Music scene or music seen?
Welcome to the second instalment of the Mountaineers blog. This is born out of a conversation with a friend a week or so ago. In my last blog I ended with the point that if no one is interested in my music then that’s fine. It’s for the world if they want it and for me if they don’t. Perhaps as I get older and a little bit wiser, what others think becomes minimal. I recently watched a BBC documentary about the independent record labels over the last few decades. To me the general ethos here whatever the decade was that if you want something badly enough and but the work in you can create something quite special. These bands and labels were born out of bedrooms and frustration. They wanted their music to be seen and heard by as many people as possible but they never lost sight of their sound or their image and made good use of their individuality. It was also good for me to see that imperfections can be used in most beautiful ways. They always paraded these differences as the norm. So why is this blog entitled music scene or music seen? Well, it comes down to values and what a musician/artist/producer wants as their outcome of their creativity. Is it ok to just want to play local gigs and have a core following? Yes. Is it ok to not want to be on a music scene and look further afield , to become a virtual presence only? Yes. Is it ok to strive to be independent and unique without giving in and conforming? Yes. Is it ok to leave your imperfections there for the world to see? Yes if you see them as a thing of beauty then promote it! I think I’ve learnt not to be too upset if the man in the local pub doesn’t like my music. I’m happy if one person the other side of the world recognises it for what it is. I use BBC Introducing as my platform for getting my music out there. I know for the time being that my music would probably not be welcome on the local music seen. For starts it’s not anywhere near being played live. I like the fact that it can’t and could potentially never be played live. Does this mean it’s inadequate and lacks quality? No. it is a virtual form that can be seen and heard by anyone anywhere if they choose to look. Do I need a music scene? Probably not but a scene can provide influences and experience to form new ideas and share ideas. It should not be ignored but then it should not be the be all and end all. I would be happy for one track to be used in a film. To me that’s an achievement and recognition. So what if the man next door isn’t keen on the style I have gone for. Someone out there will appreciate it. So music seen or music scene or both? ultimately its your creativity, do with it what you will.
