[Dixielandjazz] Why do people love bad art?

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

As they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Some years ago I was at Whiteman AFB touring the central Missouri area and 
we had occasion to take in one of the small town muny bands.  The evening 
was pleasant, the crowd was having a good time and the concert was very well 
attended.  The band was about 30 pcs and somewhat balanced.  Their program 
was the standard sort, a few marches an overture and some show tunes. 
Nothing heavy.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

The only thing I did wrong that night is tape the concert.  The tape was put 
in the standard place to lose tapes and I didn't listen to it for several 
months.  I popped in this mystery tape and there was the summer concert I 
had enjoyed so much.

First the Cicadas were (That's a very large, loud bug to those of you who 
aren't from here) screaming their little wings off and the band was somewhat 
out of tune and people were talking.  The short of it was how could I have 
enjoyed that concert?  What I heard on the tape was terrible.

It was instructive and a good lesson in what we want to hear.  We tune out 
the bugs and minor annoyances and if the ambiance is good and we are in a 
good mood then our ears sometimes hear something else. We hear past the 
immediate but the tape recorder can't be fooled.

Beauty changes depending on how many beers you have had too.
Larry
StL
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nancy Giffin" <NANCYink at surewest.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Why do people love bad art?


> Dear list mates,
>
> A provocative thread! Steve's post, along with the success of the Really
> Terrible Orchestra have stimulated some thoughts:
>
>
> HUMOR SELLS
> Imagine telling your friends that you were going to see the Really 
> Terrible
> Orchestra. So daring, surprising, funny -- what a conversation starter! 
> Your
> friends might laugh, and then buy tickets to join you in anticipation of
> more levity and laughter (which God knows we all need more of).
> The fact that these musicians are successful in other areas makes it okay 
> to
> laugh at them rather than pity them.
>
> << Children would raise the standard, but we don't let them
> in for that reason. It would be too embarrassing. >>
>
>
> PUBLICITY SELLS
> The media loves anything with shock value, especially if it is humorous. 
> It
> grabs attention! They will spotlight the Really Terrible Orchestra just to
> draw attention to themselves, thereby giving added publicity to the
> orchestra, which increases their notoriety and sales.
>
>
> THE UNDERDOG SELLS
> People love bungling characters like Inspector Clouseau, Mr. Magoo or 
> Homer
> Simpson because they make us feel better about ourselves. We expect little
> from them, and if you don't expect anything, you won't be disappointed.
>
> << There's always thunderous applause, especially if we've got lost
> in something and ground to a halt. Always a standing ovation. >>
>
>
> AUTHENTICITY SELLS
> If they dare to be authentic, so can we. That is liberating.
> Socrates said, "Know thyself." These musicians know who and what they are
> and don't pretend to be anything else. We can respect the honesty and
> humility, and appreciate that they don't take themselves too seriously.
> (Margaret Fontey said, "The one important thing I have learned over the
> years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking 
> one's
> self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.")
>
> << liberation: the anarchic pleasure of disorder, the repudiation of
> established rules of judgment. Bad art is an invitation to escape the 
> formal
> boundaries of adulthood and be a child, delighting in the rude and raw. >>
>
>
> During the seven years that I volunteered as an art docent in grade 
> schools,
> I used to tell them, "There's no mistakes in art." I said this to remove
> fear of expectation and to encourage freedom of expression. That's well 
> and
> good if it's a hobby, but if one wishes to make a career out of art, they 
> is
> much to consider regarding sales and marketability.
>
> Sadly, the very best artists and musicians go largely unappreciated 
> because
> they have reached a level of achievement where the average person cannot
> differentiate "good" from "great." It takes one to know one. That's why I
> always seek out those who would be called "a musicians' musician."
>
> Love and hugs,
> Nancy
>
>
>
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