No Subject

[hsut@ec.purdue.edu (Bill Hsu)]

Lots of truly random observations and responses...


Re: synths vs. non-synths

Uhh... I think you guys are arguing the same position here. I agree with
Hof that many groups are using synths in the same boring way. I also
agree with John Rossi that there are people doing interesting things
with synths. Instruments are instruments; you can do boring things
with them or you can do interesting things with them.


Re: fads vs. immortality

< Hof sez rock is a fad >
This "test-of-time" thing was discussed superbly in a Greg Taylor
article in net.music. I used to be pretty concerned about whether
something I like will stand the dreaded "test of time", but then that
was my (half-discarded) classical training showing :-) :-). Nobody
can tell what people 100 years from now will consider the real :-) music
of the 20th century. Maybe rock is just a fad. Maybe it will last.
If I enjoy it, I'll keep listening and that's enough. (Of course that
doesn't explain why I get upset about Top 40, but oh well...)


Re: Glass

I still haven't warmed up to Glass. I don't think he's a good
example of someone who uses synthesizers creatively, since a lot of
his music that I'm familiar with can be done on conventional instruments
(e.g., Glassworks, stuff from Einstein otB)


Re: Throbbing Gristle

I'm a recent convert to TG, and my suggestion is don't start with the live
stuff (except maybe Heathen Earth). I've heard Greatest Hits, Heathen
Earth, and some of the live stuff. The TG sound is fairly varied, lots
of synth drones, subtle textural changes, treated instruments, and
distorted vocals. There are some truly intense and harrowing tracks,
and light-hearted dance numbers. Greatest Hits offers a good range of
their work. Heathen Earth is a 50 min. live-in-the-studio album which
is more diffuse (there's only one cut) but has many interesting moments.

Chris and Cosey is lighter stuff, mostly the same TG tricks without
the sleaze. 


Bill Hsu