Benjamin had some great points in The Work of Art. I posted last week on the idea that we are not really able to create a true Craftsman home in 2008. After the reading I was able to understand why. A home built today is completely different than a home built 100 years ago. And what would be most different is the aura. “Aura is tied to [his] presence, there can be no replica of it” Benjamin (26). Times have changed. If da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa today, would we still appreciate it?
Benjamin also claims that “mechanical reproduction of art changes the reaction of the masses toward art” (29). This section (XII) made me think of music and bands, more precisely garage bands. When Nirvana first came about people who didn’t know it, thought very little of it. It was their cult following who enjoyed it socially. Yet when the band started getting more airtime on radio, more people became exposed, and more people began to critique it. Popularity on radio meant multiply copies in stores. These tapes and CDs got Nirvana’s art out into the world. For the many of us who have never seen Nirvana live, will never truly be able to grasp the aura of Nirvana. Yet, that does mean we cannot enjoy and recognize how much of an impact Nirvana made in the music business. We can appreciate mechanical reproduced art, yet will not be able to fully understand unless we are in the presence of the original.
While some would argue that Nirvana is solely responsible for the 90’s grunge look, we might want to take a look at their predecessors, to see who and what inspired them. If all books are from books, is all music from music, all art from art?
“Scarlett Wishes”
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This isn't a CMC reply, but rather just me music nerding.
If you like Nirvana, and it seems like you probably do, you might want to look into some of the bands that influenced them. Nirvana were the summation of the sounds coming out of the Northwest at the time, those being twee, riot grrl, and grunge, which really wasn't called grunge until a few years after it started.
Twee had a big influence on Cobain, even if it's not totally obvious in the music he created. K Records, famous for being home of the progenitors of twee along with Sarah Records, had it's home in Seattle . Cobain had a K Records emblem tattoo on his arm, and even played with a famous twee band called Beat Happening prior to switching sounds and trying to join the Melvins (Nirvana's biggest influence). Twee is soft indie pop music, made by kids in garages. Beat Happening, Wolfie, Heavenly, the Anoraks, and most famously Belle & Sebastian are good twee bands to explore.
Riot Grrl, which I will admit not knowing quite as much about, was really the coming together of twee and garage rock music, and has recently evolved into a more electroclash sound. This was music for women by women, and the reason I mention it's importance is because it was one of the first DIY scenes to reach national audiences (outside of Hardcore), and opened the door for garage music to sweep the music industry, which is really the one thing Nirvana can be credited with (if not Pearl Jam, but that's an argument best saved for another day).
Bands like Heavens to Betsy, Bratmobile, Bikini Kill, and Sleater-Kinney became notable, and in their sound it's quite clear the connection between grunge and riot grrl.
Finally, Nirvana was far from the first "grunge" band, but actually just the most famous one. Probably the first real "grunge" band was the Melvins. Other earlier bands, often released on the now world famous Sub-Pop records, were Mudhoney, Tad, Greenriver, and Screaming Trees.
Some of the biggest influences on the sound were The Pixies and Dinosaur Jr.
Why did I just spend time typing this I'm such a nerd. Well I hope I at least told you something you didn't know and at least found interesting.
I like Nirvana, but considering I could only name their "popular" songs, I can't call myself a fan (though have the world seems to think its okay).
I did not know as much about twee and K records, so thank you for enlightening me:)
I don't think its a nerdy music post. It is really interesting that you responded, and I appreciate it very much :)
"Scarlett Wishes"
Thanks for this historical context! I know something about Nirvana's rise, but little about influences. You ahev offered much here.
Music is an fruitful media category to examine in light of the theoretical work we've been reading and discussing...
Post a Comment