Tag: Fear of Music

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Fear of Music :: Time’s Up for Creeps, Abusers and Sexist Jerks

 

illustration by Tiff Bartel
illustration by Tiff Bartel

by Jenny Henkelman

I started writing this piece on October 23, when things seemed so much simpler. Back then, I thought CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi was just a garden-variety creep, not a serial abuser. As Melissa Martin so brilliantly elucidated in her Nothing in Winnipeg post on the subject, those of us in music/CBC circles Knew About Jian, even if we didn’t know about the alleged punching, choking and rape.

If Jian seems like an outlier, a rare case of narcissism and misogyny enabled over decades with devastating results, I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. Rare is the man with the kind of fame and power Jian had, but abusers like Jian exist everywhere. And they definitely exist in our music scene. Continue reading “Fear of Music :: Time’s Up for Creeps, Abusers and Sexist Jerks”

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Fear of Music :: This Stephen Patrick is No Morrissey

Morrissey

by Devin King

July 2014 sees the release of Morrissey’s latest and perhaps most Morrissian-titled album to date: World Peace is None of Your Business. Morrissey the Performer has always demanded a closer critical review, as his actions and words – both in his music and outside of the music itself – are a closely scripted characterization of Morrissey the Character. More than ever, with this latest release, there is an evident slipping of the curtain to reveal Morrissey himself rather than Morrissey the Character. This later period Morrissey seems to be, intentionally or not, dropping many of the idiosyncrasies that define the Morrissey character. Continue reading “Fear of Music :: This Stephen Patrick is No Morrissey”

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Fear of Music :: Thy Shiny Compilation in the Night

bigshiny

An alternate history of Big Shiny Tunes 2

by Devin King

For a lot of people, Big Shiny Tunes was a big deal. We can say that, if for no other reason, by its sales figures. Big Shiny Tunes 2 is one of the highest selling albums in Canada, ever. Many of my generation have also been privy to nostalgic conversations about that series. This alt-rock compilation has served as a cultural touchstone – a sort of monoculture primer at the time, and defining cultural artifact now. Looking back, it would be easy to remember these songs as the only noteworthy songs of those years. However, Big Shiny Tunes – indeed, our very recollection of that time – could have been dramatically different. Continue reading “Fear of Music :: Thy Shiny Compilation in the Night”

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Fear of Music :: The Machine Wakes, Sees Itself, and Smiles

lorde-billboard-cover-story-650-430

by Devin King

Gentlemen of the board, I’ve gathered you all here today as I understand there has been some concern raised over our release of New Zealand singer Lorde’s single titled “Royals.” As you may know, the song in question discusses the idea of extreme wealth in the music industry, and broadly, society. Some of you have expressed concern that this might ignite class consciousness and foster a realization of inequality in the masses. I am here to tell you not to be afraid. Continue reading “Fear of Music :: The Machine Wakes, Sees Itself, and Smiles”

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Fear of Music – Highway 61 Left Alone

wayne03

Desperately Clinging on to What is Left of the Past, Or Not

by Devin King

I used to live by the airport, and I would lay out in the field and watch the airplanes take off. It wasn’t symbolism or some sort of literary wankery, it was just a thing.

I remember listening to Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? and watching the airplanes overhead, though that probably never happened. Memory is parallax; sometimes those things that you fondly recall weren’t really that fond, or didn’t even happen that way. So watching the planes and listening to indie music are two things that I used to do, and whether it was this album or another under the planes is irrelevant I guess. It was an indie boom around that time, so it was all kind of the same in the end.  Continue reading “Fear of Music – Highway 61 Left Alone”

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Fear of Music – Jay Z, Jay G, and the New Génération Perdue

JAY-Z-100-bill

by Devin King

There was probably no musician better suited to executive produce the soundtrack to the new Baz Luhrman version of The Great Gatsby than Jay-Z. Jay Z referred to Gatsby as a “classic American story of one’s introduction to extravagance, decadence and illusion.” In a departure from hip-hop’s origins, the brand of hip-hop popularized by Jay Z, not unlike the Jazz Age depicted by Fitzgerald, is obsessed with status and wealth. When he speaks of the extravagance and decadence it shows that his understanding of Jay-G(atsby) is pretty surface level, as he found Gatsby to be an aspirational figure. Like so many university students, Shawn Carter seems to have read the first part of Gatsby and improvised his understanding of the rest of the book. Don’t worry Jay, I won’t spoil it for you. Continue reading “Fear of Music – Jay Z, Jay G, and the New Génération Perdue”