In a message dated 98-04-02 15:12:16 EST, brittonjames@aristotle.net writes:
<< I must say that a bit of good urb or even better, mushrooms, and you are
immediately in the midst of this music. I think a legitimate question
might be: Is electronica made by, and should it be listened to by,
people using mind altering substances. I know that I listen to a broad
range of this music under all states of consciousness, but when it comes
to a night of, shall we say "ritual ingestion", I find that artists like
ORB are the real deal. I
don't think a discussion of musical difficulty can evolve without
consciousness altering substances being introduced into the equation.
Charlie James >>
Does the same hold true to discussions of literary "difficulty"? While
consciousness altering substances can (and do) contribute much to the total
body experience of music for some, for others this is not possible and not
desired. Yes, ingesting certain things may awake a deeper understanding of
certain areas of the music, but I do not believe that this is necessary to
appreciate the music, and it may be a bit of an insult to many who feel that
the music they create should create in us a "natural high" that needs no
supplement. Consciousness alteration can change the way we feel about that
music, but so also does mood, temperature, acoustics, and sundry other
influences we do not necessarily think of as influencing us. In short, while
much of idm-ish music is created by artists who celebrate the creativity-
releasing side of drugs, it is ultimately a personal choice. While drugs may
help you to "feel" the music, to others it does not. Music as we consume it
in the western world is generally an individual activity, just as
consciousness altering supplements are.
J
just my rambling-esque 2 cents