carry over to me.
Sure enough, by age 11, I began the viola. Maybe I chose the viola because not too many people want it. The viola is overlooked and under appreciated. But it's rich harmony and "sad" song instantly grabbed me. I grew with that instrument and occasionally play from time to time. I tinkered with the piano for a while, but it never sparked me. Recently, the guitar has made a lasting impression. I'm learning new techniques all the time. I hope to fine-tune my talent and create music, just like my dad. Maybe I'm a sucker for minor key. Menacing? Dismal? It holds me right. Or maybe it's the rawness. Also a sucker for acoustic renditions. Unsolicited sets and a "whatever happens, happens" attitude. Studio-produced, ready for radio does not interest me. There is something in an artist creating for the sole purpose of creating. And sharing... One artist that comes to mind is Jonah Matranga. He hails from San Francisco. For the last 17 years or so, Jonah has created a multitude of influential albums with many outlets. He is a very exciting, down-to-earth guy that I had the pleasure of meeting and listening to. He is full of positivity and is willing to "stand out back, behind the venue" just to give a small group of people a chance to hear amazing, heart-gripping chords. He will share every detail of why he created his songs, and he even has a unique "-ish" system. "-ish means pay what you want." He does not care about the money that may or may not come with being a musician. All he wants is to share his words and guitar-song. Open your ears to Far "Tin Cans With Strings To You" 1996, New End Original "Thriller" 2001, onelinedrawing "Visitor" 2002 and Gratitude "Gratitude" 2005. These albums are only a few in the long line of exquisite releases from Jonah. To get to know him better, visit Jonah here. Shoot him an email; I promise he'll shoot back. I love music and many artists have graced through this young life. My passion for music will never cease, and I will pass this love on to my children some day. Visit me often. I hope to feature different artists and a number of other music-related info. ~ Enjoy! Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Jessica is the webmaster for Missouri Valley College and past graphic designer for The Marshall Democrat-News. She participated in the Marshall Philharmonic Orchestra and currently enjoys creating promotional art for local bands and venues.
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There are alot of talented young musicians in the marshall area.I know that many feel the same as you do about music.They just need a nudge in the right direction.
Yes, yes, your Dad is a fabulous musician!
Yes, there is a lot of talent in Marshall. I used to co-own Bister Migstuff's, a local venue for great music. We featured many local bands and sometimes headliners from states away.
That screamo crap you hear at Bisters is not music!Just alot "potheads" making noise.
The music is very evident. Music doesn't start and stop with the vocals. The guitar riffs, bass lines and drum beats make for exquisite sonance. Try a band called Mechanical Boy (Texas - a regular at Bister.) You tell me if that's screamo. Assumptions, assumptions.
i love how people want to run their mouths when they have no idea what they are talking about. i just wish that people were big enough to own up to what they say. better yet, why dont u just say to their faces yomomma.
JJGates, I bet it's amazing.
so who is gonna be the next one to get their own column? my paper boy? by the way...JJ ive been following your timely and wise beyond your years comments, and i for one have got your back..just as any RIGHT thinking . god fearing , America loving,conservative should.cant wait to read more of your insightful commentary on these panty waist liberal sissys.......and im looking forward to your next album...
What are your paper boy's interests? Does he like to write? We're open to blog proposals from anyone who might have interesting ideas and information to share.
http://www.marshallnews.com/forms/blogsi...
Kiri,I will tell them to thier face. When will the band "Canyons" be playing at your venue again? I just hope they can keep thier eyes open long enough to see that is me.
Canyons is good sound to the ears. They have sold plenty of merch, are getting ready for a summer tour and hope to produce their songs on vinyl soon. They are hard working kids. Once again, assumptions. It's time to be open-minded. Have respect for the talent.
ms. jessica wise, please don't confuse fun and good times with friends as musical talent.
I'm not sure I even understand your statement. Canyons have accomplished so much in their young lives. They are following their dreams (as is any musician). And for them to be labeled "potheads." Any person who can pick up an instrument and create music is talented.
Marijuana has inspired a lot of good music. Clearly, canyons are not "potheads".
Don't sweat the comments Ms. Wise.
