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Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 25 November 2012 CE
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Edited Nov 27, 2012, 01:59
Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 25 November 2012 CE
Nov 27, 2012, 01:56
jb lamptoast-morsley wrote:

It leads to questions like 'do you object to art as a commercial venture?'. Where do you draw the line? Are you advocating the approach of the Buddhist artist that simply blows away the dust of the painting after it is created? Is that a realistic expectation in the modern world? Is it really unethical to make money or a living from Art? Maybe it does dilute it. There have been discussions about this kind of thing here before


I concur with what Ian is saying, but I don't think he's saying what you think he is, or I'm wrong. I have the same problem with Bjork, as moonie has said its simply just oh.. too 'forced'. Her earlier work was to my ears definitely a product of her, the recent output seems to be less honest in some regard. Kind of kooky for kookys sake in a way, and moreso kind of an attempt to be what she thinks she should be doing. Not saying its bad, by what I've seen of her recent biophilia stuff she puts on a bit of a mindblowing show. It first started going awry for me when it became painfully obvious that the collaborators she was chosing to work with (notably on remixes) were always the hip flavour of the moment in experimental music. Its always the perceived flavour of experimental music she choses too (perceived in a mainstreamy way) and not any genuine flavour of experimental music. In that, I don't believe she would have noticed them, found them, without them first attaining a good column inch or seven and an article in The Wire IYSWIM. The Death Grips remix kind of underlines that as well as writing it in bold Futura. I like Death Grips btw.

To me it seems she's become a creative prisoner of her own image. What it is, is commercialism in a niche sense. An over identification with, and an over analysis of, her paying audience. I can see where you're thinking of going with your art/commercialism angle, but its not what I think Ian is saying. As far as art music and validity is concerned that shit discussion was tired when the NME et al used to wank on about it in the 80s/90s. An artist does what they do because they have to, thats it, thats their end. If it sells great, if it doesn't, oh well cos you can't stop making it anyway. Thats the only relationship an Artist can sensibly have with modern economics. The feel I think Ian is describing, which is what I get from Bjork, is that its all become second guessing how kooky/weird and avant she has to be to keep her 'bleeding edge' without losing her fans.

Personally, I can glimpse a parallel universe where after The Sugarcubes she and Einar went on to become Die Antwoord. I wish I could step into that universe, it would be less desperate and suspicious to me. ;)
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Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 25 November 2012 CE (jb lamptoast-morsley)		 Replies:
Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 25 November 2012 CE (Moon Cat)
Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 25 November 2012 CE (IanB)
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