>
>>But the larger point for me, to say it one more time, is the notion
>>of blame. The conversations here (and Mr. Anonymous' assertion that sucky
>>bands are a threat to the roots music movement) is like a bunch of
>>restaurant critics suggesting that the sucky Malaysian restaurant should
>>shut down before they ruin everyone's taste for the good stuff...
>
>This is where you lose me, Todd, because I haven't suggested, nor do I think
>Mr. Anonymous suggested, that some external authority ought to shut anyone
>down. I do think - and I'm speaking for myself, obviously, and not Mr.
>Anonymous, who may be making a different argument - that this is a fairly
>specific issue related to how these styles are perceived on first encounter.
I'm not getting into this really, but from a rockabilly (and 50's
rock'n'roll in general) point of view it has always been a problem that
sucky bands create or confirm prejudice against the music among the general
public (and No Dep. writers (oops)). And I think this is a point everyone
who has the faintest interest, save maybe the worst Grease/nostalgia/swing
dance/classic FM enthusiast, will agree with.
The problem is, of course, that at least during some periods of time the
alternative has been no bands at all.
Anyways, I'm off to see the local excuse for a Western Swing band, and
actually they don't suck too bad at all.
See you all later.
Tom Ekeberg
Oslo, Norway
http://home.sol.no/~tekeberg/
