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From: Bluesonics
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 1998 15:38:06 EST
Subject: Playing what the audience wants

Mike Curtis wrote:

>When they LOVE something, don't question it. Simply provide it in the
>best capacity you can. And if this guy's a hack, just think of how much
>better YOU could do those high notes.

Sorry, Mike, I have to disagree with you on this one. If everyone listened to
the audience we'd all be dancing to the Spice Girls and watching Ernest Gets
Stupid on home video. If we "listened" to the audience and provided exactly
what they wanted, we'd ALL be playing Lynard Skynard's "Freebird" every night.
To me, there has to come a point where artistic (I hate that word, by the way)
aesthetics override trying to please the base interests of the general
audience, some of whom will listen to a straight Chicago blues band for two
hours and then say "ya'll know any Pink Floyd?" And yes, high notes excite an
audience. I, too, include them in my playing -- but I don't make them the
entire meal -- in which case, to me, they lose their power since there is
nothing to contrast them against.

So, my point here is that while it's important to keep the audience as happy
as possible (who could disagree), you have to be reasonably true to your own
vision and your own style. Otherwise, you'd be another Top 40 band.

Mike Meadors
BLUESONICS