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Forgive us if we brag for a moment.
The Seattle music scene has been notable since Jimi Hendrix, through Nirvana, and continuing today. There is a lot of pride for the local scene here. Artists constantly pushing the mold with no discretion of genre.
But what’s make Seattle so prominent? Is it the weather? Maybe. But it has to be more than just the rain.
Local PBS station KCTS 9 just released a short documentary analyzing the music scene and community here in Seattle. It features some of our favorites: Pickwick, The Head and the Heart, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and more. There are also some great interviews with KEXP DJs, Sub Pop employees, and even Mayor Mike McGinn.
Check out the video streaming online right now. Okay, thanks for letting brag for a bit. I’m sure this won’t be the last time we will.
Here is the full length 13 minute documentary:
http://kcts9.org/something-in-the-water
Here is the trailer:
I am a firm believer that indie rock would not exist in its current form if it weren’t for R.E.M. They were indie rock when it was still called “College Rock” (hipsters: how do you get more original than that?). This makes R.E.M.’s break up (announced Sept. 21) feel like the end of a musical era.
From the intriguing blur of R.E.M.’s first album (“Murmur”) and concluding with the revival in their last album (“Collapse Into Now”), R.E.M. has never settled on anything else but their originality. Even as they achieved superstar status in 1991 when “Losing My Religion” won a Grammy, the band opted for integrity over appeasing a mass public.
What makes R.E.M. such a great story is that refusing to sway toward public appeal worked out for them in the long run. Fans from their years on IRS records could listen to their later major label work and not disregard them as “sell outs.” The R.E.M. sound has always had the jangle of pop with the swagger of the South (where they hail from).
While I’m sad to see this band take their final bow after how much they’ve influenced my musical taste and view of the music industry, it’s a well deserved retirement. I hear changing the musical landscape over 31 years can be a bit tiring.
iSheetMusic wouldn’t exist without Steve Jobs.
Yesterday the world lost one if its greatest innovators. How we view and interact with media is forever changed by his contributions to the technology world. Chances are most reading this own some sort of iPod, iPhone, iPad or knows someone who does. Thanks to Jobs, computers have becoming less intimidating and more personal.
Jobs and Apple have always surpassed our expectations of what technology can do since he founded the company in 1976. Whereas before computers were previously seen by the public as daunting and used only for scientists and mathematicians, now “everyday people” have a direct link to information from around the world in their pocket.
Right now, the world is mourning for this massive loss and appropriately so. I think the best way for us to honor is legacy is to continue to try to push the mold and raise another generation of innovators. Jobs gave the geniuses of tomorrow the building blocks to do great things. It will be amazing to see the progress that comes out of his work even as he’s passed on.
Thank you, Mr. Jobs. Our hats are off to you.
As the weather starts to turn and the air begins to chill, why not keep warm with the sweaty masses at a concert? Here is part one of our list of must see concerts for this fall and winter.
Colbie Caillat (Seattle: 10/7)
On a cool fall or winter night, the sweet sounds of Colbie Caillat is sure to be a soothing night out from the cold. Her pop-folk music makes for easy listening and approachable to invite a friend or two along. To find more dates: http://www.colbiecaillat.com/
Cash’d Out (Seattle: 10/7/11) Cash’d Out is the officially endorsed Johnny Cash tribute act. They proclaim themselves to be “the next best thing to Johnny Cash.” The group will be doing a west coast tour. To be officially endorsed by Johnny Cash’s estate is high praise. To find more dates: http://artistdata.sonicbids. Death Cab for Cutie (Seattle: 10/22/11) Over the past few years, Death Cab has gone from a locally famous Seattle indie band to a mainstream success story. As they return home, they’ll be trading up from the smaller venues to the massive Key Arena. The band is currently amidst a world tour. To find more dates:http://www.deathcabforcutie. Sting: Back to Bass (Seattle: 12/05) Sting is celebrating the 25 year anniversary with a stripped down tour in which he will be returning to playing the bass (as he also did in The Police). This promises to be a very special tour and a one to not be missed. To find more dates: http://www.sting.com/tour/ Lord of the Rings in Concert (Seattle: 10/19) Whether it be the peaceful sounds of The Shire or the ominous tones of Mordor, the music of Lord of the Rings has become a phenomenon in itself. Howard Shores score will come to life before audiences this fall. Howard Shore’s score will finally get to be experienced before a live audience this fall. For more dates: http://www.
It’s very common that I’ve heard people tell me “you can’t just play the music on the page, you have to feel it.” At the surface level, it sounds a bit silly or like a lesson from a cheesy 1990s movie where a child learns about “the heart of music.” But when you play music, you know exactly what these people are saying.
Playing the sheet music exactly how it reads may produce an accurate presentation of the music, but it might feel emotionless. So much of music is affected by the personality of the musician.
I found a TED talk this morning that has given the best, in-depth explanation of this phenomenon that I’ve run across. Evelyn Glennie is a Scottish percussionist who lost nearly all of her hearing when she was just 12 years old. She explains how she feels music not just through her ears, but through her whole body. She demonstrates playing simply the notes and playing with feeling.
Glennie’s talk gives us a lot to think about the next time we sit down and try and tackle a piece of music. Rather than playing it, we should interpret it.
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