Jason Isbell Reveals What Makes Him Angry About Formulaic, Corporate, Crap Music
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- Опубликовано: 4 май 2018
- Jason tells us all to seek out art that makes us better people.
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I am so proud of him...I saw DBT one New Year's Eve and remember thinking 'that kid is going to die'...he was so messed up. Prodigious talent who got it together....
My favorite artist can’t grow a beard just like me and for that I’m thankful. Love you Isbell. One of the best songwriters out there
The most intelligent introspective songwriter since Paul Simon...Jason Isbell is a gem, an absolute gem
Say it Jason. This guy is a musical genius, and hit the nail on the head in this interview
Jason Isbell is a world class songwriter. What comes from inspiration is then put through the song crafting process & the result is art. The commercial rubbish that seems ubiquitous is all calculation & production, devoid of soul. It's akin to the difference between standing over a cooktop lovingly creating a sauce or popping down to the grocery for a jar of Ragu. :)
He just stated perfectly my precise thoughts on this corporate crap shitshow. Such a wise wise man he is. The way he articulated that sentiment is great art itself. I'm so grateful that there are more and more discussions about this. Thanks very much for this upload!
I'm totally feeling this. I cannot relate to huge swaths of the human population as a result of their lack of musical taste. But I do disagree...there aren't more of us than them.
I know....I can't believe so many people listen to pure garbage they don't even realize is being shoved down their throat for nothing else but $ ......that crap is not art...unlike Isbell or Drive By Truckers etc which is real art....in the 70s we had mostly real artists....Dylan, Neil , Petty.....on and on....kids these days have no clue as to what art is....
Please convince Sturgill Simpson to sit down for one of those. I'm sure hell be the ideal guest for this shows honest and insightful brand of interview.
I’ve been sleeping on this guy hard. I’m not big on country music at all. Especially the pop country from the past 15/20 years. But Jason Isbell is great. Why didn’t anyone tell me??
I love this so much. I’ve been wrestling with this exact thought the last couple weeks about why I get so upset about formulaic, and yet widely successful music. Thank you for articulating it so well! This is a great and very worthwhile discussion.
So name names who are we talking about?
The bummer is trying to create original music but not pushing it out there in a way that is cheap...that’s our struggle. We love writing and want people to hear it but can’t seem to authentically “market” what we do. Jason is awesome.
Jason Isbell rules. If you are fortunate enough to have the chance to see him, do it. A true performer and professional.
Seen him (and the 400 Unit) 5 times. Would see them 5 times more at least
Seen him 4 times. Got to see his first performance at Billy Bob's Texas. Cool seeing him in a cowboy hat
Great articulation of why meaningful music is so important.
Truth is music is vast. The most popular music typically borrows from less known music in style, lyrics and arrangement. I can tell Jason Isbell is not jealous of bigger selling acts. The only way you can tell who has "quality" is by how long they endure in the business. I would guess most derivative acts would give their eye teeth to be able to write and arrange meaningful music that lasts. But they don't have the talent. 99% of the contestants on the "STAR" shows disappear quickly. They can parrot a few vocal twists, but cannot put together anything close to original. They get their 5 minutes of fame, and then they go poof! I don't spend any time rankled by these people. I am in my 60s. I got to see Isbell in Dallas a few weeks ago. A show that will be with me forever. I am so grateful he has been able to get his life and music back. Inspirational. Go buy a ticket, you won't be disappointed.
Artists are suppressed while some shoved down our throats for the almighty dolla
Good word from Isbell
“Good art reminds you of your similarities while bad art reminds your of your differences “.
Having said that - there comes a time when truth is presented, whether through song, Art, poetry, Movie, that it will divide and separate and cause division.
Excellent guest!
LOVE(!!!!!!!) that line from HTHR - I practically screamed it when it came out!
What is good or bad art/music?
Who decides??
I think the message should be to keep an open ear and eyes. Leave your art/music comfort zone on occasion and allow alternate views in - you might be surprised.
I believe that taste (or an appetite for quality) follows a standard distribution bell curve.
By definition, the vast majority of people are average and therefore have mediocre/average/formulaic taste.
Musicians who produce mediocre/average/formulaic music are therefore targeting the broadest possible portion of the bell curve and will therefore always experience greater commercial success.
The highest quality music will always sell less as fewer people have above average taste in music. You could put people like Isbell, and a lot of jazz and classical artists into this high quality/low sales category.
There can't be...
I too, as I wander lonely streets at night wrapped up in my perplexity at the state of the human condition, yearn just to cry out: "Can't we all up our game a little bit here, folks?" Make some small effort, you know? Is it really that hard to at least try? Is that such a wrong thing to ask? On occasion, the wind sweeps past me in reply.
I like Jason Isbell’s music & his writing abilities, songs, along with a handful of a few others that I feel are currently in a category, all by themselves. But many , maybe the mainstream, won’t have the same attraction to the style that I do, pop music will generally appeal to the lowest common denominator, I’ve never been a big fan of that type, even in my teenage years but I recognize if you’re in it for the money alone, you may align or hedge your bets & try to create something that will sell millions & millions of copies to the masses, that I get.
I considered myself an artist at one time, painting mostly, had a small art studio many years back, went broke trying to make a living, but the piece of artwork that I produced, that I thought took more time & effort & inspiration thought, would sit for months before purchased for a meager sum, but I could place 4-5 canvases in front of me, & quickly paint some arbitrary flowers 💐 or natural scenery, that I could have copied from a photo & they would sell , all day ,every day...
But they didn’t feed my soul or my passion at the time, just my bank account , which of course was needed when the electricity bill was due.