You know your blog is being read when you get comments. Take any and all as a sign of compliment. Better than no comments at all.
Any publicity is good pub as long as they spell your name right.
"A[NY PERSON] who can pick up an instrument and create music is talented."
Not just "any person" who picks up an instrument has a special or natural ability or aptitude to create or play music. exempli gratia screamer bands.
Setting low standards get you nowhere.
I appreciate that, Paulie.
Once again, music does not start and stop with the vocals. If you break a band down into it's parts, you can see that each musician creates a sound unique to the whole. With a guitar, when you're moving up and down the neck and staying on key, in rhythm, with great tone quality, that's talent. Where are you looking to "get," SecretAgent? ("Setting low standards get you nowhere.")
AgentScarn: Plenty of musicians and others in the artistic field started out on or strayed to the "wrong" side of the mainstream, including Stravinsky, Beethoven and Mozart. Broaden your musical range and you will broaden your life! Flip through my CDs and you'll find classical, jazz, rock, country, Big Band, rap and hip-hop, opera, folk and bluegrass. You don't have to like all of every genre, but don't dismiss anything out of hand.
nobody is perfect
we all judge people (even though we shouldn't)
This topic has strayed very far from it's intention. :(
I don't push what racket I make on anyone. Don't claim we are better than anyone or that what we are doing is for your ears.
When we make this it's for us ... where we are headed (in writing) is making me happier every song we write
Most of us are working very hard saving every penny to go out on the road. with gas prices so high this is tough.
However I will not be discouraged, this is because I am impressed with the passion the majority of us have towards what we want and the rate at which we are achieving our dreams.
the Job I hold is to allow me the flexibility in scheduling so that I may ask off whatever days to see bands I like or to play shows.
It's my opinion that songs don't need to all be the same with gobs of repetition choruses and hooks etc. I stay away from the Radio at all cost. Who is some fool in a suit to decide what I'm to hear.
But opinions are like you know what so it's hardly relevant.
thank you
At least she is probably right about JJ's rapping.
Yeah, wakapaka, the conversation has strayed. Conversations do :-)
Sometimes they lead down interesting if unexpected paths. Not sure if this one qualifies or not.
But for my part, I admire anyone who has the courage to make music in front of an audience. People who don't play or sing may not know how scary that is, even for accomplished artists.
Me, I mostly doodle around for my own benefit. With an audience of one you pretty much know where you stand. Sure, I get heckled sometimes, but I can always tell myself stuff it if I get too nasty with myself.
It's a much simpler task to play for one (or not at all) than trying to impress a bunch of people, some of whom may not be interested in being impressed.
My hat is off to those of you who get on stage and give it a go.
My hats are off to those who have the courage and initiative to give it a go and try to making something happen. But in the end, bad music is bad music. Good effort does not make up for having no talent.
Hmm. Maybe. But talent isn't enough, either. A little talent and a lot of hard work is usually the recipe for success in just about any field. Lots of talent and lots of hard work will do the trick, too, of course. But talent without work is in some ways more disappointing than the reverse.
Talent is just something you get. It's not something you earn. What you do with the talent you have -- that's what matters.
(Disclaimer: As someone with meager supplies of musical talent, I have a vested interest in putting some emphasis on work and performance.)
I guess I'm saying I'm not eager to judge people based on talent. I'm not eager to judge people at all, come to that, but we do judge their performances and in that case, talent is only a factor, not the whole.
Where do you find one of these REAL jobs that allow you to get off when u want to "see whatever band i like"I want one. And also those "fools in suits" are the ones responsible for making the money for those so called rock stars.Which you all seem to want to imitate
We all have our place in the universe and can argue our logic all day long, however, in the end it is designated bad/good music by our individual ear. What you hear and interpret will be totally different than what I do, thank heavens or it would get so zzzzzzzzzzz!
I don't have one of those jobs, either, but I reckon that's my choice. Amy I misreading your comment, GOCHIEF? I get the impression you resent folks who have jobs with flexible hours.
I always thought it was smart (and/or lucky) to get a job that fits into your life and lets you pursue what you really love.
Sometimes people even take jobs they don't much like and get by on not much money in order to devote time to their craft.
