A Disposable Society

The recent deaths of three CBS correspondents in Iraq brought to mind an interesting notion. This theory in no way suggests these professionals somehow failed in their duty to their jobs. What it may do is raise an eyebrow to the trend in pop culture in the United States. Over the last few years the dynamic of pop culture and specifically television has changed dramatically. I have tried to make sense of it by examining music, my profession. I have yet to make much sense of it, but hearing that these news people were killed in Iraq made me think our youth culture as a whole may be sheltered from the realities of life. The trend I see in music must be being driven by "American Idol." I don't know much about this TV show, and I don't want to. Having studied music in college for nine years, including completing all my course work toward a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition at Ohio State University, I am not interested in pop fodder. The dynamic of the show I am interested in is what may have an effect on real life events, for the worse. If the youth of America are only exposed to the bubble gum and soda pop of "American Idol," what happens when they are thrust into a life and death situations like commenting in Iraq? There has been a strong surge of "pop" oriented music in the last few years, especially in country. Garth Brooks was successful at spurring the "New Country" movement which seems all but dead to me. It was inevitable all of the other influences of music would come into country. Shania Twain was the first singer successfully to push "Old School" country in a new direction. The skinny was Nashville objected heavily. After recording an album there with a band, it amazed me how closed minded the Nashville music community seemed. I have never been a country music fan, but feeling the oppression in Nashville to fit in with the "Good Old Boy" regime was almost sickening. It felt like the Old South. There is no possibility of change, of evolution, or individualism. Garth and Shania succeeded because there music was good, and they are good performers. Big and Rich seem to be the next chapter in the continual evolution of country music. It stands to reason the glamour of 80's rock, the sexual content of R&B and Hip/Hop, and other influences will make their way into country music. Shania's departure was significant because it changed the tone of country music. Garth gave country music a strength that is evident in Rock and R&B. New Country took away the "crying in your beer" melancholy and replaced it with hard driving, fun, honky tonk party music. That is what original Rock 'n' Roll is anyway. Add a twang to the vocal and there you have it. Shania continued that trend with almost feminist shades. Why can't a performer/song writer be happy and positive and enjoy what they are doing rather than lamenting the shortcomings of their lives, like Old School Country? They can, and she did, and it worked well. America was ready for her product. I haven't seen Big and Rich much or Brooks and Dunn. My brother-in-law suggested Brooks and Dunn were the country counterpart to Hall and Oates, and that may well be. If America bought Garth and Shania, why wouldn't they buy a purely party band influence in country music? Well, the imminent question is, "What is country music? What makes music country?" I had always felt the tone was what it was. It was simply, "Don't rock the jukebox, play me a country song." Hank Williams classic songs personify it rather well. "You're Cheatin' Heart," "Jumbayla," and the others have a feel influenced by early swing music, but they have melancholy overtones. Garth decided you could leave the sentimentality behind. Not all of us have something pleasant to be sentimental about. I love jazz music, and I am a substantial jazz pianist, but over the years I have come to not like sentimentality. If an artists spends all their time trying to remember a time gone by, they are not pushing the boundaries of the music. Knowledge of the history of one's craft is imperative, but then there comes a time to push forward. I discovered R&B was a form of expressive, emotional music that lacked the sentimentality of the jazz venacular. I could play R&B and not open my heart up to disappointment and weakness. I applaud Garth and Shania for pushing this trend in country. It seems to me the lyrical content and the songs worked well enough to qualify as country. The most recent trends in country to me are not fairing all that well. When you take differing aesthetics and put them together, they don't always make sense. The most notable example of that is Pop Country. Deaton/Flannigan supposedly were the first video production company to interject the sexual content of MTV and BET's programming into country video. I and some friends have felt it is difficult to watch. It seems to have some pornographic overtones in such that it is not mainstream, mainstream being something suitable for children to watch. Alternatively it seems like something you would watch in the bedroom late at night. BET has been doing that for a while, but mixing that with country music? Does that makes sense? If your body doesn't know how to respond to it, I don't think that is good. Human beings are capable of feeling many things at the same time, but I think most of us try to figure it out. Controversy is what is created when you carelessly combine things for commercial gain with no real artistic concept. Pop music does not necessarily have to be artistic, but I would think most singers, if they really call themselves "artists," want their product to have value and not just monetary value. Art stands the test of time. Partying and sex are viable past times in an increasingly complex and difficult world. Putting a band aid on reality is not the answer. If we as a culture don't really understand our world and simply live in a counterworld of video games and "happy music," the reality of life will eventually win. That is the problem I see today. Where are the modern day poets of our generation? Where are the voices of America and what is happening? Rappers used to be the holders of the torch. Then it seems that got lost in the Cavasiau. The last hit song I can remember before working on cruise ships was Nelly's "It's Getting Hot in Here." CMT works hard at keeping music alive, and I respect that. MTV, VH-1, and BET have all jumped on the bandwagon of popular television abandoning the art of popular music. When did the lives of the populace become more important than the message of the artist? When did our youth become so self involved and recalcitrant to believe only their miniscule existence was important? If music television has adopted this philosophy to court the dollars of the youth market, shame on them. Broadcasting seems to have adopted a similar philosophy. The history of their craft and the training and experience that were once necessary to succeed in a highly competitive profession have been abandoned in lieu of a giant mosh pit of spoiled, selfish, youths. Take any of them and send them to Iraq to cover the war, and they may find themselves with no skills to save themselves. "Let's party!" ... as an IED ends their worthless lives.