Re: (idm) Simon Reynolds ate my Buick (and other love stories)

From Ed Hall
Sent Sat, Apr 10th 1999, 00:02

On Fri, 09 Apr 1999, R. Lim wrote:
> True 'nuf, but bear in mind that IDM is primarily derived from the music
> part of the *tronica culture, the culture that is (theoretically)
> inseparable from the music and vice versa.  The abhorence is a reaction to
> enlisting a style of music in a cause _diametrically_ opposed to its
> original context.

And here is where he gets it wrong: there is no one "original context"
for the music.  He has his favorite context, and his nostalgia concerning
it is palpable.  But the worst the IDMer's can do to it is be irrelevant.

Reynold's social theories are rapidly decaying in the face of reality,
just as happened to many a theorist/critic in the 60's.  He'll get
over it, lest his audience shrink the size of the very elites he
despises.

I've loved all the discussion that his rant has created here, though!
I think that every artist needs to have a sense of context/audience/
purpose, even if it defies intellectualization; the thoughtful and
insightful posts here certainly have made me think hard about just
what the hell I'm spending my time and energy on this music for...

                -Ed