Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Hits are made by playing and singing....well.. "hit" stuff!!!

David Herbert · 17th May 2004

My thought on the issue of what is "shocking": Shock value is only good for about 6 months and then the acceptance level has passed you by. If your material/presentation is based mostly on shock value you have a short shelk life. Marilyn Manson is a prime example (great article in The Onion about MM reduced to going door-to-door trying to shock people and having no luck). Writing COMPELLING music is what gives long-lasting value, for example the Beatles: they (along with Martin and Emerick) were responsible for numerous innovations, "gimmicks", that helped sell them in the short run but that sound academic today. The power of their song-writing, however, has kept them relevant to this very day. Primary example: the song "In My Life" was voted as best song of the 20th century by a songwriters' association (forgive me, I forget which one) because of the beautiful/sad lyrics, the infectious melody, the astute performances, not the (perhaps) "gimmicky" middle eight double-speed piano (or whatever that was).
I think compelling song-writing comes from expressing an idea or feeling that many people can relate to, in a manner that is catchy. David

17th May 2004	#30
David Herbert Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 556	My thought on the issue of what is "shocking": Shock value is only good for about 6 months and then the acceptance level has passed you by. If your material/presentation is based mostly on shock value you have a short shelk life. Marilyn Manson is a prime example (great article in The Onion about MM reduced to going door-to-door trying to shock people and having no luck). Writing COMPELLING music is what gives long-lasting value, for example the Beatles: they (along with Martin and Emerick) were responsible for numerous innovations, "gimmicks", that helped sell them in the short run but that sound academic today. The power of their song-writing, however, has kept them relevant to this very day. Primary example: the song "In My Life" was voted as best song of the 20th century by a songwriters' association (forgive me, I forget which one) because of the beautiful/sad lyrics, the infectious melody, the astute performances, not the (perhaps) "gimmicky" middle eight double-speed piano (or whatever that was). I think compelling song-writing comes from expressing an idea or feeling that many people can relate to, in a manner that is catchy. David __________________ My band: CRAvery.com