HYPE: FROM SEATTLE TO BLOGS...

There have been a couple of very separate things I've stumbled across recently; one was an old documentary film called Hype! which charts the rise of the grunge scene in Seattle. The other was a piece in Under the Radar Magazine which questioned the changing musical landscape and the role blogs were playing in this brave new world. The contrast between the two is striking and I believe there are many pros and cons to both movements, but ultimately it seeems like one is more progressive than the other and ironically I believe it to be that of the way music developed in the likes of Seattle in the 80s.

Hype! paints a picture of a very dingy city cast out on the fringes of mainland America. Apparently Seattle is the serial killer capital of the US and to add insult to injury hardly any national touring bands came to Seattle because it made no sense economically to play a city so remotely located. The results are startling, a huge self sufficient musical community began to emerge. Borne from frustration of countless home town bands getting no attention, "failed pop musicians" Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman formed Sub Pop records.



Sub Pop's genius was to market the label itself ahead of an individual band, take note bloggers and modern progressive thinking DIYers! Having flown in Everett True from the UK, Sub Pop gained critical attention within the UK music press and as a result the world was sold! However, I believe, the real reason that Seattle and what was subsequently to be called Grunge dominated the music scene was ultimately as a direct result that a huge geographical area was in a state of seeming perpetual incubation. A lot of talented musicians had time to develop musically and a lack of success also forced only the most dedicated to keep going, it also ios something which invariably forces people to raise their game, hione their sound and solidify their identity individually and collectively. Of course, it helps that there were bands as talented as Nirvana, the Melvins and Soundgarden!



This, clearly a portrait of a bygone era, could not be more stark in its contrast with the modern music model. The difference kinda reminds me of an old Good Riddance record title; "Ever revolving, never evolving," in that now with the immediacy of the internet and the with bloggers scrambling for the next big thing bands and scenes can be picked up upon before any real investment has been put into the music and it's identity. The most obvious examples of which are the recent blog lead Witch House and Chillwave movements.



This is not to say that I dislike Witch House or Chillwave, as they seem to be known. Indeed, I think there are some really great bands within these scenes, I think the real worry is that they will never really develop their true potential. The records won't necessarily be as good as they could be, the individuals may not be as committed and there may well not be the cohesive identity which glues these people together to create the solidarity necessary when, as is inevitable in the fickle world of music, you fall out of favour with the ever changing musical landscape of fads and trends...

Of course, there is an argument that the creation of genres in our modern musical society is an act of convenience to embed a stamp upon a group of artists and provide with fresn, new and exciting identities. The problem with this is what happens afterwards, in Under the Radar Magazine it documents artists who having originally been labelled with new exciting identities and having received unfathomable hype find themselves stuck in a rut. Some artists have been forgotten before their first album has even come out, others having not had time to develop find it difficult to meet expectations having now to operate within the constant blinding glare of mass public consciousness.


I would also add to this that problems of originality begin to emerge. It is all very well to have an original idea, but to fulfil it's potential a great idea needs development. Will artists get this time, or will they even consider raising their game to fulfil their own potential, believing their own hype and thus discarding their potential and settling for what is good instead of what could have been great.



Below and above are some videos from bands within the respective Witch House and Chillwave movements. From my understanding Witch House is meant to provide a modern kind of synth led horror music, whereby dark themes ar eunderpinned by a low end rumbling bass keyboard and a higher cutting synth sound- a bit like a John Carpenter soundtrack, crossed with nods towards new wave and krautrock perhaps?! Proponents seem to include: oOoOO and Salem.



Chillwave, in turn documents the endless summer, within this camp I can see two types of bands a kinda well written derivative modern pop take on the likes of Yo La Tengo and Cocteau Twins, step forward Beach House, Best Coast, et al... and then a kinda chillout, slowburn hip hop from the likes of Toro Y Moi, Teen Daze and Washed Out... Anyway, would love to hear people's opinions if they have any... be it nods of approval or consternation at the arrogance and temerity of my post(s)!!!