On Tue, 19 Jan 1999 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> But see, that's the thing...there's never going to be an
> "Alt-Country Nirvana" because fifteen year-olds don't generally listen to
> Steve Earle or Dale Watson or even the Old 97's. Let's face it, folks:
> this P2 bag, this Americana/Alt-Country/Roots-Rock thing that gets
> discussed here? It's Old People Music <g>. Sure, some of your more
> open-minded, musically curious youngsters are gonna dig this
> stuff but essentially this is a niche market, for the most part.
Not disagreeing, Kip, but who says that niche has to be teenagers? Aren't
there plenty of country fans who just can't find what they want on the
radio? (Hook for Jon to point out that, with record Arb scores, country
radio *is* giving fans what they want. <g>)
The biggest problem I have with that scenario myself, and I guess I just
have to hope I'm proven wrong, is that back, say, in the '70s and early
'80s, progressive country was essentially country music that incorporated
elements of other kinds of music -- mostly rock, also quite a bit of jazz
and blues. Nowadays alt-country is exactly the opposite: different kinds
of music incorporating aspects of country. Now, a few hundred people on
this list find that fascinating, but I'm not sure folks who know what they
want would listen to a radio station that plays four songs they don't want
for that fifth they do.
> I mean
> hell, even back in the heyday of '70's country rock, only the Eagles made
> any money off the music--and even then, they bagged the twangier elements
> of it right around "Hotel California".
Remember, this is looking at it only from the rock standpoint. Folks like
Waylon Jennings weren't exactly begging for spare change.
> The Jayhawks, Uncle Tupelo, the
> Botterockets, Wilco, Son Volt, Whiskeytown, *none* of these bands has
> done/is doing the kind of sales that say, Third Eye Blind is doing, and I
> really don't see that changing anytime soon. In fact, rarely has there
> been so much media attention paid to a genre that, for all intents and
> purposes, is commerical death.
>
> What's my point? We shouldn't be waiting for the Unknown Act to
> open the Alt-Country gates wide, because it isn't going to happen. And
> really, is that so horrible a thing?
I agree that we shouldn't be waiting, but I don't think it's so unlikely,
either. Unless you understand why the Squirrel Nut Zippers have been so
successful. (Which can be described in hindsight, but does anyone really
*know*?)
Bob
(Of course, now the Zippers are considered "alternative" rather than
"jazz." Ha.)