Darin- USMC B- 85-93 I hope you've found Tyler Childers. You're welcome.
Sierra Bravo
No
But I’ll make time to check it out.
Thanks
What song is he talking about? What line is "there can't be more of them than us" from?
"Hope the High Road" from the Nashville Sound album
The major labels want "accessible" songs. AKA songs that are going to be as widely listened to as possible, playable on the radio, usable in commercials, and therefore the most profitable. Profit is always primary.
I love this. I am a songwriter/recording artist, and I am so fascinated by the process. Thanks for asking those questions and digging deeper into the under-examined art of songcraft. Thanks!
First thing I thought about was Morgan Wallen's cover of "Cover Me Up" lol
I’m surprised he didn’t add a hip hop beat to it.
Couldn't agree more.
The first song lyrics that come to mind is, "If it's meant to beeeee it'll beeeee". Fuck I'm so tired of that song, and I'm only hearing it (30 times/day) because I just bought a new truck and haven't installed a way to listen to Spotify yet.
I think the reason why most of the super popular stuff is not that deep music, is regular people are usually not that inteospective/ smart and dont like to experience sad stuff. Most part they listen to music to get high party or escape reality. And i think alot of the chart stuff is Linked to drinking and alcohol. Dont think its much deeper than that. But i think there is room in the world for all kinda of music. Getting mad people are listening to shit is kinda like getting mad so many people get drunk and do bad shit. Its also widely consumed and bad for you
Amen.
Bad art is sentimental, indulgent, and unchallenging. Bad art is saying, "hey, THIS is selling big right now, so let's make a ton of it!"
He looks a bit like Orson welles. Doesnt he?
There has to be the touchstone of McDonalds music to teach one how to become an epicurean of the real deal. Frankly, I'm glad that I grew up when Beatles albums came out the same day as Herman Hermits, and the Monkees on the same day as Hendrix and The Doors. The sad part today is that no one plays Jason next to Beyonce when, in fact, back in the day, Hendrix was actually played next to the Monkees. I feel bad for the young real music searchers today....
Sing another sad song, Jason!
I thought it was just me.
Jason, agree,..so much crap out there... not saying you are the best of the best besides the fact I have all your records but yes listen to good music, only good music. Agree
I have to agree! Nashville is cranking out a pile of shit these days!
You can't hate someone else's art Jason. Lol😅
"There are people out there who care about it" is giving them way too much credit. They don't, or might, but probably don't even grasp what bad art, in this case, is about. Attention span is all but gone. Music has become background noise, and the masses consume the easiest to digest shit, because it is easy for them to listen to. We have devolved from things like symphonies and concept albums, to singles, ringtones and tik tok soundbites. They're not even listening on a deep level, because there isn't one. The listeners are as empty as the iheartradio songs playing in their cars.
Corporate crap music makes me mad too Jason...
I have a better beard than Jason. Pretty much everything else sucks in comparison.
Nuff said, you are a good man!
Tom Walker my asshole is looser, that’s the only thing I have going for me
Florida Georgia Line...
Garbage, corporate bullshit!
Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson... is there a link between being an outlaw country singer-songwriter and shitty beard genetics?
Edward Cullen...don't forget about John Prine. Shitty beard but an unparalleled song writer.
Having the balls to learn your craft..........................
Jason you are not wrong but unfortunately sometimes I think sadly you may be. The other side has gone bat shit crazy! Look at who they elect.
Just say it... Rap music... ha ha ha
I think he means pop country
Well.. So much for liking this dude for being a dude. Get in line?? LOL You are correct. You don't the answer. People choose what they like. What type or style of art they like vs popularity has nothing to do with the art being good art. Just write and enjoy your craft and forget what is deemed successful or popular. By the way. If it weren't for corporations? We wouldn't have Satellite radio and sponsored world wide tours. Unless you just want play coffee shop shows and charge $500 a ticket. Be my guest. Lol
Tex you use shit like lmao and lol. Your point is automatically mute. Middle Schoolers use that shit. You really are a fucking moron, but you think you're God's gift to the world. Guess why nobody has upvoted a single moronic thing you've typed you fucking jackass
Mantis Taboggan Lol. Oh your words are so choose wisely!! All human life is a gift. The difference in that gift that separates us. Is Brains!! But you keep on going in the gutter with your deflection Hiliary. If you actually believed in what you think is important with expression as Jason is able to do with song. You wouldn't be acting like a child. But hey. Don't let the Lol get in the way you of you thinking clearly and deep on the context.. Lmfao
He's not demanding that anyone "get in line"- he's challenging them to think about their choices and reminding them that they have a right to demand something more than inoffensive mindless, soulless formulaic pablum. He's not saying that folks who listen to that kind commercially oriented popular music are bad people, he's saying that they are missing out on something better, no matter what style it is. It's a shame that those ideas make you feel so threatened.
Seems snobbish. Sometimes we don't listen for art. Sometimes we just wanna get high and party, forget our problems. I love Jason, but his style is bit morose for the most part.
Really kills it when a preformer starts getting high minded and pretentious about what they do.you write songs,sing and play guitar.stick with that.people that listen to your tunes are plenty self aware.we don't really need you to be our Jimminy Cricket,buddy.thanks,but i'm good.you guys are beating it over the head.we get it or we wouldn't be buying your music out here so that should tell you pop country is dying out and Nashville is drying up.Sturgill(who i think is an amazing songwriter also)has a tendency to have that big "nashville don't love me"chip on his shoulder too.here's the thing,guys:we don't really give a shit about that,man.i know it doesn't figure into my opinion when i'm choosing music.just sayin'
You want fries with that?