ANTI-FOLK? FOLK OFF! - ARTICLE
A guest article by Myke Hall. Myke is the guitarist and co-songwriter of Edinburgh grunge trio Scrap Brain.
It's just so dreary, hearing them go on and on about the fragility of their hearts and pointlessness of it all. The trend in Scottish music that is sometimes labelled "anti-folk" dominates the Edinburgh music scene and a large portion of Scotland's music. The bands tend to be laid-back to the point of indifference in their performance, the instruments are often acoustic, or at the very least smothered in reverb, and sometimes they incorporate some artificial digital sounds too. I'm not going to name any bands as I don't want anyone to take this as a personal attack. I don't hate you, I just hate your music. Due to the fact that they are everywhere, I've seen many of this disturbingly successful 'scene' of bands in concert and they are dreadful! They have no charisma or character onstage, there is no passion or real emotion, and there is nothing interesting or gripping or energising or life-affirming or relatable about their performances.
In addition, the Scottish music blogs going on and on about them makes it so much worse. I know that anyone can start a blog but it takes someone with a serious love of music to write continuously and passionately enough to become a successful blog read by music fans throughout the nation. How can so many people who have exposed themselves to so much quality music still seem to get excited about such insipid crud?
And it's not just the blogs. These bands are often praised by music journalists, promoters, and knowledgeable music scenesters alike, but I just don't understand why.
I don't believe that everyone should have the same taste in music as me. The diversity makes it fun. But some people are happy to listen to the same song or album over and over for weeks, months even. Others, like myself, thirst for new music constantly. I reckon I listen to at least one song I've never heard before every single day, often more than one, and I much prefer it that way. People like me, who love listening to new music, often get really into particular bands that might not do it for the less musically educated. For example, The Hold Steady, Animal Collective, Spoon... the audience for these bands tends to be people with hundreds of CDs or vinyl records (or gigabytes worth of iTunes downloads... *shudder*) spreading over many different genres. It's not a hard-and-fast rule by any stretch but it is definitely true that the more music you listen to, the more likely you are to develop tastes similar to other people that have also listened to a lot of music.
For this reason it BAFFLES me, it ASTOUNDS me that so many people who have a good knowledge of music, to the point where they regularly go to local shows and collect unsigned music in their thirst for new tunes, can all seem to agree that these atrocious bands are actually talented.
It's not even all about individual taste. If someone is literate enough, they should be able to articulate a logical or personal reason why they prefer some music to others, as I will go on to do in this article. I fail to see any reason why people like this sort of stuff, and I have a sneaking suspicion that they are just being influenced by what their peers tell them is good. Bizarrely, it can actually be difficult to draw a line in your head between what you actually enjoy, and what you think you ought to enjoy, because it's what's enjoyed by people that you look up to or share other common interests with. It's like peer pressure and the power of suggestion wrapped into one. I know that in a couple of semi-controversial editorials The Scotsman's Radar have highlighted how big a part "circle jerking" plays in our music scene, where bloggers and bands and promoters and DJs that are all friends promote each other back and forth until they control the scene, and once they're up there, everyone falls in line behind them (maybe I missed the point of those articles but that was my impression anyway) and I have noticed that people genuinely like a band more if they know someone in that band. That might be how scenes are formed in the first place.
I don't know whether any of this is the reason for the popularity of this sub-scene; I'm just speculating. But what I do know is that I can't stand these bands, and I can't fathom why anyone else would. It's not even that the music is depressing. I could get behind music that genuinely conveys what it feels like to be miserable and dejected. I'm not talking about pop chart, Hollywood-ised, Hallmark heartbreak; I mean songs that genuinely express the smothering paralysis and darkness of mental depression. Then it would actually mean something. But this music is more about being sort of sad for no good reason, the sort of sadness that'd probably go away if you go for a wee jog or saw a good film. I've got news for you: it's not "how we all feel". If you feel that way, you should probably thing about improving your diet, making some new friends, getting a better job, getting more exercise, SOMETHING, because that's not what life is supposed to be like.
