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Bob Elliott
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4/6/2016 4:46:29 PM
Outside Reaction
As far as I can tell, I attempt to make music that I like. That seems to be the main filter, main motivator.
Like everyone else, though, I like others to hear the music, too. But when it comes to other people's reactions, there is really only one rare type with much value. They gotta love it enough to play it a lot. If they're a musician, they gotta be curious about how it's put together, and listen to understand why it has the appeal.
People can listen to anything. If they're like me, they're mostly just listening to the best things. Meaning, to get people to listen compulsively, I gotta beat out major figures from the past and present. They don't have to listen to me when they could listen to Marvin Gaye or The Beatles, or you just substitute in whatever major names you listen to compulsively. That's the competition for someone's attention. If I can't win out for a significant portion of someone's listening time against major musical figures, then, to me, as regards this listener, it's failure. There's no real upside on it. They listen and say it's good in this way and that, and that is pleasant, but when you get to the heart of it, it's of little significance if my music isn't bumping other people off their stereo.
Any artist I really like ends up getting serious time on my stereo. If I don't cause a listener to put on our music a lot, mostly nothing has transpired between me and that listener. Great music compels listening. People can't help it. They gotta get more. Musicians gotta take it apart, maybe try to cover it. That's what we all do with artists we really like.
I love making my music, and will likely follow my thoughts about it until death. But a lot of it is an insular pursuit for me. The outside world really only matters much as regards my music if my music compels the behaviors that great music compels me to do.
I may have seen some of that at times. I think I will know when I'm seeing a lot of that, and that's not now. Anything short of that doesn't really drive me much when I consider the outside reaction to our stuff. Frequent listening is key, or nothing much has yet happened.
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Larree
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4/6/2016 4:51:13 PM
The only word I can add to that is "truth!"
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Hop On Pop
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4/6/2016 5:58:15 PM
You nailed it, Bob.
And, for what it's worth, several of your albums get regular time on my stereo.
So, chalk up at least +1 for you!
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Father Time
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4/6/2016 7:54:46 PM
One of my dreams has always been for somebody to play my CD while they're driving across the country. Maybe someday that will happen. Up til now the highlight was hearing that Jim Carroll and Lenny Kaye were playing my CD driving the streets of New York.
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Psyche's Muse
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4/7/2016 1:03:05 AM
hell... all I've got for "music" in the car is a cassette tape of our stuff... it's all I listen to. I don't drive every day, but it's been in there 9 months so far... (nothing's been born from it yet either!) ...I was rather shocked when my son asked me if I could make a CD for him to play in his car. It's been over 16 years since he'd heard any "Psyches Muse". I made him three CD's(a few songs are not posted here) which he listens to almost every day. He started listening to them about 4 months back. It felt pretty good when he came home today and started complementing our "musical craftmanship". And later, he related a story of how some grumpy mean old person was trying to get under his skin and that it didn't work, saying that usually, he'd have told them off... or at least have cussed at them under his breath. Instead, he said "I didn't even get MAD! ...isn't that weird?" ,,,I told him, "You like our music that much, huh?" He looked at me as if to say WHAT? I said, "Our music is medicine for your mind. Sometimes it takes three to four months to have any affect." ...he smiled and said, "hey, you could be right."
...yeah, I know! but it still felt good, regardless... better than money too! -M-
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Chandra Moon
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4/7/2016 6:43:15 AM
It's always a great feeling if you know for sure someone really likes your albums - my best friend's young grandchildren (early twenties) always ask her to play my albums when they visit and know the words of all the songs - it's somehow even more satisfying knowing that they're young and realising some of my songs must appeal across age groups!
Mostly though - I write to please myself to be honest - I don't really think or imagine who'll listen to it - just get out of my system what comes into my head!
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LyinDan
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4/7/2016 5:17:40 PM
Everyone's experiences are different, the sum total is unique for every person. This results in different abilities of people to relate to the experiences, prejudices, and tilts of every other person.
Producing universally enjoyed music is the result of being able to sum up the commons. If you can do that. you will appeal to the many.
I think part of that ability is tapping into the common experiences of us all.
It's almost religious.
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Stoneman
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4/7/2016 8:25:41 PM
The biggest compliment I have had in years is when my nephews friends ran up to me and asked me for autographs. Apparently, they play my music often. Kind of shocking considering how old I am and they are pre-teens. Being heard and appreciated is the culmination of my dreams.
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Two Silo Complex
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4/7/2016 8:43:24 PM
Well we love you stoneman and not in a creepy stalker kind of way or a weirdo kind of way but in the way only we know how. That reminds me I should find some stoneman tunes to spin
Toodles.
TSC,
Ken
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