that i may be stirring up some trouble.
every so often?
well, i think that time has come.
a little sooner than i expected.
i was at home today.
trying to put together a set list.
for a couple of shows i have next weekend.
& my sister was with me.
brainstorming some new covers.
and taylor swift came up.
now.
if you don't know me very well.
then your initial reaction may have been:
"and?"
or maybe...
"omg, i love taylor swift!"
which are both very, very wrong.
on so many levels.
unless you're a 13 year old girl.
who's tone deaf.
and some of you may think.
that i'm being a bit harsh.
but i just don't think so.
nope, not at all.
so taylor swift cover came up.
and i looked at her like she was crazy.
because i lump her in the same group.
as soulja boy, 3oh!3, nickelback, miley cyrus.
trust me... this list is pretty long.
but they're all merely entertainers.
performers.
they make commercial pop music.
for the unconscious music consumer.
who doesn't value musicianship.
or have any regard for substance.
and my sister pointed out.
that i should just do the cover out of principle.
to re-do it better than the original.
but in my mind.
you should only cover music you enjoy.
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
so then she said something rather interesting.
she contended that it must be an insult.
to real artists.
when the general public.
regards "musicians" like taylor swift.
as being talented.
and, in a way, i feel that's true.
how can you use the same word.
to define her and someone like lauryn hill.
or michael jackson.
or joni mitchel.
it seems preposterous.
almost comical.
but then you realize.
that our world is one of relativity.
and most things are subjective.
rather than based in absolutes.
so, yes.
taylor swift is talented.
compared to a jet skiing chimpanzee.
though i'm a little afraid.
that would be giving her too much credit.
lol.
and most musicians that i know.
who are worth their weight.
understand this fact.
most successful entertainers today.
aren't so much talented musicians.
as just extremely effective.
at catering to their target audience.
and you know what's funny.
you would think that maybe...
since i want to work in this industry.
that i would try not to say things.
that would create friction.
or backlash.
but i'm so sick of this "business."
and way too opinionated.
to keep quite.
so maybe that's unfortunate for me.
but i'm sure i'm not the only one.
who feels this way.
don't get me wrong.
i'm not trying to detract from anyone.
or what they have accomplished.
but rather put things into perspective.
and yes.
i'm a bit of an elitist.
but they're just opinions.
right?
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