Another thing that bugs me is their mistaken belief that this music is representative of their home nation. YES it rains a lot here, and yes we have long expanses of rolling, marshy, harr-filled munros, but are we really a nation of indifferent nonchalance and casual introspective reflection? Hell fucking no! Have you been down Cowgate on a Saturday? In fact, have you been down the Cowgate on a Monday night? The Scots LOVE to socialise, to drink alcohol and chat endlessly, and laugh, and surround themselves with other people who are all having fun. Touring bands regularly cite Scotland as having one of the best live audiences in the world. We just go fucking mental and have a good time. I find it hard to believe that anyone is having a good time, standing there all glum and sullen, at an anti-folk gig, and I am including the performers.
Scotland is also the birthplace of the telephone, the television, the steam engine, the refrigerator, the electric clock, the bicycle, insulin, electromagnetics, penicillin, the MRI body scanner, radar, colour photography, the first iron-hulled steam ship, the first cloned mammal, and several world- renowned engineers and architects. So as a nation, we're a highly intelligent people AND we know how to have a good time. We are not dusty old cynics, we are not, "the lowest of the low... the scum of the fucking Earth" as Welsh put it. We're one of the proudest, grandest, and I'd even go so far as to say most respected nations in the world, and we should be making music that expresses that. The tired banality of these bands' music is not my Scotland. Our music should be fun, passion-filled and aggressive. It should be music that says to the world that we are unstoppable! Music that makes people want to dance, or smile, or shag like bunnies; it should make you feel something!!
Thank the universe and other deities for people like Bainbridge Music, Ginger Music Promotions, and Orange Slice Records who are fighting on the side of decent music by promoting bands with zeal and life and soul, whose audiences have FUN at their gigs.
And don't get me started on The fucking Smiths.
Thanks Myke. Let's just say we wouldn't have published this is we weren't pretty much in complete agreement...
UPDATE: In the interests of fairness, here's a response from Richard, another Edinburgh musician on the Underground scene
While I'm in agreement that this particular form of music isn't to my particular taste, I'm not sure that I agree with much else in this rant.
The thing is, people like music for many different reasons, many of which were listed in the article, but how about because it turns something on in them, or inspires them? You don't need rakes of energy on stage to convey emotion, you don't need to sing upbeat songs about partying, politics, or or whatever else to be relevant or exciting. Performance and creativity comes in many different forms, you don't have to like it all, but it's the ability to appreciate the differences that help music grow and thrive. While "anti folk" may not do it for us and just because we don't get it, who are we to take the musical snob route and look down at our noses at others for what they like? And lets be honest, there are a hell of a lot of people going to see these bands, so they must be doing something right. You say... "They have no charisma or character onstage, there is no passion or real emotion, and there is nothing interesting or gripping or energising or life-affirming or relatable about their performances". This is all down to personal interpretation, and while you may feel nothing positive, someone else may actually walk away and feel elated, engrossed and inspired.
Also, I'm not sure that it's productive to attack a style of music which is doing well and could potentially bring a wider interest to Edinburgh. The general scene in Edinburgh isn't the best, we've always been overshadowed by the mighty Glasgow scene where Edinburgh bands do seem to struggle. But with the interest growing in Edinburgh's anti folk, it could prove healthy all round. It would help establish Edinburgh's scene, motivate people to get off their arse to go and see some live music, and that will work out for the rockers, jazzers, what-ever-elsers as well as the anti folkers if it pays off. It might also mean that the Edinburgh scene might see wider exposure in publications on many different levels (local - national) which can only be positive and healthy for everybody, you and me included.
With the financial state of the country at the moment, music will inevitably suffer. My parents are both instrumental teachers in schools and are at risk of being made redundant because of the impending cuts being forced upon their employers. For many people, music in school is their introduction to playing and creating music, as learning privately and buying instruments is bloody expensive if your parents aren't so well off. At least if we have a thriving scene of local and importantly, live music, it is another avenue people can take to introduce themselves to music and become creative musicians themselves. The point of the various styles of music is that we don't all like the same thing. We don't have to understand it, we don't have to like it, but just appreciate that there's something there for everyone and let people get on with it without undermining the scene we have in Edinburgh, which is full of talent of many different kinds of music, but is ultimately not as healthy or recognised as it could be.
Lastly, you already named, shamed and got personal about a particular band on your myspace and facebook, so why the u-turn?
Support local bands, support local venues, and support local music, and don't begrudge others their hard earned success because these are bands who have worked their asses off and played from the grass roots up. I for one am more than happy to see them succeed.
