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Originally Posted by geddins
Since when did "Dylans and Hendrixes" EVER have a voice with the major labels? Both of those guys were about as "anti-establishment" as you can get.
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Dylan and Hendrix WERE huge celebrities in their day. So was Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Roxy Music, etc... And as anti-establishment as it gets. That's my point.
There was a time when the mission of huge recording companies was to find unique and aesthetic musical artists, wherever and whatever they were, and nurture that talent through the 2 or 3 start up albums that it took to develop a following within a highly discriminating music-buying public. And I'm talking about a lot of the artists who frequent this forum! I'd argue that the wisdom of this approach is confirmed in retrospect.
AI represents the opposite. Manufacture, through TV, an instant celebrity who is capable of generating 2 million sales on the first release, then move on to the next 15 minute share segment, save an occasional Christmas release. Andy Warhol saw this coming long ago.
AI is not "just a TV show." It is one of the biggest prime time shows ever. And it represents where the big money in the music biz is today. You guys are guitar players, for god sake! With all due respect, is this what you want in today's big music business? Guitar is the foundation of where rock n roll came from. AI ignores the guitar. Speak for your TELE!
I teach mass media studies at college level, and I instruct two level of thought on this. 1, no one has the right to deny the public what it demands, but 2, isn't it in our best interest to question how that demand arises and who really benefits from that demand?