Wil's Music Theory 101

Music is expression. Expression makes a culture. Cultures define generations. Generations are made of individuals who make the world what it is. It only takes an individual to create a masterpiece. See where I'm going with it, the concept of globalization (one of it's few positive effects) is that we're open to hear artists no matter where they are or when it was recorded. Now, granted there is more then plenty wrong with globalization, as it destroys ageless cultures and Americanizes the whole globe in a way that should never happen. Now don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with McDonalds being in almost every country, but opening one in the Forbidden City... yea you get it. But this isn't globalization I'm writing this about, this is just thoughts of music.

Music no matter how you want to look at it is still music, and is an important part of our culture. I, like others do have several bands I do not like, and I'll be pretty open to answer on why I don't like them. But, there are some people who just take it too far with the dislike and it pisses me off. It is one thing you know to just not like them, and not listen to their music, but this whole thing where you show no respect for someone who has taken their art and thrown it out in the open is just audacious. Especailly when said critic has not even recorded a song in their life. One should never just limit themselves to just one genre of music, and have the state of mind that if it isn't that particular genre (or in many cases just a subgenre) then it's not music. Furthermore, one must at least show some respect for classics: Classic Rock, Early 20's Country, Romantic, Classical, New Orleans Jazz, Delta/Chicago Blues, Baroque, even Renaissance and the early Medieval movements that consisted of nothing but primitaive Gregorian Chants and Organum based sounds. Even if you do not want to listen to them, which I know several people (including myself I'm not gonna lie as far as things before 1950, lol) are that way, you do need to have the basic common sense to realize one thing: they are the roots that got us to where we are now.

Without composers like Bach, Haydn, Hendal, Mozart, Beethoven, etc. the world would of lacked such important changes in genres for example Neo-Classical Metal. Yea you know, like Symphony X, Dragonforce, Ywinge Malmsteen, etc. Without the early bluegrass and folk music that created country music in the 20s you wouldn't have Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews, much less if you are a huge country fan practically any of the material that exists within the Modern Country domain. Without the post-ww2 breakout of artists like Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison god I could go on all day about who played in this time, Bill Haley and the Comets... well lets just say the Beatles wouldn't of started or if they did would not of been nearly as successful... and from that there goes your: Led Zeppelin, Cream, Doors, as a matter of fact right before the British invasion everybody thought the Big Band Crooner genre was coming back... yea think about that. And don't even get me started on what led up to hip-hop and the other stuff.

You see not only is music a circle, but it also a family tree within the circle that will never stop growing. Like look at it this way, I'll use Breaking Benjamin as an example.

Breaking Benjamin, formed by a local Wilkes-Barre, PA musician. The band was inspired by Godsmack, Tool, and Nirvana. The whole lineup happened when the guitarist and bass player from Lifer (a band strongly influenced by RAtM) quit mid-tour and joined BB. 2-3 years later after the drummer was unjustly kicked out of the band, they used hed p.e.'s drummer for a tour before adding permanently the ex-drummer of Switched a Cleveland-based metal band. Now, I could keep on going with this but it would really take hours for me to complete, but by the time I completed this you would see bands such as: Moody Blues, King Crimson, Korn, Depche Mode, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Smiths, and ok ok you see the point.

Yes there is a connection between King Crimson one of the earliest examples of a progressive band, where the biggest single "Court of the Crimson King" was a 10-minute ballad sounding almost like a medieval minet trio, and Breaking Benjamin who's song "Diary of Jane" is a 3;30 song consisting of an intriguing intro, distorted guitars and pretty hard, heavy vocals. The connect actually comes through Tool, who used complex timings and rhythms similar to their inspirators King Crimson. See what I mean?

So lets recap:
1. music and globalization go together
2. Don't disrepect an artist's material
3. You shouldn't limit yourself to one genre or subgenre
4. Show appreciation for the earlier music
5. Music is like a family tree where in every artist has inspirations, who had inspirations, etc.

Have a good day trying to comprehend this :)


Oh and one more thing: I don't care what anybody else says, "I'm Not There" the movie portraying Bob Dylan as 8 people, is genius! It actually makes you have to look and think deeper, something which most Americans seem to dislike... but if you can see through the story line you will understand how it relates to Dylan.