quoted 7 lines As an example, you might be able to evaluate the songs of>
> As an example, you might be able to evaluate the songs of
> Billie Holiday by discussing the compositions and her voice etc.;
> however many would argue that by NOT discussing the social circumstances
> under which the songs were produced (her history, race relations
> in the US, etc.), you end up missing the boat.
>
Artistry is transcendant. There are many tortured souls, black, white
whatever, whose response to that suffering is just some irritated whining.
Music can and does work context free, as others have pointed out
many techno records are packaged to obscure origins. How do you judge
the race of a white label?
quoted 6 lines The entire DISCO SUCKS movement (promoted by album oriented> The entire DISCO SUCKS movement (promoted by album oriented
> rock stations) of the late 70's illustrates how it is impossible
> to separate aesthetics from social context. Much of the force
> which propelled white teenage boys and their girlfriends into large
> stadiums to watch bulldozers roll over disco albums was homophobia and
> racism.
They were reacting as well to the overcommercialized lame shallow
music and the shopping mall disco jive. They weren't think about race.
I wrote a review of the Village People for the Daily Iowan way back
when, and touched on the homo-erotic overtones of a song like YMCA,
and many people here were genuinely shocked!
quoted 6 lines Not too long ago Yoko Ono appeared on a (US) talk show> Not too long ago Yoko Ono appeared on a (US) talk show
> and basically argued that Americans' reaction to her
> in her relationship with John and the mean-spiritidness
> with which they disparaged her music was motivated by
> racism pure and simple.
>
Well, there is the fact that she sucks to consider ...
quoted 8 lines of dance culture available to me in Iowa) is that it is a place where>
> > of dance culture available to me in Iowa) is that it is a place where
> > these things don't matter -- black, white, asian, straight, gay, mutant,
> > even old crusties like me mix and party with no problem.
>
> So in other words you've never been asked for three forms of ID
> to get into a club because of your skin color.
>
Come on down to Iowa City buddy where the beer flows like water and no one
gives a shit who you are, so long as you're of legal drinking age ..