*Sniff*...I feel alone. Are there any prog metallers out there?

[alan scobie]

Well said Steve,

Surely its all about the ideas and differing opinions that make it such a varied and challenging industry.

 

You are right about the commercial aspect though, sure I give my publisher what I think is creative music, I have to,but what you(Not you in particular Steve) suggest is that music that isn't crammed to the hilt with technique and originality of playing, coupled with some sort of lateral fusion of ideas.......Is not worthy of all you chop driven, wow check the licks kinda guys. What I say in reply to me insulting you and those musicians you covet is this,..................the rest of us may find it insulting that the disdain with which you dismiss POP music is churlish and narrow. Just because you are into this music whose fans form some kind of elite club...all the philistines who love a right good bit of pop are still in the majority in amassive way, and always will be.

My background and training is in composition for the theatre and moving picture, however I still love the thrill of a right good pop song!!!Does this mean I have no taste or more taste?

I can and do appreciate the dedication and technical brilliance involved in the stuff you love.

I just find it dull! Most (not all but most )of the time any classicaly trained musician could write it out while you are playing it, it is that simple. The level of scale control and mode selection during these monster solo's can be heard in the piano practice rooms of any third year music academy, The employment rate for graduates in the UK stands at around 8%.

I am not hear to hurl abuse at your genre, as I have said before, whatever gets you off.Just remember...what you may find jaw-dropping performance and virtuosity....Someone else looks, listens and see's only a very unmusical demonstration of practice technique applied to performance.

I am all for pushing those boundaries, but where are you pushing them and why?

I give my publisher music I think will be pitchable.Not music that is artistically/technically groundbreaking. Why would I do that ? It is a very, very small market you are into and I think rightly so.

I love being able to say I make my living writing and recording "songs" be they pop, country, dance or R'n'B,

I dont care as long as someone somewhere thinks its a good "song" then I am happy.

If someone somewhere thinks what you do is cool then you should be too!

Just dont assume all musicians love that stuff,.....they dont!

 

Best Regards

Alan.

[Steve LeBlanc]

the rest of us may find it insulting that the disdain with which you dismiss POP music is churlish and narrow.

 

heh, yeah, well I don't think all Pop is churlish and narrow ...I'm damn proud of some of the pop music I've written.

 

Thanks for clarifying your earlier post...it seemed to come from left field to me...now that I have a better idea of where you're coming from it makes more sense.

 

For the record...I don't get too excited by guys who just run scales and arpeggios the whole song either...I'm more into Jazz (BeBop style) which is very busy but more selective melodically. However, I also can't hang with people who hate Dream Theater, Engvie Malmsteen(sp?), Steve Vai and other technically brilliant players...I rarely put stuff like that in my CD player, I'm more a Miles Davis kinda listener but I do appreciate what they do and enjoy listening to it sometimes.

 

Greg Howe is kind of the best of both worlds...he plays lightning fast stuff but there is a lot more than just that in his music.

 

It's all good...I hope you do well in all of your endeavors AND maybe cut us Prog./Fusion fans a little slack.

 

Live for Peace,

Steve

[alan scobie]

Right on brother,

I enjoyed the spat

Hope to run into you again

 

Alan.

 

Blue Productions.