Skip, I think the problem with you is that you're only respectful (at least verbally) with other musicians. I'm under the impression that the rest of the mortal beings are dispensable to your eyes or do not deserve as much respect as the laymen. You're in a higher division maybe? I think my comment was nothing so serious for you to chime in in such manner. Again, I just said that I'm a bit tired of Masada String Trio releases, nothing more. You haven't discovered the Holy Grail by saying if you don't like that, go fuck yourself. That's too obvious and a bit childish too. In fact, that's one of the reasons why I like Zorn's "policy" so much. However, when someone says something negative about your heroes, you can't be objective enough to accept different opinions. Your truth is not universal, Skip. Nor is no one's. I don't find your cinism about the Dave Douglas argument we had here too impressive, to tell you the truth. Back then I thought "Freak In" sucks and I still do, regardless of the effort DD invested in its making. That doesn't make it a good album for me. You respect him? Me too. I don't think I'm entitled to say such a thing for any special reasons. As a consumer or fan or whatever I am entitled to have an opinion, even if it's NEGATIVE. Curiously enough, you've dismissed other musicians that you dislike (I particularly remember Björk) without a hint of respect and questioning their musical capabilities and nobody said anything. I haven't seen you claiming respect for other artists that have been clearly dismissed either, probably because you don't care at all about their music. To summarize, I think your reaction is totally over the top and a bit incoherent.
An artist does as he or she pleases. Then it's up to us as informed consumers to decide whether we want to "buy in" or not to his or her vision.
Ken Waxman
I learned a long time ago not to consider myself too "informed" --- no matter how many albums I bought or interviews I read by an artist -- a long time ago.
I learned that when an artist I admire starts making records I don't like, it's probably because what he feels compelled anough to record and put out is not the same thing as what I want to hear. The fact that I want to hear Joey Baron and Kermit Driscoll doesn;t make the recent crop of Frisell records bad. His adgenda as a player is different from mine as a listener. IT DOES NOT GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO TELL HIM WHAT HE SHOULD MAKE, WITH WHOM, NOR WHAT TO COMPOSE. As long as he's making what he makes with every bit of skill he has, I wish him well. I cast my vote at the record store.
But I'm not arrogant enough to tell someone I admire that much what he should be doing, and respectful enough to keep my wishes to myself when speaking to artists whose path I maybe don;t feel like going down.
Maybe that's maturity.
sh
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