Thanks Richard. Let's just say we wouldn't have published this is we weren't pretty much completely bipolar.
It's just so dreary, hearing them go on and on about the fragility of their hearts and pointlessness of it all. The trend in Scottish music that is sometimes labelled "anti-folk" dominates the Edinburgh music scene and a large portion of Scotland's music. The bands tend to be laid-back to the point of indifference in their performance, the instruments are often acoustic, or at the very least smothered in reverb, and sometimes they incorporate some artificial digital sounds too. I'm not going to name any bands as I don't want anyone to take this as a personal attack. I don't hate you, I just hate your music. Due to the fact that they are everywhere, I've seen many of this disturbingly successful 'scene' of bands in concert and they are dreadful! They have no charisma or character onstage, there is no passion or real emotion, and there is nothing interesting or gripping or energising or life-affirming or relatable about their performances.
In addition, the Scottish music blogs going on and on about them makes it so much worse. I know that anyone can start a blog but it takes someone with a serious love of music to write continuously and passionately enough to become a successful blog read by music fans throughout the nation. How can so many people who have exposed themselves to so much quality music still seem to get excited about such insipid crud?
And it's not just the blogs. These bands are often praised by music journalists, promoters, and knowledgeable music scenesters alike, but I just don't understand why.
I don't believe that everyone should have the same taste in music as me. The diversity makes it fun. But some people are happy to listen to the same song or album over and over for weeks, months even. Others, like myself, thirst for new music constantly. I reckon I listen to at least one song I've never heard before every single day, often more than one, and I much prefer it that way. People like me, who love listening to new music, often get really into particular bands that might not do it for the less musically educated. For example, The Hold Steady, Animal Collective, Spoon... the audience for these bands tends to be people with hundreds of CDs or vinyl records (or gigabytes worth of iTunes downloads... *shudder*) spreading over many different genres. It's not a hard-and-fast rule by any stretch but it is definitely true that the more music you listen to, the more likely you are to develop tastes similar to other people that have also listened to a lot of music.
For this reason it BAFFLES me, it ASTOUNDS me that so many people who have a good knowledge of music, to the point where they regularly go to local shows and collect unsigned music in their thirst for new tunes, can all seem to agree that these atrocious bands are actually talented.
It's not even all about individual taste. If someone is literate enough, they should be able to articulate a logical or personal reason why they prefer some music to others, as I will go on to do in this article. I fail to see any reason why people like this sort of stuff, and I have a sneaking suspicion that they are just being influenced by what their peers tell them is good. Bizarrely, it can actually be difficult to draw a line in your head between what you actually enjoy, and what you think you ought to enjoy, because it's what's enjoyed by people that you look up to or share other common interests with. It's like peer pressure and the power of suggestion wrapped into one. I know that in a couple of semi-controversial editorials The Scotsman's Radar have highlighted how big a part "circle jerking" plays in our music scene, where bloggers and bands and promoters and DJs that are all friends promote each other back and forth until they control the scene, and once they're up there, everyone falls in line behind them (maybe I missed the point of those articles but that was my impression anyway) and I have noticed that people genuinely like a band more if they know someone in that band. That might be how scenes are formed in the first place.
I don't know whether any of this is the reason for the popularity of this sub-scene; I'm just speculating. But what I do know is that I can't stand these bands, and I can't fathom why anyone else would. It's not even that the music is depressing. I could get behind music that genuinely conveys what it feels like to be miserable and dejected. I'm not talking about pop chart, Hollywood-ised, Hallmark heartbreak; I mean songs that genuinely express the smothering paralysis and darkness of mental depression. Then it would actually mean something. But this music is more about being sort of sad for no good reason, the sort of sadness that'd probably go away if you go for a wee jog or saw a good film. I've got news for you: it's not "how we all feel". If you feel that way, you should probably thing about improving your diet, making some new friends, getting a better job, getting more exercise, SOMETHING, because that's not what life is supposed to be like.
Another thing that bugs me is their mistaken belief that this music is representative of their home nation. YES it rains a lot here, and yes we have long expanses of rolling, marshy, harr-filled munros, but are we really a nation of indifferent nonchalance and casual introspective reflection? Hell fucking no! Have you been down Cowgate on a Saturday? In fact, have you been down the Cowgate on a Monday night? The Scots LOVE to socialise, to drink alcohol and chat endlessly, and laugh, and surround themselves with other people who are all having fun. Touring bands regularly cite Scotland as having one of the best live audiences in the world. We just go fucking mental and have a good time. I find it hard to believe that anyone is having a good time, standing there all glum and sullen, at an anti-folk gig, and I am including the performers.
