bored out of my skull

[Summo]

Certainly not! She was attempting to prove she had a tan by showing the white bits. Several times. I persisted that I remained unconvinced.

There were also two policemen there (friends and off-duty) who were comparing war stories. A very interesting evening.

I have infinite respect for nurses, soldiers and policemen.

 

[Scooba Da Bass]

Originally posted by Sar

Her talent isn't in question, she's been playing the violin since she was 3 (iirc), and had recorded 3 albums by the time she was 13.

As for the leeching - explain?

(Genuinely interested in your POV on that)

What I mean is that when she went 'commercial' it was done by having 'classical' works re-arranged in a style that was considered popular. On the first pop (whatever) album all the writing credits went to Mike Batt with the exception of a single track joint credited to Mae and Wherry ( I think, this is off the top of my head). I'm not doubting her talent when it comes to the violin, but all she's doing is playing back music written by someone else, much the same way that Sclub 7, Steps et al do and are regularly slated for. It strikes me as being hideously two faced that simply because her instrument of choice is a violin, instead of a voice that she isn't castigated.

Plus the lack of a writing credit on Storm for Vivaldi intensly annoys me.

 

[Sar]

Comparing her to Steps et al is being overly simplistic though, because she can play violin (and piano iirc) to a very high standard, as well as sing, so although she didn't write most of the material on Storm that's no reason to call her a leech.

Would you call Lesley Garrett, or Domingo, or Pavarotti leeches because they don't perform their own material? Course not. There's a marked difference between the likes of Mae, Garrett et al and the likes of S Club, Steps and their ilk.

One group have genuine talent worth appreciating, the other group are nothing but talentless lookers.

And yeah, I thought it was odd that "Tempo impetuoso d'Éstate" wasn't mentioned on Storm at all.

 

[Scooba Da Bass]

The marked difference between Lesley Garrett, Jose Domingo or anyone who records as an artist in a classical sense is that they are employed and are succesful for their unique expression of pieces that already exist. In the classical world the norm is to perform pieces that quite often are hundreds of years old. Exactly what in the pop world artists are castigated for. The backlash on Gareth Gates (generally by the perceivied underground elite) for performing songs written by someone else is immense, and yet he is a genuinely talented singer who brings a unique take on someone elses songs.

Dismissing Steps, Sclub or whoever as just talentless lookers is not only to display a lack of knowledge about the bands in question, they can sing, and do just about whatever else is required for selling their product, they are required by the nature of a record company contract to do exactly as they are told. Sclub's major selling point, and the one that differentiates them from others is that they consist of 7 members, the idea being that each member appeals to a different type of person. Vanessa Mae is sold, in the pop world, as being a violinist and allegedly pretty, these are the characteristics that differentiate her, however, advertising her as a sexy female is just as cynical as advertising Sclub as containing sexy females, neither have any relavence on the music, however, it works, in your case, you find VM attractive, and this very definitely affects your view of her music positively.

Reading over this, it makes me seem like I'm an Sclub fan, heh, I'm not, however, I can appreciate that in the pop world, they are no different to Vanessa Mae. I will always appreciate more artists who perform their own works, simply because in my own experience it's not possible to be as closely attached to someone else's songs as your own, and the process of performing something crafted by yourself is always going to be much more emotional.

 

[wolfeeh]

Originally posted by Summo
I have infinite respect for nurses, soldiers and policemen.

nurses, soldiers, policemen and hairdressers.... fucking odd cliqué that must have been.

 

[Sar]

Originally posted by Scooba Da Bass
Vanessa Mae is sold, in the pop world, as being a violinist and allegedly pretty, these are the characteristics that differentiate her, however, advertising her as a sexy female is just as cynical as advertising Sclub as containing sexy females, neither have any relavence on the music, however, it works, in your case, you find VM attractive, and this very definitely affects your view of her music positively.

No it doesn't

Her physical attractiveness (or otherwise) have no influence on my perception of her talent.

I like Bocelli as much as I like Mae, but Bocelli's looks similarly have no impact on how I rate him as a performer (for more obvious reasons)

It's not just Mae's "pop" offerings that I listen to, as I have all of her classical recordings too. Infact I'm listening to "The Original Four Seasons & the Devil's Trill Sonata" as I write this. In fact I own more of her classical recordings than I do of her pop works.

The Classical Album 1
China Girl - The Classical Album 2
The Original Four Seasons & the Devil's Trill Sonata
The Violin Player
Storm

Don't have Subject to Change yet, didn't even know it had been released until the other day! Well done local HMV Classical :/


PS: S Club = 6 members. One of em buggered off to start a Nu-metal band iirc, hence why they've dropped the 7 from their name now.

 

[Scooba Da Bass]

heh, I'm that much of an Sclub fan I didn't even know that. I think it comes down to different markets, if you are a 'pop' picker then you are marketed to differently than if you were a classical purchaser.

For instance, I know the guy who played guitar on Emma Bunton's last album, to call him godlike is an understatement, however, he doesn't like classical music and doesn't play in a classical style, so the odds of him getting his own album are extremly small (not that he cares, he gets free guitars, he's happy)

 

[Sar]

Suppose it comes down to what he's happy doing really. If he really wanted to do a solo album, or form a band to do his own stuff I'm pretty sure he'd be able to get it off the ground somehow.

And the only reason I know about the guy from S Club buggering off is because it was on the news, and I found it somewhat funny that someone who'd become famous by singing cheesy pop should go off and form an angst-ridden metal group

 

[Scooba Da Bass]

Nu Metal is, if possible, even more about image than pop, music that sells is depressing

 

[Sar]

Don't care much for Nu-Metal meself.

If you're going to listen to metal do it properly ffs - Pantera, Metallica, Priest, Maiden etc.

Enough of this cloned Green-Day bollocks already.

 

[Wilier]

Originally posted by dysfunction
What do you usually do in your spare time?
- anyone...

spare time

thats a fucking joke, surley.