Avoiding Awfulness

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

"And I don't think she remotely cuts it compared to the Lorettas and Tammys and Dollys she's harking back to, much less the modern-day MOR Deanas and Martinas and Joe Dees and Jamies and LeAnns and Lee Anns and Natalies. But I think she's got talent and I'll guess that she never does the totally sappy dreck that some of my current loves are quite capable of unleashing."

This quite of Frank K's (about Neko Case, but the subject isn't really the important thing) touches on something quite important and related to that Fluxblog post we were discussing yesterday, i.e.

How important is it to you that the artists you love don't produce dreadful stuff along with the amazing stuff?

And do you think the risk of dreadfulness in some cases stops being something you have to endure and becomes a deeper part of why you like something?

(I think these ideas are kind of related to the 'NPR' idea that Frank writes about in his book, maybe, but if you haven't come across that idea don't let it stop you discussing this) (EDIT: I meant "PBS"! - though NPR and PBS are kind of similar things, no?)

Comments

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

Spot on. Although I'd add to that and say that if an artist I like releases new material which is utter dross, I may well stop liking the artist. I might still enjoy the occasional listen to the older material, but I'd no longer consider paying to go and see them perform purely on the basis of old stuff that I liked. For me, prime example of this is Snow Patrol... I loved them back in the day, but have gone off them to the extent that I wouldn't bother shelling out to see them live, even if I knew that they were going to play all of my old favourites, such is my dislike of most of their newer stuff.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Agreed - I feel much the same way about the Manics.