#2199 - 08/06/01 12:19 PM
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#2200 - 08/06/01 12:30 PM
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Rob4CU
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Sometimes I fear that no matter what approach to style/genre I take to my songs, they will be regarded as retro anyway so I try to ignore the impulse to be "unique" and just go with what I like to hear. I always get the "you know, your stuff sounds alot like Neil Young's...". This always puzzles me since I never really latched on to Neil.
Maybe I simply am not unique...I'm learning to live with it 
Rob
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#2201 - 08/06/01 12:37 PM
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strat0124
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Retro works if it's authentic. Chris Isaak sure doesn't have a problem making it work. Nor does Stray Cats or BR-549. I've been told I do retro stuff, but it's the way I've played my whole life. You can always tell when you hear a forced sound of any kind.
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Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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#2202 - 08/06/01 04:21 PM
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chessparov_dup1
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popmusic, as we know, that style of music has a lot of widespread appeal.
Even in the heyday of the 60's a Beach Boys song (at least to me) had a
different production style than a Beatles song-enough for us to say maybe
they could inspire one another, however, not a clone of each other.
There are many people young and old that would prefer more "retro" music
rather than the glut of boy/girl group formulaic product called "pop".
(Can you guess what I like better?!) Since it sounds like part of your
talent lies in that direction you have the opportunity, especially with
today's technology, to expand upon past territory to express your own
individuality. This might sound redundant except it's true.
Good luck on your music!
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#2203 - 08/06/01 05:01 PM
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#2204 - 08/06/01 05:50 PM
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Lee Flier
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What I'm getting at is the production style that deliberately sets out to be retro, like Tears For Fears "Sowing the Seeds of Love" song. I really enjoy listening to contemporary twists on '60s music, but, like I said, I feel kind of distanced by it at the same time, as if the only way the artist could make his or her statement was by sounding like someone else.
I agree, but the same thing could be said for an artist who was deliberately setting out to be "contemporary" or sound like the top 40 of today. I had quite a rant about this on David's forum a couple of months ago. I feel just as "distanced" from the majority of today's pop music as I feel from people who are trying to sound "retro".
What makes music work or not work, so far as I'm concerned, is whether it's genuinely infused with passion. I am genuinely nutty about 60's music and there is a ton of that influence all over my stuff - but there is nothing forced about it. I'm not even trying to sound like that, it's just what comes out. Lots of other bits and pieces of other "eras" get in there too. I don't think about it one way or the other. If I listen to music and I love it, it's going to influence what I do, and I really don't care. What would make my audience feel distanced from me is if I didn't do what I loved, but only did what I thought was clever or interesting or would make me famous.
It's passion that makes anybody unique, not influences (or lack thereof).
--Lee
This message has been edited by Lee Flier on 08-06-2001 at 02:52 PM
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#2205 - 08/06/01 06:58 PM
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d gauss
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ha ha! beatles, beach boys retro? christ, for today's folks they're totally ancient. guns and roses are considered retro now. play hard rock without a scooped mid/ mesa dual rectifier and without a turntable or a rapper and your band will be labeled retro no matter what you do! the 80's revival is in full swing.... welcome to the jungle baby!
-d. gauss
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#2206 - 08/06/01 10:07 PM
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sign
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"It's passion that makes anybody unique, not influences"
I stared at this for about two minutes sister, you are definitely 'one of the good guys' (sorry, 'gals')
Peace to you!
_________________________
The alchemy of the masters moving molecules of air, we capture by moving particles of iron, so that the poetry of the ancients will echo into the future.
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#2207 - 08/06/01 10:56 PM
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m2
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[ 02-13-2002: Message edited by: macle96@yahoo.com ]
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#2208 - 08/06/01 11:07 PM
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Lee Flier
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ROFL Macle!!! Yeah, you tell 'em! 
And thanks sign!
--Lee
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#2209 - 08/06/01 11:08 PM
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archibald3
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Lee`s right,you can`t start over-thinking the writing process.The best stuff you will write will be an amalgamation of everything that is you,everything your excited about,everything you`ve enjoyed as a music lover yourself.We get alot of people saying they hear some Beatles or Beachboys in some of our songs but fused with something modern-and then they invariable ask how we do it.The answer is that we love alot of that stuff and listened to it growing up and, as well we like The Flaming Lips,Grandaddy and other stuff which plays a part as well.The key though is throwing all that out the window and writing from an un-selfconscoius place and letting the chips fall where they may!! Arch http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/253/boy_girl_radio.html
This message has been edited by archibald3 on 08-06-2001 at 08:10 PM
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#2210 - 08/06/01 11:22 PM
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Tedster
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Pop...
Forge forth and fuck everyone else.
The absolute biggest mistake anyone can make IMHO is *not* doing something that inspires you for whatever reason. I made this mistake for years, and it really hurt my writing, 'cause I was always too conscious about trying either TO sound like something or trying NOT to sound like something.
"Oh...the backup vocals sound too barbershoppy...
They sound too much like the Beach Boys...
They sound too much like the Beatles..."
To quote Nike...just do it.
