What I suppose I wish to begin by pointing out is that I do not believe my generation is the first generation to find solace in music, nor do I believe that we will be the last. What I speak about in this entry relates entirely to subjective moments in my life which have affected me, and in turn led me to see the effect music has had on my friends etc. I understand that this cause and effect has been happen since before my birth, and will continue to occur long after I cease to exist, and I have made my peace with this fact.
I am proud of the effect which music haves upon me. As an English person, we are taught from a young age to fear pride, in case we are torn down by it or in case it ruins us. But music gives me such strength of feeling that it is impossible to hide how proud I am of its effect upon me. Over the years, music has shaped the clothes which I have worn, the friends I have chosen to stick about with, and also the way in which I have viewed life.
But is it healthy to be so emotionally attached to pieces of music, and, inevitably, the people who create them?
Being but 21, I am part of the My Chemical Romance generation. I was there dissauding my parents that they were a 'death cult', and I was there at The Black Parade concerts, dressed as such. I enjoyed the macabre to a depth I had not enjoyed much else up to that point. I even dressed up for the more recent Killjoys concept, a notion I am no less proud to admit, despite it being at the age of 19 and not at 15. Being a part of this band's evolution has given me both friendships and relationships over the years, and has provided me with a confidence that other things failed to give.
But, looking at how invested I was then, I can not help but wonder whether it was healthy. For with the rise inevitably comes the fall, and perhaps that is just how life is.
And so, I am proud, but I also question my obsessions, my desires.
What effect does it have on us as teenagers?
I remember obsessively writing lyrics over my worksheets in High School. Music 'saved' me; it gave me new friends and it gave me a best friend which blossomed into my first long-term relationship. I will never regret how obsessively I poured over music and gave my time to it; I would go to shows three or four times a month, just to get that release of emotions that surged through me at shows.
More recently I have been part of another revolutionary part of music history, namely the birth of Kickstarter.
Kickstarter is an online haven for anyone gifted and poor. You set a goal, show what you want to do, and people hopefully 'back' you by gifting you money in exchange for tokens of appreciation.
Amanda Palmer has become part of this Kickstarter generation, making music industry history with her most recent album. She set out to raise enough to record, produce and release her record. She wanted to be able to afford to tour with her new band, make some beautiful music videos, and mostly she wanted to be able to give something beautiful back to her dedicated fan base.
Her album was released recently, after her Kickstarter project raised over $1,000,000 and ensured that she would be able to do everything she wanted to do with her new album, and more. I recently wrote a review of the album, named Theatre is Evil, and posted it on this selfsame blog.
So what does this mean for the future of music? Does it change what fans expect from musicians? More often than not now, there is a pre-order bundle available. Is this set to get bigger and bigger with time?
For the simple backing price of $25 (only the cost of a new CD, in all honestly), the backers of AFP have received beautiful quality products, which are limited edition and feel personal and special.
So what does it bode for other artists? Can musicians get away these days with only releasing music? Or do we, as fans, expect more?
Another example is Max Bemis, of Say Anything, who runs a song shop. For a set price, Max Bemis will write you a song. Imagine, your very own handwritten and recorded song, that you know was written out of your own pocket. For a fan, this is a priceless gift. For other, it is a waste of money.
Consumerism is rife even amongst the creative types. We all need to eat, after all.
Perhaps it isn't an expectation though. Perhaps we just like to feel part of something again. The music industry have kept fans at arms length from music for too long, and now perhaps it is time for those barriers to be broken.
Music has give me a lot over the years. It has provided me with one of my first outlets for creativity, it gave me friends, and it also allowed me a space where I felt free and uninhibited. At shows I was able to forget the fact that I was depressed, or struggling with my coursework, or had argued with my best friend that day. Music has helped me forge friendships so strong that oceans can not stop their continuation.
In return I have given music my devotion. I have spent money on shows, on merchandise. I have given music my heart and, at times, my entire focus. And I am excited to welcome a new era to music, the Kickstarter generation, where I am able to give more than £15 for a CD, or for a t-shirt. I am able to give something to help creation. That's pretty fucking special.
And so I remain proud. I may have been obsessed, devout, determined. But I have always been excited to be a part of music, of a moment in time that will remain alive for a few, and now I am even more excited to spread this moment out wide, to see it given a platform in the form of Kickstarter. It seems I will always be young at heart for music.
Again, I apologise for the scattered way this entry has fall upon the page. I have edited it back and forth, and in all honesty; I don't have the fucking answers to the questions I am asking, and therefore can only ask and wonder.
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