TURNING IT UPSIDE DOWN

I was listening to Barry Crump's Nights programme on National Radio last night and he was interviewing a composer who talked about the use of objects other than musical instruments when making music.

LUCIANO CHESSA

I liked his music and what he was saying. No doubt Richard will disagree with this because I'm wrong and Chessa is crap or something and Robert, who has a snobbish attitude that anyone who doesn't play a musical instrument should not have any opinion on music will pooh pooh, but hey, who cares - I've said before that I like music that is a bit off centre like Scott Walker's Bish Bosh and Stephen Sondheim, Kurt Weill and  Benjamin Britten operas,

 Stockhausen's Music For Helicopters was referenced: HERE
Which I listened to and liked the idea of reminding me of Bish Bosh although real instruments were used.

I was reminded that Richard, the most accomplished and educated musician I know talked sometimes about how his household appliances would (when they thought that no-one was listening) perform in various musical keys. Sadly these posts have disappeared having been obliterated in THE GREAT BLOG DESTRUCTION OF JULY 2016.
A story of music making (in secret) by household appliances would be worthy of Roald Dahl or Dr Seuss.

TWICE IN A LIFETIME

I'm going to see David Byrne in November this year.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

I've seen Talking Heads perform before back in 1979. They have long been one of my favourite bands. I like Byrne's music and lyrics and his The Catherine Wheel is one of my favourites.

THE CATHERINE WHEEL

He has dabbled in experimental theatre a lot and this partnership with Twyla Tharp (choreographer) really hit the spot with me in 1981 to the point where I planned to go to New York to see it but work commitments interfered.


I'm going on my own as The Old Girl, while liking Talking Heads thinks that Byrne's solo works like The Catherine Wheel are  'a bit weird'. Hopefully she'll remind me to go on the date as a couple of years ago when I had a ticket to go to see Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) I forgot to go. See HERE

BEWARE THE MACHINES

I've been watching the Netflix drama series Lost In Space which is a kind of remake of the '60s tv series of the same name. It has many good points with some great cinematics but is let down by silly science, wooden acting, dumb story lines and the Americans' love of over-sentimentalising everything.

In the series the robot (remember: "Danger Will Robinson, danger") is much scarier and more powerful. It, and its fellow machines have more sophistication and potential than the humans.

This was on my mind when I watched this YouTube clip on modern music and the formulaic way it is being created.


THE TRUTH WHY MODERN MUSIC IS SO AWFUL


Now this is his opinion only but the guy's essay is pretty good and it's worth listening to.

It kind of reminds me of the differences between Richard's and Robert's approaches to creating music.
Richard uses learning and experience and Robert uses programmes.
Maybe this is why Richard has more 'Timbre'.

He certainly has more pine trees up behind his house.


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