Broad Shoulders

yes, but I've put that behind me now... in that it is now the Javanese Rectal Flute

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Surely that's where you would have your microphone?

Broad Shoulders

no, but I can see where your confusion originates from considering your teeth brushing technique

willamos

My point is that if you have not heard of artists like Rufus Wainwright and Ron Sexsmith you can't be that knowledgeable about music as they are pretty major artists, just not artists that get their albums in the Top Ten of any given country.

I refer to reading magazines because if you were to read publications like Q, Uncut, Mojo or The Word you would have heard of these people. If you do not bother reading these sort of publications, how interested in music are you actually?

willamos

People might claim to be into music but if they have not heard of the likes of Feist, Sexsmith or Rufus Wainwright (or his sister Martha for that matter) I can't help but wonder if by ''into music'' they mean they buy a couple of CD's a year and know a couple of chords on the guitar.

northernbird

You said those people you mentioned were internationally recognised. Clearly only recognisble amongst those of you who are interested enough to buy specialist music magazines. There is a huge difference.

willamos

No, you are confusing what I am saying. Sorry.

They are internationally recognised by those who know their music. A lot more internationally recognised by those who know their music than the vast bulk of Australian artists, which was my original point.

kporte

Ah, so if we like what you like or what the magazines you read, tell us what to like, we can be music experts too?

Broad Shoulders

I have heard of those artists though. I was just saying that the vast majority of people wouldn't have therefore debunking your point about Canadian Artists being more popular and well known than Aussie ones.

I used to read Mojo, until it all got too pretentious. Q was way too mainstream for me. The reason I stopped reading music magazines? Why would anyone really want to read about music? Very few of the articles in those mags are actually about interesting facts about how albums were made. Most of it is just pretentious music journalists trying to get one up on each other and getting a name for themselves. So I can see how you are drawn to them.

Music is there to be listened to, not read about. So, how interested am I in music really? Well let's see. My Dad worked throughout the 60s and 70s as an audio engineer for some of the groups mentioned in this thread (ACDC one of them) on top them there were others like George Harrison, The Equals, Gary Moore, Manfred Mann & The Earth Band, Eric Clapton to name a few, with whom he worked on their albums. To say I wasn't born with music in my blood would be inaccurate. Much of my early days, up to the age of 10 was spent running around concert halls or theatres as my dad continued his career in music by working as a sound engineer at live gigs.
Somehow, I doubt every muso that has an album in the top 50 reads that trash either

willamos

Well, doh, obviously.

But people are interested in something (yes, including music) usually read about the topic too. That way they discover about new bands and artists.

Living in Australia, I find it especially useful to read those magazines (and others) as they reference new artists and albums that would almost certainly never become well known on the radio in Australia.

Broad Shoulders

Well that was never my way of hearing about new bands. Instead, I would listen to certain radio shows that I knew would focus more on up-and-comings than most radio played bands. I would also go to smaller more intimate music venues that I knew I would be more likely to find obscure bands, like Ronnie Scott's, The 100 Club, The Astoria. I can quite honestly say that the best gigs I have ever been to have been from me just rocking up one day to 100 Club or Ronnie's without knowing who is playing and being very pleasantly surprised. I used to read some of the reviews of the gigs in NME and a few other publications after I'd been to the gig and I'd sometimes wondered if they had actually attended or whether they were just using a standard built review template!
Therefore, my view is that magazines are full of it and you don't need them to discover new and interesting bands

willamos

By that strange logic, someone who is interested in AFL shouldn't read about it in a book, magazine or newspaper or even watch it because AFL is meant to be played.

Silly thing to say.

northernbird

Not half as silly as your comparison!

willamos

And how does someone living in Australian suburbia with responsibilities inc kids discover music the way you propose?

And how come without those magazines I would not have heard of countless excellent artists and bands over the past fifteen to twenty years? According to you those magazines only feature the likes of Take That and Maroon 5 which is stupid.

willamos

My comparison was.........?