An analogy, I remember hearing King's X for the first time...that song "It's Love (that holds it all together)"...man, I was blown away...sounded like the Beatles with heavy Ty Tabor guitars...I was really happy they didn't say "Oh, we can't release that, it sounds too much like the Beatles"...
This message has been edited by Tedster on 08-06-2001 at 08:26 PM
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#2211 - 08/07/01 01:06 AM
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#2212 - 08/07/01 03:28 AM
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fantasticsound
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Originally posted by popmusic:
Thanks for the insights, everybody...
I guess I'm still trying to find my "voice"... Most of the things I've written over the years have been for other people or for very specific purposes (i.e. corporate training videos, etc.), so I've always been copping someone else's style. It's been years since I've written purely for myself, so it may take me a little while to find the right balance...
Relax, Pop! Stop trying to be unique. Do you think classical composers threw out music that sounded too much like Bach, or Mozart?
Lee hit the nail squarely on the head. Your passion for music will show, beyond any influences that people compare you or your music to.
------------------
Neil
Reality: A few moments of lucidity surrounded by insanity.
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#2213 - 08/07/01 05:17 AM
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d gauss
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i dunno if this adds any insight or not but... i worked on the first lenny kravitz cd (he was called romeo blue before he got the deal) and lenny just did what he felt. true, his producer was a beatle head, but there was never a discussion of "let's try and make it sound like this"... at the time, pop music was still in the heyday of big gated reverb drums, etc. lenny was very clear that he DIDN'T want that. and frankly, my take was that lenny was probably a bigger kiss/bowie fan than a beatles fan, but he never got slagged for that!
-d. gauss
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#2214 - 08/07/01 08:12 AM
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Master Zap
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I think I just gonna echo what everyone else says here but I say it anyway.
I've been accused of sounding very retro at times.
However, everytime I really "tried" to *NOT* sound retro (I mean, I tried INTENTIONALY to sound very very "now") it has often not turned out all too good.
But everytime I simply made music, and DIDNT GIVE A FLYING **** about what it "sounded" like, just that it sounded the way I LIKE IT - it has turned ot good both to MY ears and OTHER's ears.
This goes for songwriting as well: If you sit and go "Oh I can't use this chord coz beatles/abba/soundgarden/barney the dinousaur used it" you are making a HUGE MISTAKE. If that chord works, USE IT. Ignore "who used it before". Just Do It. Theres only so many chords anyway.
/Z
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#2215 - 08/07/01 12:33 PM
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WFTurner
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>>This goes for songwriting as well: If you sit and go "Oh I can't use this chord coz beatles/abba/soundgarden/barney the dinousaur used it" you are making a HUGE MISTAKE.<<
hehe  Great point
Otherwise, I'd personally find myself starin at my
instrument, going hmmmm?
------------------
William F. Turner
Songwriter
turnermusic
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William F. Turner Songwriter turnersongs Sometimes the truth is rude... tough shit... get used to it.
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#2216 - 08/07/01 06:01 PM
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carne_de_res
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popmusic,you should definitely check out "the soft bulletin" by the flaming lips...they defintely prove that you can use "old" sounds without being retro.
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#2217 - 08/07/01 08:52 PM
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chessparov_dup1
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popmusic, There's a terrific old movie called "Sullivan's Travels" where a
(financially) successful movie producer of comedies wants to make movies
that are "serious" because he thinks they are more artistically worthwhile
and unique. Rather than giving away the plot, if you ever see this movie,
it is a great "message film" for artists because the theme is so cleverly
delivered without being preachy, and contains brillant humor in addition
to powerful drama. If and when you see it, I think it will address some of your concerns, as the analogy doesn't have to be stretched too far.
Not that I think you're trying to hard to make "serious" music, this film
just gives good food for thought, especially regarding the positive value
of entertainment.
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#2218 - 08/07/01 10:43 PM
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m2
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[ 02-13-2002: Message edited by: macle96@yahoo.com ]
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#2219 - 08/08/01 12:54 AM
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#2220 - 08/08/01 02:31 AM
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Anderton
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<>
Don't worry about it. My theory is that people tend to say your music sounds like music they like. On my last tune, one person said it sounded Bowie-ish, another person said it reminded him of INXS, another thought it sounded like mid-80s Bill Nelson, and another said it was very modern and it was nothing like he'd heard before. I'm still trying to figure out what that group of artists has in common...........!
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#2221 - 08/08/01 02:34 AM
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Tedster
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Bill Nelson ROCKED. Is he still around? What an interesting approach to guitar soloing. Wonder what ever happened to my old Be Bop Deluxe LPs?
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"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine...(WAH WAH WAH WAHHH!)"
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#2222 - 08/08/01 02:35 AM
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Anderton
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Another thought...
I've been around long enough that what's "retro" now was "current" for me at one point. Things like backward guitar have become just another item in the toolkit, to be used when appropriate, and ignored when not. Backwards preverb, harpsichords, all of those can be useful tools regardless of the period with which they were associated. Just like it's sometimes fun to pull out an old joke or an old recipe, sometimes it's fun to pull out an old musical technique.
The best part is that I can use a lot of my cool tricks all over again on people who aren't old enough to have seen them the first time around .
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