Mr. Jefferys, I respect your view.
But cant say I am in agreement with U here, Michael's comment is worth
taking another look at! I do agree that there is a multivarate
influences on music and its genres, repsectively. But let us face it
pal. African Americans have been extremely pivotal in the music scene.
The ryhthms, textures, melodies, beats, etc.....U name it!
i am not getting any racial jolly rocks off though---for I do believe
that we are all people! But many refuse to except the obvious, and if
its not obvious----hmmmmm perhaps some need their vision checked(not u
in particular---just those who its not obvi. to) Still, axioms are
axioms, and this represents one in the best way!
Hendrix, May, Craig, are they Pioneers, I ask u? With no answer of my
own.
Forget about it pal----what is it with some and this African---African
american complex---------is the thought just repulsing----I fail to
understand!
Acceptance is the best thing here, for it is over-obvious like The
Wright brothers were some of the cats who pioneered in aviation! I have
no prob. admitting that these cats where caucasian-------again, we are
all people, my belief dictates. But some just seem repulsed in thinking
or believing that something so sweet & soft, fragile, but hard & lush
could be created by African Americans.
There is an underlying issue here but perhaps the IDM list is not the
place to discuss the matter
Hk-90!
quoted 71 lines -----Original Message-----
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ben Jefferys [SMTP:ben@qsure.demon.co.uk]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 1999 11:00 AM
> To: Kelley Hackett
> Cc: 313-digest@hyperreal.org; 'idm@hyperreal.org';
> ambient@hyperreal.org; 'Africanus@msn.com'; 'Dr. Mark Robinson'
> Subject: Re: (amb) African American Art
>
> Kelley Hackett wrote:
> >
> > Regarding Techno........."The mainstream will never get a hold of
> this
> > music, because it's above their heads in some way. It's only above
> their
> > heads because they let it be above them. They try and relate it more
> to
> > European music and don't realise that it comes from the street and
> has
> > the same origins as hip-hop, soul, the blues and jazz."
>
> > In some intellectual circles, and others, African American culture
> is
> > viewed quite often in a negative way----(some of it is true----in a
> > general way)----but never, or very rarely, in a positive way! From
> the
> > quote above, the positivity and contributions of African American
> > culture and its influence on world culture is clearly displayed!
>
> Where did you get the quote from?
>
> > Why do many seek to down play the role of African American culture
> and
> > its influence on the world?(looks like I didnt need an intro for
> that!)
>
> It isn't really - not here (UK) anyway. If you hear anybody trying to
> play down the influence, it is probably because it is usually
> overblown.
> The idea of "influences" is pretty complicated, I reckon Stephen
> Fruitman is probably the best person to comment, but if you ever hear
> someone say "well, all fashion these days is mainly due to
> Afro-American
> culture", then they are simply wrong - this is an overgenalisation.
>
> I think even evaluating the relative importance of influences is
> extremely error-prone. The quote above says "same origins as hip-hop,
> soul, the blues and jazz", but all of those things have their own
> disparate and ununifiable origins. And if all that is being said is
> "all
> techno has its origin in the music of ancient Africa" Think of it as
> an
> entangled web of influences rather than a hierarchy where many
> "things"
> share one common ancestor. Techno music as it is known in the US is
> influenced by many, possibly ALL other types of music. As are all
> other
> types of music. There is also the problem of specificity and
> generalisation... Every single subgenre, musician and piece of music
> has
> different influences, and those influences are not merely other forms
> of
> music - without external input (environment, events and so on) we
> would
> have an interbred homogenous quagmire of mediocre musical forms.
>
>
> Erm, excuse me, I seem to have a chronic case of post-exam verbal
> diarrhoea...
>
> To conclude, I think the idea of tracing roots is largely fruitless
> anyway, and only serves