Scotland is also the birthplace of the telephone, the television, the steam engine, the refrigerator, the electric clock, the bicycle, insulin, electromagnetics, penicillin, the MRI body scanner, radar, colour photography, the first iron-hulled steam ship, the first cloned mammal, and several world- renowned engineers and architects. So as a nation, we're a highly intelligent people AND we know how to have a good time. We are not dusty old cynics, we are not, "the lowest of the low... the scum of the fucking Earth" as Welsh put it. We're one of the proudest, grandest, and I'd even go so far as to say most respected nations in the world, and we should be making music that expresses that. The tired banality of these bands' music is not my Scotland. Our music should be fun, passion-filled and aggressive. It should be music that says to the world that we are unstoppable! Music that makes people want to dance, or smile, or shag like bunnies; it should make you feel something!!
Thank the universe and other deities for people like Bainbridge Music, Ginger Music Promotions, and Orange Slice Records who are fighting on the side of decent music by promoting bands with zeal and life and soul, whose audiences have FUN at their gigs.
And don't get me started on The fucking Smiths.
Thanks Myke. Let's just say we wouldn't have published this is we weren't pretty much in complete agreement...
UPDATE: In the interests of fairness, here's a response from Richard, another Edinburgh musician on the Underground scene
While I'm in agreement that this particular form of music isn't to my particular taste, I'm not sure that I agree with much else in this rant.
The thing is, people like music for many different reasons, many of which were listed in the article, but how about because it turns something on in them, or inspires them? You don't need rakes of energy on stage to convey emotion, you don't need to sing upbeat songs about partying, politics, or or whatever else to be relevant or exciting. Performance and creativity comes in many different forms, you don't have to like it all, but it's the ability to appreciate the differences that help music grow and thrive. While "anti folk" may not do it for us and just because we don't get it, who are we to take the musical snob route and look down at our noses at others for what they like? And lets be honest, there are a hell of a lot of people going to see these bands, so they must be doing something right. You say... "They have no charisma or character onstage, there is no passion or real emotion, and there is nothing interesting or gripping or energising or life-affirming or relatable about their performances". This is all down to personal interpretation, and while you may feel nothing positive, someone else may actually walk away and feel elated, engrossed and inspired.
Also, I'm not sure that it's productive to attack a style of music which is doing well and could potentially bring a wider interest to Edinburgh. The general scene in Edinburgh isn't the best, we've always been overshadowed by the mighty Glasgow scene where Edinburgh bands do seem to struggle. But with the interest growing in Edinburgh's anti folk, it could prove healthy all round. It would help establish Edinburgh's scene, motivate people to get off their arse to go and see some live music, and that will work out for the rockers, jazzers, what-ever-elsers as well as the anti folkers if it pays off. It might also mean that the Edinburgh scene might see wider exposure in publications on many different levels (local - national) which can only be positive and healthy for everybody, you and me included.
With the financial state of the country at the moment, music will inevitably suffer. My parents are both instrumental teachers in schools and are at risk of being made redundant because of the impending cuts being forced upon their employers. For many people, music in school is their introduction to playing and creating music, as learning privately and buying instruments is bloody expensive if your parents aren't so well off. At least if we have a thriving scene of local and importantly, live music, it is another avenue people can take to introduce themselves to music and become creative musicians themselves. The point of the various styles of music is that we don't all like the same thing. We don't have to understand it, we don't have to like it, but just appreciate that there's something there for everyone and let people get on with it without undermining the scene we have in Edinburgh, which is full of talent of many different kinds of music, but is ultimately not as healthy or recognised as it could be.
Lastly, you already named, shamed and got personal about a particular band on your myspace and facebook, so why the u-turn?
Support local bands, support local venues, and support local music, and don't begrudge others their hard earned success because these are bands who have worked their asses off and played from the grass roots up. I for one am more than happy to see them succeed.
Thanks Richard. Let's just say we wouldn't have published this is we weren't pretty much completely bipolar.
