Greenwich Village

Honestly, Greenwich Village seemed like a really cool place to live in during the 50's, 60's and 70's. It was really progressive and had a lot of interesting people in its midst. People like Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan sought it out for its quirkiness and melting pot of people. In a time when hippies weren't around Greenwich Village seemed like a hippy town. I would have definitely loved to live there.

Pete Seeger

We talked a little bit in class about Pete Seeger, so I looked him up and he sounds really cool. His music tended to be protest-oriented, but it didn't necessarily always sound angry, rather it was calm, and more of a peaceful protest. He seemed more to cover other people's songs, instead of writing his own, although he did have one famous song. All in all he seemed like a really cool guy who spread his message by song.

R.E.M.

In class we talked about how Big Star influenced R.E.M. I don't know much about R.E.M., but the songs that I have heard I have liked. Radio Free Europe and Losing my Religion are definitely me favorites. I will be interested in listening to more of Big Star and R.E.M. to see their musical progression, and to see how the former influenced the latter in terms of writing and music.

Big Star

I really liked the way Big Star sounded. It gave me kind of an indie rock vibe, but it was actually a little bit similar to the Beatles. I also agree with what was said in class, namely that they should have been very popular and famous. They definitely had the musical skill to do it, and they had a nice variety of songs, no just the same old thing. I definitely look forward to hearing more of their songs.

Talent

I think that talent is a combination of hard work, genetics and intellect. Although it seems that most of the time athletes are not the smartest people, the way that they are able to analyze situations is astounding, and shows that they really do have a level of intellect. For example, a running back in football has to be able to know where the holes in the defense are, while being aware of players trying to tackle him, and at the same time holding tightly onto the ball. No stupid human being can do all that. Genetics also play a vital role. Some groups tend to be taller, faster etc. This also ties into the way that talent is perceived. If everyone in your families history has been a hunter (probably only found in small pockets of the world today) then you are more likely to be faster and stronger or have developed a different part of your brain. Hard work is the last and probably the most important one. Everyone thinks that all Asians are good at Math, but the reason that most of them are probably adept at it is that they are trained from a young age and learn all the skills necessary for later classes. These are the reasons why I think people aren't born with talent.

Joni Mitchell

I admired Joni Mitchell's voice and the way she overcame all the obstacles in her life to pursue a music career, but I didn't like the songs she made. They seemed way too improvisational and un-organized and her voice just drifted and fell. I know that she is extremely talented and possesses a great gift for music, but I would much rather listen to Simon and Garfunkel or Rufus Wainwright, because their songs have a better beat and more organization.

Music in the Media

Today we talked about the role that media plays in promoting music. I felt that this was a very interesting topic, and I really do see it. I only watch T.V. on the weekends, and often times much of it is on NBC and CBS. I always see ads for the VMA's and the Country Music Awards etc. The commercials all have words like "groundbreaking, angelic, a hit etc." that really ingrain in your mind the idea that these songs HAVE to be good. A more indirect way I see it is when I flip to a show like" The Voice" or "American Idol" where singers sing songs that I honestly don't like but the judges (who are ex-musicians or current ones) really like and promote. I just feel like it is forced upon you to like this fake pop music instead of what you actually like.

Beastie Boys

I didn't like the small part of the Beastie Boy's album that we listened to. As a casual music listener I know I don't understand the effort it takes to make an album like that, but honestly it just sounded like a scratchy disc, with voices intermittently saying things. It is groundbreaking that the Beastie Boys were able to do that, but those scratchy sounds don't appeal to me. I admire their creativity but not their singing talent or sound.