Re: Keller Williams / jam bands/ rc50

["Travis Hartnett" <travishartnett@gmail.com>]

That's true, you never said they had no talent.  

However, the description you did offer comes doesn't come across as someone with a differing sense of aesthetics offering an even-handed assessment of something that doesn't rank highly based on those criteria, but a slagfest on what you perceive as...practically worthless.  

Reading your assessment of Keller Williams leads me to believe that the only things he has going for him is that 1) he enjoys what he's doing and 2) his large fan base enjoys what he's doing.  When you throw in the fact that he earns a living doing this, I'd have to say that's what I consider a very successful musician, on all levels.   Here's the criteria I use:

Doing something you love, having lots of people appreciate it (in my personal criteria having "more" people liking what I love to do is preferable to "few" or "none") and getting paid for it (again, "more money for what I love to do" being preferable to "less" or "none")--that's as good as it gets.  

The particulars of "what you love to do" are irrelevant in this case, but who wouldn't want all three of the the above?


TH

On 11/29/06, Krispen Hartung <khartung@cableone.net> wrote:

Very observant, Travis, but I never said that anyone had "no talent".  nice try.  Even an amateur guitar player has talent. Whether they are inspiring and creative is a different matter, in my opinion. 

 

Kris

 

----- Original Message -----

 

On 11/29/06, Krispen Hartung <khartung@cableone.net> wrote:-----
Original Message -----
From: "Miko Biffle" < biffoz@arczip.com>
> I'm just questioning some of the so-called obvious assertions you're
> writing
> reams about.  I don't buy the no-talent, anyone-can-do-it theory.

I never claimed that anyone had no talent. You must be referring to someone
else or misrepresenting my points to conveniently, albeit fallaciously refute
them.

-------------------------

Krispen Hartung, not twenty-four hours earlier: "[referring to nameless jam bands, other than, at times, Phish]...a mind numbing, THC induced, drone-on-the-same-string/scale-for-a-fucking-hour fest.  You could take a nap, wake up and hear the same shit playing.  Most jam bands I've seen are virtually devoid of any creativity. It's a social thing, albeit, like sex, drugs, and alcohol with Rock n' Roll...no one expects artistic genius.  Even Keller's set is not that inspiring from a creativity standpoint. The final music output is entirely unoriginal...the chops are standard (except the vocals and therimin playing, which have much to be desired), and the looping technique is fundamental. That's his bag I guess,but I'd wager that any of the competant multi-instrumentalists out there (thousands) could pull a similar set off with little effort, after learning the basic functions of the looping device. What is left after stripping every other possible unique factor away from his set is that he appears to be one of the only successful guys doing it for large crowds...this says

nothing of the music, by the way, just marketing, time, and energy to create
a niche. I'm sure it works for him...I'd comittt suicide if my musical
career came down to that.   I hope this gets someone bent out of shape...I
like bending people out of shape!  :)"