music and fans

Another conversation I had about music included discussion about 'real' and 'fake' fans.

There's thins thing, I can listen to a band for years, know lots of their songs, but have no freaking idea how they look like or what names of band members are. Ok, nowadays with digital music spreading to all devices I often see album covers and there's high probability to see band members' faces. I even noticed a member of 2PM starring in drama without any notion from credits... That was off-topic.

I still don't know names of band members. Of course, if it's a singer that goes by his/her own name, I would know it. Otherwise... nope. Not particularly interested. 

I was listening to Scorpions for the most part of my life (20+ years) and I still don't remember any names. I know I saw them mentioned, but all that information escaped my mind. I know titles/lyrics of most of their songs, I know how they look like - and that's all. 

Therefore one person told me I'm not a real fan of... anyone. If you're a 'real' fan, you must strive to know everything about your admired person. Including underwear color, lol. 

That led me to conclusion that I'm not a fan of 'anyone', meaning singer / composer / performer, I like MUSIC. 

When you admire a painting, do you take it apart and worship canvas, oils, brushes and rags used to create it?

The same logic applies to music for me. 

I hope Scorpions won't be offended that I don't know their names (lol) after 20 years. Though I'm sure they wouldn't.

As for 'real' fans - I don't like obsessive behavior. I understand that entertainment feeds fantasies. And fantasies tend to go out of proportion. Just look how many people want certain performers 'for themselves' and how many girls would willingly marry some 'cute' boy / handsome man from a pop / rock band (same goes for males, only marriage is less often mentioned ^^).

Hm, that makes me fel happy and not a 'real' fan of anyone... Let me keep at least a tiny bit of my sanity :)

music and lives

Few days ago Depeche Mode had a show in our city. 

I do not wish to speak ill of something I haven't attended, so I'll leave judging to those who paid enormous money to be present there. Still, Youtube vids speak for themselves...

Ok, ok, performance quality aside, Depeche Mode and discussion why I didn't go (firstly, why should I? I can name only 1 or 2 of their songs) made me recall why I don't attend lives anymore - and my relationship with music in general.

Let me tell you, that now I cannot imagine what would make me pay money to attend a live in fan zone. I just don't find it fun or exciting to mix with reckless crowd that has no regard for safety or public order. I don't fancy having my feet crushed by someone who 'has' to dance or jump the whole show, and better yet - wearing high heels (yes, a lot of 'girls' still wear them to lives). I don't fancy all the pickpocketing that happens (hm, where would I put my car keys?). I don't fancy being splashed with beer and other alcohol people must buy to entertain themselves. I don't fancy fights in the audience.

And I plain hate people who record everything that happens on the stage with their not-so-professional-as-they-think camera on the phone, making it hard to see anything. I have no sympathy for men that let their girlfriends ride their necks so they can have a better view of the stage or just for 'fun' - that means you'll see even less. 

Another reason lives have become such a disappointment for me is sound quality. People forgot what sound check is for. Or, rather, since stage equipment and sound setup can provide good sound only to a portion of audience, stage management makes a decision to favor certain areas. Which usually results in horrible sound everywhere except vip central areas and dreaded fan zone. There's another aspect, though... typically I attend live performance to hear ARTIST sing live - not my pals from audience singing and screaming verses (even if they know them). Sadly, in most cases 'singing' of the audience makes it almost impossible to get any satisfaction from artist's vocals.

Bottom line is, what's left? You pay big money - and the amount seems even bigger if you compare wages and prices in this forsaken country - to get what? 

I'll support artists by buying their digital music, thank you very much.