Inbetween mulling over world peace and the like, I actually got to debating the local music scene with a friend. Being a world class guitar hero (cough cough), and my friend a chart topping drummer (cough cough) (note to self - take something for the cough!), who is maybe only second to RD, we'd like to think we know a thing or two.
It started with Onstage, and the fact that only 12 bands are in the competition this year. Drummer loathes all things Onstage, whereas I don't mind it as it is a great opportunity for bands to get some gig-time under their belt in a city where there really is no scope or hope for original music. So, as you guessed, he was mighty pleased that there were only 12 bands (the number having halved from last year) and I obviously wasn't.
We soon got to this huge debate about the difference between potential and talent. Maybe I'm an optimist, but if I see a great guitarist who can, for instance play catchy leads and sing at the same time, or a bassist who has a great groove and lifts the song, I'm quick to label him/her as talented. However, drummer doesn't agree. He gives them a maximum rating of potential. He says he needs to see more of em to give them that esteemed compliment.
A typical Sri Lankanism.
I love being a part of live music. Not all have a great talent as musicians but it takes a lot of balls to stand up and be counted. Most, if not all, musicians will tell you there's no greater feeling than playing live. So if I do see a band live who are trying to make original music work, I try not to diss em. I try to see em for what they are doing as a collective. I admire them for the fact that they got up on stage.
But in Sri Lanka, our audiences quickly get bored if the bands are not as good as what they would expect from maybe a Counting Crows concert. They are quick to say the band is shit and walk out. There's no room for constructive criticism or scope for musicians to improve. But when musicians are as critical as the audiences are, then there is really no hope.
Oh well. Excuse my rant. |
4 musings:
Well I fall in between both of your opinion and your friends...I agree with the fact that going on stage an performing is not a simple thing and it takes some guts to do it...at the same time you cannot call it talent unless theres something special about it and unique abt it..even from the ppl who have the guts to stand on stage and play music not all become memorable and have that it quality to capture the audience...now when a group or person has that then it becomes talent..in a way i agree with your friend..you cannot judge a person by just seeing him once or twice...an artist who's extremely talented should also be able to recreate the magic every time he goes on stage..or else hes not a whole artist...
also the growth in a performing artist or a performing band is the support that they can attain from the audience...and that support comes when you live up to or go beyond audience expectations...i am not saying go do wht the audience are asking...for example if they want rap all the time doesnt mean u have to give rap all the time...but you should be also be in touch with them bcoz when you want to give something different then they at least take the effort to listen to it rather than just walking out...
so its all abt a balance..its my opinion
referring to your post, i think people have fail to appreciate talent when they see it... they may fail to recognise too....
At the rate the world is going, it's no wonder that people get bored if what they see now is not significantly better than what they saw last time..
it's all upto the individual I think...
and like I said...people fail to see the real reason sometimes...i guess we tend to do that too sometimes..knowingly or not..
thanks for your comments.
parthi, i guess i agree with you that there are expectations on bands. the problem is there's hardly any support for musicians who are just breaking into the scene. maybe colombo is too small; maybe the audience gets bored too quickly. it's frustrating don't you think?
LD, yes you're right. ppl do fail to appreciate talent. expectations are far too high. there are too many critics and not enough supporters.
oh yes i agree witht hat theres more critics than supporters...which sucks..but wht i also see as a common ground among the critics is that they were once artists who were failed at one time or another...maybe it was their talent or the limited support they got from the public
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