These conversations have made me ponder most of the afternoon...I was doing some deep thinking...I gotta quit doing that it gives me a headache...
Here's my .02...
I for one am the world's worst about bagging on certain bands and or performers...with TS being one of my main targets around my house in particular...only because the wife likes her (Reds musical tastes are that of a 12 year old) and I think she....well I just dont care for her music. To put it nicely..
Something about performers of the sort making millions of dollars for what they put out into the world just bugs me? Something tells me she doesn't care..A bit, nor should she.
I have been friends with a lot of musicians over the years some good as well some bad...regardless, they all have struggled just to chase their dream.
One guy in particular comes to mind that I have known since we were kids. Making and getting his music out there is all he has ever done. I admire him because in the 40 years I have known him, he has never stopped going after it. It's a beautiful but painful thing to witness. It truly hurt me to see this guy hit one brick wall after another, but he has truly inspired me because he gets up and does it again...and again, and relentlessly again. He moved to LA a few years back and is a working musician now, so I guess it finally worked out for him. He seems really content being able to survive by doing what he loves most now...
Is it TS, or Little Weezies fault that my friend hasn't had commercial success until now? Absolutely not! This being said, life is not fair nobody ever told me or him or anybody it would be unless they were lying. Like my friend and millions of other more talented (IMHO) individuals/bands out there...There have been and most likely always will be less talented peeps who get their break for whatever the reasons may be.
Nobody makes an artist create art. It's a form of self expression, a way to purge bad, celebrate good, a way to get attention and yes unfortunately, for some, above all else, it's a way to make a substantial amount of cash. The label people don't give two poops about what any of us consider to be real or pseudo music/art. As long as there are hearing impaired people...Oops I mean people with no taste,..my bad....uh, ok just people? who will pay to hear them...the record companies will be there to promote them.
Bottom line, it's about Return On Investment... GASP! Yup, boys and girls we can snub TS, the Beebs, Lil' Weezie...mainly because...it's so easy. But as long as they pack arenas and sell music to feed the machine...they will be in existence. Does that suck for the vast majority of the talent that's out there and me? Hells yeah, but...All I can do is support the music I love...and continue to bag on the noise I dislike...because hate is such an ugly word...ahhh screw it! If I hate it I'm gonna gonna unappolgetically bag on it...But if someone else thinks it's great and somehow a lyric touches or moves them somehow...more power to them...I'm gonna stay away from those people something is not right with them...
but as long as they don't eat my crayons or try to bite me...I'm okay with the pitiful creatures...