That's a trade-off they choose to make and it's a gamble, because achieving success in the music business is always tough and requires a good deal of sacrifice.
Why begrudge them that?
Well.....I gotta comment.
Just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, musical talent is in the ear of the listener. Interestingly, both these things tend to improve greatly when infectious amounts of adult beverages are consumed:) Just jokin...that was supposed to be a funny.
When I think of talent and what real talent is, I think of Billy Ray Cyrus. If that guy can make a living making music then every musician and singer in the state of Missouri should be a millionare. But that's why it's referred to as musical genre: artistic ability of different forms. We're all unique as individuals, as are our musical tastes...
I will defend radio to this degree: though it isn't nearly as frequent as yesteryear, there are unique, unpolished artists and classic (as in historical) music that are sometimes hard to find or hear elsewhere. Radio does have more than it's fair share of cookie-cutter productions, but there are a few--new and old--who not only broke the mold, but forged new ones...and radio plays 'em anyway. For the most part, the unique individuals who were left alone to make their own music are the ones with lasting influence, popularity, and success.
Billy Ray was one of them (though I still can't fathom how). Also, Ray Charles, Willy Nelson, Toby Keith, KISS, Garth, Skynyrd, The Beat-ulls...Kristofferson, Cash, Waylon...Hank Jr... Kid Rock...even Richie Valens struggled to do his own thing--and it worked. He only recorded a half dozen songs before he died and he still gets airplay.
If it weren't for radio, there are riffs that would have never reached the infamy they can now acclaim...and that might mean thousands of aspiring musicians who never heard those riffs and trudged out onto a stage somewhere to try to make that sound....... Gotta start somewhere.
I just want to make one more comment, this time about talent.
Think about it...there are a finite number of words in the human language, regardless of the origin. Additionally, there are a finite number of notes on a musical scale (at least those we can hear). Add to that the history of recorded music and the printed word and the limits of originality are set pretty quickly. My opinion is, anyone who can put together a series of notes and/or words in such a way that has yet to be done, and can make it pallatable to more than 10 people, has some measure of talent. A great deal of talent in fact.
Bravo!
Screamo crap blows!!
Okay, while we're talking about talent, it's worth pointing out that Bob James and his band Fourplay will be at the Rhythm and Ribs festival this weekend. While I'm not into jazz, I appreciate his talent and the fact that he is a native son of Marshall. An article in the KC star this week pointed out his Marshall roots. He created a unique strain of jazz and is world reknown. I'm sure people didn't always think he had what it took to make it.
Screamo is crap!!
Obviously if you follow the laws of evolution, only the people that can survive should, but we are human. I believe that every human serves a purpose, and that no matter how "low" that purpose may be, they are still equal to everyone else.
The scholar cannot be a scholar without a trash-man, a firefighter, a janitor, and everyone else that does those supposedly "menial" jobs. Perhaps because you made it farther, and have a better job you're more better than everyone? If all of the "menial" workers were to quit though, where would that leave you?
I believe that THAT was the point of the immigrants' march last year - if it weren't for all the low-paid, no benefits, treat-em-worse-than-dogs, dump-em, & shoot-em, til-we-need-cheap-help-again, menial labor, where would we be? Picking our own food, taking care of our own trash, fixing our own roofs, cleaning up our own golf course...
I do not, however, think that Eric or wakapaka are appropriate targets of GOCHIEF's resentment...
no more entries? come on! Carrie has had two entries since you last one. BRING THE NOISE!
Music stirs up a lot of emotions...you people...
what an interesting read.
that's all.
oh , and i forgot to mention that CANYONS and Bister's rule.
i think your hot for liking rock!
Thank you for reminding us that we (humans) are not the only living things on this earth! We exist on a living planet. I remember years ago when one of my children brought home what looked like a stick planted in old dirt in a tin coffee can. I am so glad that I took the time to walk him into the back yard to plant that "stick" because now it is a magnificent tree. I am sure he learned from it, I know I did! That beautiful tree provides shade, beauty, and a place to hide easter eggs. We should strive to put more good in this world then what we take from it. Then maybe we will have something to leave for the generations behind us instead of just debt!