From Richard Barnett Sent Thu, Jun 17th 1999, 00:56
From Richard Barnett Sent Thu, Jun 17th 1999, 00:56
"Graham H Freeman" <xxxx@xxx.xxx.xx> wrote: > Let's face it, if they became active participants on this list, they would > have to face the continual analysis and speculation on their lifes work. > [deleted] Another issue is that the fan-base on this list would constitute a significant inertial or retrograde force: "Can you do another album like Amber?" and similar questions would probably be common. (This is something Brian Eno stated when invited to join a mailing list devoted to his work.) > Sure, they might've found this mailing list a suitable medium to > explain themselves, being able to clear up misconceptions and bring > up a different angle on their work, that of the creator. But I doubt it. > Their initial missives were lost in the noise, being too minimal in their > engagement of this audience. And if they chose to make their > pronouncements more amplified, they would end up distorting the message, > and consequently distort the reception to their music. I'm not sure I agree. Autechre don't strike me as being inclined to casually justify or explain their work in a forum such as this -- though I admit I'm basing this on feelings garnered from their interviews and textually-impoverished sleevenotes. However, their initial postings were tentative, didn't generate any conversation threads, and were pretty anonymous. Of course, if they'd burst onto the list and said "We're Autechre: worship/criticise/ignore/bankroll us" then strange things would have occurred, but there are or have been active artists on this list (most notably Black Dog related) who have presumably survived this ordeal -- and most people understand the "message" implicit in an unanswered email. I must admit to scepticism over whether the posters were actually Autechre (has there been any real evidence?), and it seems to me strange that they'd lurk fairly quietly before leaving in public disgust over what seemed a rather minor matter. Perhaps they were expecting a different level of content on the list, but then wouldn't that be rather naive? As their own interviews demonstrate, talking about music is difficult: most of the traffic on this list which I find useful consists of pointers to things I guess I might like; I'd love the time to start creating my own music and discussing the detail on some list, but as it is I just lurk most of the tiume. Ernesto Ikerd <xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxxx.xxx> wrote: > >It is quite clear now why they pulled out. If the cost of their > [deleted] > I personally I love almost all of Ae's work, and Ill listen to EP7 at > least 20 more times before I decide to write it off (it always takes a > few goes to sink in), but I do agree that they at least 'seem' to be > losing touch with what their fans want. Even here at IDM where people > drool over the most inaccessible noise core, > pour-a-can-of-Coke-on-the-808-and-record-it bits of audio torcher, no one > is really warming up to their new baby. Maybe their so popular that the > 'art crowd' they hang with has taken them to that other level where us > mortals simply cannot artistically follow. "Losing touch with what their fans want"? Did we want "Chiastic Slide" before it was released? I don't think I could have conceived of it! Except in the very general sense ("Give us cool new music that'll impress/ estrange my friends"), I'm not sure we should be given what we _want_ -- see my comment on inertia above -- unless we're happy to stagnate in the same manner as Tangerine Dream have in the 90s (and maybe even that comparison is a little cruel: perhaps The Lighthouse Family are a better example?). Should an artist be in touch with what the fans want? I'd imagine it's hard for an artist to satisfy what he/she wants, so as soon as 1 or more fans are involved it's almost certain that someone won't be satisfied. Admittedly, LP5 and EP7 have been received rather differently on this list to Tri Repetae and even Chiastic Slide (which I think is in many ways less accessible than LP5, in particular its mutating rhythms), but I'm not convinced that this says anything about future directions or potential fan-satisfaction. Personally, I love EP7. Autechre have made giant strides between releases before; I guess they'll do it again. -- Richard