wayne@ada-uts.UUCP (11/06/85)
Warning: This is a long note. Unless you are interested in discussions
about musical tastes, Palena-bashing, Page/Bush/Fripp etal,
it'd be best for you to skip this and go on to the next note.
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Warning: Explicit Lyrics
Parental Guidance Suggested
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As a relatively new person on this net, I'll admit I had no idea
who any of these people are, namely Rich Rosen, Doug Alan, and Larry
Palena. I saw their debates, and I tried to stay out of it. For
merely posting my opinion of what I feel music is, I was drawn into
this debate contrary to my wishes when Mr. Palena critiqued my work.
If you have time, please skim over the next few paragraphs...I have
enclosed the entire note because I do not want to be accused of taking
portions of it out of context. Feel free to skip over to the line
of asterics where the substance of this note really begins.
> ***** ada-uts:net.music / sjuvax!lp102911 / 11:52 am Oct 29, 1985
> >Originality with feeling is also important, but originality can't stand
> >alone. That is why I my preference for guitarists will be Robert Fripp
> >and Jimi Hendrix, among a host of others, over any heavy metal axist.
> ...now I appreciate your honesty and all
Thank you.
> but why is Jimi Hendrix
> different than "any heavy metal axist"??
Easy question, easy answer. Hendrix's music transcends heavy
metal. Kapish? (my goodness.. a word of 10 letters!)
> Eddie Van Halen did a
> special segment in Guitar Player magazine for beginners who want
> to learn rock guitar.He began this article by stating that the es-
> sence of good rock guitar is in the feel.Whether you want to admit
> it or not he is a feel guitarist and many others who've followed in
> his L.A.-style metal wake are as well..
No. He is a "stylist"--he is most known for his style than for
anything that would be called music. He doesn't produce music,
rather, he produces a series of stylized guitar licks. (Music
is not really "produced"; no one "makes" music, but if I tried
to explain to you that music flows through the musician, an
accepted philosophical concept, you wouldn't understand).
In my opinion, he needs more experience before he
will be a true musician. He has to get away from the Hagars and
the Roths and work with some less pop-ish, serious professionals.
If Hendrix were alive, he'd be Van Halen's best teacher (and
Van Halen would be his worst pupil...(:-)
Until then, he cannot be qualified as "a feel guitarist" (??)
because he communicates no feeling except for maybe a teenage
vicarious thrill.
> >They are truly original, and they play with feeling, unlike the heavy
> >metal guitarists who can't be told apart without a score card.
> ...and I'm sure that many who are not familiar with the Fripp/
> Eno crowd will say the same about guitarists in that genre.I lis-
> ten,on occasion, to a radio show broadcast out of Univ. of Penn.
> which features this type of music,and being unfamiliar,find many
> of the instrumentalists to be non-descript...
You hear, but you do not listen.
If you wish, mail me a reason why you find
them non descript. What would you like to see them do? And
ask yourself if any heavy metal axist can do the stuff Fripp,
Frith and other guitarists in this genre.
This is a good time to state this point. Not all musicians
are guitarists, and not all guitarists are musicians. This has
been one of my themes throughout this argument.
> >
> >Music is classified as an art. Art has always had its unappreciated
> >innovators. It is a shame these innovators will rarely see glory in
> >their lifetime, but I can guarantee twenty years from now the next
> >group of musicians, be they singers or guitarists or armless harmonica
> >players will look back and say their influences were these unappreciated
> >heroes and not the hit makers of today.
> ...yeah well,Hendrix was certainly an unappreciated innovator,
> not a hit-maker by any stretch of the imagination!!I guess the
> fact that he hasn't had any effect on contemporary guitarists
> refutes your point (God is that one gonna fly over some heads!!)...
Oh? Let me guess...you were trying to be sarcastic, right?
You spoke the truth, though...name one song he put in the
top ten.
Hendrix went beyond the music of his time and
guitarists of today list him as a primary influence. That
makes him an innovator. "Unappreciated", however, because
he is recognized now as a true musician, rather than in his
lifetime. This proves my point, not refutes it. I thought
this was clear...
> >
> >The moral of this story: Don't pay attention to pop charts or "Ten Best"
> >lists. Pay attention to what's in your heart and in your mind.
> ...I tried to explain this to Doug Alan and the result was a round
> of flames that has yet to be completely extinguished...
True, it has been out of hand, but it is by no means the entire
fault of Mr. Alan. I beleive you had quite a bit of help
extending this argument beyond the threshold of pain.
> >
> > Speaking off the cuff and will
> > probably regret it...
I haven't yet regretted it, I
might add...
> ...you know what they say about self-fulfilling prophecies.If
> you're new to the net,here's some advice;try not to use words
> longer than six letters and don't be sarcastic.If you do,this
> pest will follow-up your article expressly for the purpose of say-
> ing that he can't make any sense out of it...
(Is the pest you're refering to yourself?) I apologize if I
had to make you hunt for your dictionary. I wouldn't use
any words that I wouldn't use in normal correspondence...
Perhaps you might benefit from finishing your high school
education (:-)
As far as "sarcasm" goes, unless it's blatently obvious, I
will use the smiley face to flag it.
> 'bye Dr. Rosen,
Go home, Mr. Palena
> Larry Palena
> { astrovax | allegra | bpa | burdvax } !sjuvax!lp102911
> ----------
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This (ahem) gentleman unfortunately neglected to say that the original
comments were mine, and my name is (for those who care) Wayne Wylupski.
These were not the views of Mr. Rosen, or of anyone else, although I have
had a number of people respond, basically agreeing with me.
I have not had such an whiny, self-protecting response such as the above.
I had not intended to offend Mr. Palena; indeed, I had never even
heard of him until he net.attacked Doug Alan.
My views are more of a purist's views. This is because I listen to pure
music...
Mr. Palena: Flame away...I will not stoop to your level and fight back.
Unless you have a valid point of discussion rather than an
attack, I will not pursue this with you any further on the
net.
To all others: I ask forgiveness for abusing the net such as I have.
My purpose was to clarify my points to those who misunder-
stood what I was trying to say. If you agree or disagree,
and you feel strongly about it, feel free to mail me your
opinions. Others "hard of thinking" might not appreciate
your openness...
Wayne Wylupski ...!{ihnp4,ima}!inmet!ada-uts!wayne
"Comments, cliches, controversy.
Chatter -- chit-chat, chit-chat, chit-chat
Conversation, contradiction, criticism.
It's only talk -- cheap talk." -- Adrian Belew
P.S. The original article was meant as an attack on the transitory,
uncreative genre of pop music. This article, as well as Mr.
Palena's response, does not deal concern itself with this issue.