What's the point of music? Ask Peter Gabriel

[cloughie]

It wasn't a badge of honour, it was a statement of fact. If I'd realised it was going to take over the entire discussion, I'd never have made it.

However, I did at least try to progress the discussion in the terms set out in the OP, but my post was completely ignored.

Here it is again:


I suppose it is a bit insulting to Peter Gabriel to know about WOMAD but not to associate his name with it, but it is possible, and I did.

But I learn nothing of his involvement in the musics of other cultures from the article linked to in the OP.



So if I don't fully grasp the breadth of his practice, the article doesn't help me much.

Not really insulting unless you profess to be avidly interested in World Music would you necessarily link WOMAD with Peter Gabriel. I found the whole article very shallow - maybe AdeB had a case of writer's block nearing a deadline. There is not just one point of music, as theses boards show time and again music, and our tastes and thoughts about it, are a very personal thing it so why try to write about it. What does AdeB really know about it?

[french frank]

But then i'm always surprised by those who are passionately interested in music but don't extend that to other musics, doesn't listening to Britten's Balinese Gamelan transcriptions make one want to go and hear the Balinese play?
I once met a postgraduate organ student who when I said something like "have you been inside the RAH organ, it's extraordinary?" replied with "oh, i'm not at all interested in that, I only play it".

But speaking of myself - of whom you were not specifically speaking, but it may apply to others too - I'm not "passionately" interested in music at all. I'm sort of passionate about the music I enjoy, but I have far too many other pursuits to bother investigating other kinds of music and reducing the time I have for other interests.

People like Bowie, Lemmy, erm, surname forgotten off-hand, Maurice White (more recently deceased so I haven't forgotten his name) and suchlike, inhabited a world I never bothered to set foot in, much in the same way that I can't summon up interest in long haul travel to Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, the Maldives, Peru, Mexico: my travel/cultural interests are 'other'. All in all this makes me astonishingly, nay staggeringly, ignorant about subjects others engage with passionately. On the other hand, I may know a LOT more about subjects they know nothing of. But I don't query whether they are even allowed to vote …

NB It was, if I remember, a quirk of the Conan Doyle 'Sherlock' character that he was - to Dr W - amazingly ignorant about certain subjects. Such as the fact that the earth revolved round the sun, rather than vice versa.

[cloughie]

But speaking of myself - of whom you were not specifically speaking, but it may apply to others too - I'm not "passionately" interested in music at all. I'm sort of passionate about the music I enjoy, but I have far too many other pursuits to bother investigating other kinds of music and reducing the time I have for other interests.

People like Bowie, Lemmy, erm, surname forgotten off-hand, Maurice White (more recently deceased so I haven't forgotten his name) and suchlike, inhabited a world I never bothered to set foot in, much in the same way that I can't summon up interest in long haul travel to Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, the Maldives, Peru, Mexico: my travel/cultural interests are 'other'. All in all this makes me astonishingly, nay staggeringly, ignorant about subjects others engage with passionately. On the other hand, I may know a LOT more about subjects they know nothing of. But I don't query whether they are even allowed to vote …

NB It was, if I remember, a quirk of the Conan Doyle 'Sherlock' character that he was - to Dr W - amazingly ignorant about certain subjects. Such as the fact that the earth revolved round the sun, rather than vice versa.

I would admit to be passionately interested in music but there comes a limit to the amount of time in a week when adding together listening and performing time as what I can add to the mix - I do it bit by bit as things hit me!... and as you imply FF there is so much to fit in to our lives.

[gradus]

I have no idea what the point of music is and I haven't read anything that enlightens me but I know how I respond to it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have no idea what the point of music is and I haven't read anything that enlightens me but I know how I respond to it.

Which, I think, is "the point".

I agree with cloughie: a very shallow article.

[Pabmusic]

Came across this from 1973 on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FBcz3tBH74

Two things - wasn't Phil Collins a good drummer! Why did he ever start singing?

And secondly - it's like an Asperger's convention. Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett and Tony Banks could surely talk intensely for hours about trains. And as for Peter Gabriel...

(You don't have to be one to know...but it helps.)

[Beef Oven!]

Came across this from 1973 on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FBcz3tBH74

Two things - wasn't Phil Collins a good drummer! Why did he ever start singing?

And secondly - it's like an Asperger's convention. Mike Rutherford, Steve Hackett and Tony Banks could surely talk intensely for hours about trains. And as for Peter Gabriel...

(You don't have to be one to know...but it helps.)

I have this on CD, it's been available for a few years - great music!

Yes, Phil Collins was/is was one of the best drummers to come from these shores, and along with Bill Brufford demonstrates the truly high quality of rock drumming back in the day (to say nothing of their jazz work).

Collins' drumming on this tour/CD/footage is IMV, some of his best.

Phil Collins sings well on 'A Trick Of The Tail', but other than that, I share your sentiment.

[Richard Barrett]

Why did he ever start singing?

err... because Peter Gabriel left the group?

[Pabmusic]

I have this on CD, it's been available for a few years - great music!

Yes, Phil Collins was/is was one of the best drummers to come from these shores, and along with Bill Brufford demonstrates the truly high quality of rock drumming back in the day (to say nothing of their jazz work).

Collins' drumming on this tour/CD/footage is IMV, some of his best.

Phil Collins sings well on 'A Trick Of The Tail', but other than that, I share your sentiment.

There's an RVW connexion. Gabriel, Hackett, Rutherford and Banks formed Genesis when they were schoolboys at Charterhouse.

[Pabmusic]

err... because Peter Gabriel left the group?

Oh yes...

[Beef Oven!]

err... because Peter Gabriel left the group?

As the legend goes, none of the numerous singers that were auditioned to replace Gabriel were suitable. They briefly considered continuing as an instrumental band. During the sessions for 'A Trick Of The Tail', Collins sung on the song 'Squonk' and the the results were so good that they unanimously agreed that Collins should take over all lead vocal duties - so the legend goes!

[Richard Barrett]

the results were so good

The results were principally a Peter Gabriel impression if you ask me.

[Radio64]

Slightly OT , but not really .... Phil Collins relects on his solo career .. and sadly he's not up to much drumming these days:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/11/phil-collins-interview-take-a-look-at-me-now-remastered-albums-rerelease-2016

[Beef Oven!]

The results were principally a Peter Gabriel impression if you ask me.

To be fair, Collins does have his own style - not that I am keen on him as a singer (But as a drummer, he's top-notch). I quit Genesis when Gabriel quit. I was ready to scoff at 'Trick' and when it came out it was played on the music room record player and I thought it was bloody good - Collins' singing too.

I made a mistake in buying the follow-up, and to this day I'm stuck in time at 'The Lamb' (Foxtrot being their finest moment).

[Richard Tarleton]

Phil Collins' predecessor reflecting here on life, and very briefly on what might have been had he not been a lousy drummer (baterista fatal ) - he speaks beautiful Spanish.