It's a timely question as I've just recently discovered a great site called Pandora. It's a site where you can virtually create your own radio stations. For example, you may want to create a Bob Dylan station. It will play some Bob Dylan songs plus other songs it deems Bob Dylan fans would enjoy. As it plays songs you give them thumbs-up or thumbs-down and it gradually creates a station that plays more and more songs that you appreciate.
As I've been creating stations I've come to realize that there is very little music that I liked 30 years ago that I still enjoy. However, one artist whose music I enjoyed almost 35 years ago and still enjoy today is Dan Fogelberg.
Listen to some samples from his Home Free album (try 'To the Morning', 'Stars', and 'Hickory Grove'). Also, try some samples from his Souvenirs album ('Illinois', 'Souvenirs', and 'There's a Place in the World for a Gambler').
These were his first two albums. He's made a number of albums since then, but in my opinion none of them are in the same league with these first two. How can someone make two great albums in the early '70s and not continue make great music? This brings me to my next point.
Wired had an interesting article last summer (actually, I didn't get around to reading it 'til 2 months ago - Mark, did you read it?) regarding a new theory suggesting that creativity comes in two distinct types - quick and dramatic, or careful and quiet. The first type of geniuses are “conceptual innovators” who 'make bold, dramatic leaps in their disciplines. They do their breakthrough work when they are young.' Some examples would be Edvard Munch, Herman Melville, and Orson Welles.
The second type would be the “experimental innovators.” 'Geniuses like Auguste Rodin, Mark Twain, and Alfred Hitchcock who proceed by a lifetime of trial and error and thus do their important work much later in their careers.'
I think this explains Fogelberg's decline - he was a conceptual innovator - but there wasn't much after that first 'bold, dramatic leap'. On the bright side, this may indicate that many of us, who are unquestionably experimental innovators, may not create our best work until well into our nineties...
3 comments:
Yes the genius article was great. All of us old folks like to think we are one of the second type. I'm waiting for the rest of the world to recognize it.
This is totally unrelated, (Jean) if you use your tab key when doing the user name and password you will have to do it again and again until you click the next box with a mouse. Do not use your tab key.
Two artists that I have come to greatly appreciate over the last few years are Sufjan Stevens and Half Handed Cloud. Both have very unique music. Sufjan has gained much positive attention for his music, though he remains on an indy music label he created with his step father. Half handed cloud is interesting because most of his songs are less then two minutes long and tell bible stories. It is interesting to see how their faith shapes both of these artists work. I can even get Dad to listen to Sufjan sometimes.
You can hear both at Asthmatickitty.com
Wowee! Thoughtful post and great comments! I will definitely have to check that site out. And Tyler hit one out of the ballpark with Sufjan Stevens. As I've tried to pay attention to music lately, he's the one I've found most attractive. I may try to create a post soon to explain why in more detail.
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