THE NEVER ENDING CORAL MAZE: Various indie rockers are now saying it's okay to say you like Phish and other jam bands. (I'll admit to having had a phase in college, but that's about it. Just one show, and a few songs stored on my iPod.)
This strikes me as one of those stories that the Post and the Times write all the time: start with a questionable premise, and then knock it down to show that there's been a change. I buy neither the notion that it's never been hip to like jam bands, nor the idea that suddenly indie rockers are in love with them.
My guess is that the answer is boringly in between. Some indies have always scorned jam bands, some have always loved them, and some used to scorn them but now appreciate them. I mean, isn't that the whole point of being an "indie" rocker? That you're not easily pigeonholed?
Besides, any article that implies Pink Floyd is a jam band loses all credibility with me.
I Know Someone Who Knows Someone Who Knows Alan McGee Quite Well8:03 PM
This is all so much old hat. As the WP piece notes, Lee Ranaldo has always referred to himself as Sonic Youth's "resident Deadhead," and a number of SY's longer tracks have extended free-form instrumental passages in their middle or end ("Expressway To Yr Skull" from EVOL; "The Diamond Sea" from Washing Machine; "Rain On Tin" and "Karen Revisited" from Murray Street) that could pass for New York hipster (i.e., must include Velvets-y drone) versions of Dead jams. If you want to go back even further, there's Television's "Marquee Moon," lengthy and epic, but none dare call it "jammy." (Although on some of the live versions -- not all on official recordings, if you know what I mean -- Verlaine and Lloyd definitely get into McGuinn/Cipollina/Garcia territory...)
As for the "jam bands" who look to the Dead and Phish for their inspiration: to quote Sloan on Consolidated ("Coax Me"), "it's not the band I hate, it's their fans."
People are afraid to admit they like jam bands? Who are these people? Are they all 15 years old? Seriously, what adult is so insecure as to be embarrassed by their taste in music/movies/TV/books/etc? Saying Phish is your favorite band is not like saying The DaVinci Code is your favorite book (and basically announcing that you have only read one book. Ever.).
I'm not saying Phish is what I'm talking about, but there is a difference between good music and bad music. It is hard to define, shifting, and variable based on what allegiances the listener wants to declare. But it exists, because as long as fashion and style exist, the difference has to exist. Some people would do well to be embarrassed by their taste in music, just as some people would do well to be embarrassed by their taste in clothes, books, movies, architecture, or food. If I lived in a McMansion, ate nothing but velveeta on Wonder Bread, kept idly thumbing a dog-eared copy of Theodore Dreiser's American Tragedy while watching reruns of Small Wonder on my couch in leather pants and a t-shirt with a picture of two cartoon dogs humping, you would say "Isaac, everything about you repulses me." But when I said my favorite song was "We Built This City," you'd say "to each his own"?
I see what you're saying. I guess my point isn't so much that people aren't judged based on their personal preferences -- or even that they shouldn't be -- but that they shouldn't really care what anyone else thinks. I was definitely grading on a curve though, because yes, certain preferences/behaviors/etc. are more likely to invite judgment or mocking. But eh, like what you like and make no apologies.
I think in the scenario you mentioned, if I had a friend like that I'd probably just chalk it up to quirkiness and make a mental note not to eat dinner at his house unless I'm craving fake cheese. But if we aren't friends then why does my opinion even matter?
Bah, small sample size and anecdotal evidence. Indie rockers need to hold a summit and issue a formal statement, then maybe I'll pay attention.
ReplyDeleteYou say jam bands, I say needless noodling. Po-tato, po-tahto.
ReplyDeleteYou say Phish, I say Sample In A Jar.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that a guy from Vampire Weekend would be sensitive to cool hipster scorn.
ReplyDeleteThe post title is the only Phish song I like. Also? The only Phish song I know.
ReplyDeleteThis strikes me as one of those stories that the Post and the Times write all the time: start with a questionable premise, and then knock it down to show that there's been a change. I buy neither the notion that it's never been hip to like jam bands, nor the idea that suddenly indie rockers are in love with them.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that the answer is boringly in between. Some indies have always scorned jam bands, some have always loved them, and some used to scorn them but now appreciate them. I mean, isn't that the whole point of being an "indie" rocker? That you're not easily pigeonholed?
Besides, any article that implies Pink Floyd is a jam band loses all credibility with me.
Oh good. Some 26 year old says it's ok for me to like jam bands. I'm sure Phish is relieved.
ReplyDeleteRemind me who it was that said it was okay to like Vampire Weekend, because I'd like to block his Pitchfork privileges.
ReplyDeleteThis is all so much old hat. As the WP piece notes, Lee Ranaldo has always referred to himself as Sonic Youth's "resident Deadhead," and a number of SY's longer tracks have extended free-form instrumental passages in their middle or end ("Expressway To Yr Skull" from EVOL; "The Diamond Sea" from Washing Machine; "Rain On Tin" and "Karen Revisited" from Murray Street) that could pass for New York hipster (i.e., must include Velvets-y drone) versions of Dead jams. If you want to go back even further, there's Television's "Marquee Moon," lengthy and epic, but none dare call it "jammy." (Although on some of the live versions -- not all on official recordings, if you know what I mean -- Verlaine and Lloyd definitely get into McGuinn/Cipollina/Garcia territory...)
ReplyDeleteAs for the "jam bands" who look to the Dead and Phish for their inspiration: to quote Sloan on Consolidated ("Coax Me"), "it's not the band I hate, it's their fans."
People are afraid to admit they like jam bands? Who are these people? Are they all 15 years old? Seriously, what adult is so insecure as to be embarrassed by their taste in music/movies/TV/books/etc? Saying Phish is your favorite band is not like saying The DaVinci Code is your favorite book (and basically announcing that you have only read one book. Ever.).
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying Phish is what I'm talking about, but there is a difference between good music and bad music. It is hard to define, shifting, and variable based on what allegiances the listener wants to declare. But it exists, because as long as fashion and style exist, the difference has to exist. Some people would do well to be embarrassed by their taste in music, just as some people would do well to be embarrassed by their taste in clothes, books, movies, architecture, or food. If I lived in a McMansion, ate nothing but velveeta on Wonder Bread, kept idly thumbing a dog-eared copy of Theodore Dreiser's American Tragedy while watching reruns of Small Wonder on my couch in leather pants and a t-shirt with a picture of two cartoon dogs humping, you would say "Isaac, everything about you repulses me." But when I said my favorite song was "We Built This City," you'd say "to each his own"?
ReplyDeleteI see what you're saying. I guess my point isn't so much that people aren't judged based on their personal preferences -- or even that they shouldn't be -- but that they shouldn't really care what anyone else thinks. I was definitely grading on a curve though, because yes, certain preferences/behaviors/etc. are more likely to invite judgment or mocking. But eh, like what you like and make no apologies.
ReplyDeleteI think in the scenario you mentioned, if I had a friend like that I'd probably just chalk it up to quirkiness and make a mental note not to eat dinner at his house unless I'm craving fake cheese. But if we aren't friends then why does my opinion even matter?