Music and the Masses

Monica at Buddhist in Nebraska , wrote a good post on music and how listening to darker music has an appeal to her. One of the questions she posed was about it being Voyeuristic. Below are my thoughts on what I got from her post concerning my own assocaition with music, I have been a huge music fan since I was a little kid, it was much a way for me to escape and transcend out of my mental misery.

Voyeuristic or fantasy good question. As a middle class white person whose life is pretty uneventful, I think it is more about fantasy than being a voyeur; to think about something dark and sinister has a morbid appeal, it is the dark side of the personality coming into view. As an ex drunk and druggie I had my share of drama but nothing compared to those at true street level, I had the means to never be homeless, or hit the lows some have. I think of the popularity of Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” or Brad Paisley’s “Whiskey Lullaby” no one wants to live those songs but they were big successes because of a fascination with the subject matter, safe escapism?? Music is escapism at so many levels. Lost young kids or those who feel that don’t fit into the status quo find escape in punk, alternative, indie, white kids wanta be black and listen rap, heavy metal fuels insecurities about ones masculinity or lack of power, back in the day it was southern rock, punk and progressive that where the non main stream sounds that the misfits listened to; I can name that Rush or Allman Brothers tune in 3 notes. Even in early rock we had Elvis versus Jerry Lee, Beatles versus the Stones, Velvet Underground versus the whole hippie scene, Dylan freed us all yet some people hated him. Rock/pop has always had a niche for every personality type.

I feel it isn’t unhealthy to listen to the type of music you describe if one is mentally health or has a grasp of awareness and don’t get sucked up and brought down by the lyrics or mood of the song. I know I can’t listen to Sabbath, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine or that genre if I am angry, anger is for Indigo Girls, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell. Same goes with feeling down/self pity, self pity is why the Blues where created the Blues isn’t about being blue it is about raising above the feeling, looking the suffering square in the eyes and giving it the middle finger with a soaring guitar backdrop. Music says things that I can’t express myself, music is mediation when I can’t bring myself to sit or stand still long enough to relax and feel the flow. Music can be as good as the best sex or as bad as the worse drug, but I have to find the balance in it otherwise I can get caught in both effects; the choice is up to me.

I understand what you mean about suffering also. I have a love of socially conscience music. I can’t begin to fathom the experience that brought about Marvin Gaye’s classic album “What’s Going On” nor the songs of Marley, Burning Spear, Cutis Mayfield, Public Enemy, or other black artist but through their lyrics I can find compassion for them and what their people are going through. They teach me compassion even if they are a bit piss off at the leaders who share the same skin color as me.

For the most part music is about making money and a comfortable living. Most artist are in the business to make money and if they feed a niche they will continue to do so, whether they believe in what they are singing about or not, even the most hard core anti-establishment punks will jump on a recording contract given half a chance. It sucks that some kids get caught up in the grind and lose touch with reality via the music and fashion associated with the it but I imagine these types of people have always existed in society.

Thanks for letting me reflect on my own experience with music.
Scott