I read somewhere else that 'mystique' is non-existent in the download age
and this is troubling. A band like REM really used mystique to their advantage.
David Bowie is a music legend, but the kids of today will not know the first thing about him
Bowie is actually 'lucky' the internet is around so there are fan sites on the internet there to keep the torch burning, remind everyone what a legend he was once
Only a curious kid would be inquisitive enough to wonder who David Bowie is/ was. I can relate to being inquisitive: being a 90s kid who was part of the CD and grunge age, I feel like such a weirdo to enquire on the 80s in the form of Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order and the Smiths, the only downside of that is it makes you disassociate from things which make people believe you have psychosis or some crap like that
Anyway I think Radiohead threw the idea of mystique into the trash bin, they believe that the music business takes care of itself but the most important thing is to keep making good music. People have been misled into believing there is some mythology associated with everything.
^ If you want that, go watch a tv series... A good one
While I enjoy Bloodflowers, I would certainly not call it one of The Cure's best albums. It's a solid effort, but nowhere near the league of the 80s work, in my opinion at least. The comment about Depeche Mode making the same song over and over again is the one that seemed most unfounded to me. Their last three studio albums have been incredibly varied - all three of them quite strong as well, Playing the Angel perhaps even brilliant.
As for R.E.M., I personally find it refreshing that they decided to end gracefully and on their own terms. Their influence on indie culture is incalculable, and they have never done anything to compromise it, I think.
If you look at R.E.M in many ways they are the Tom Hanks of music, they have sold so many records (like how Tom Hanks has grossed so much as an actor for his films), yet the band does not have the so-called elements required to make it big in the business, ie style and looks. The same applies with Tom Hanks. To Tom Hanks it was always about the movies he made, and to R.E.M it was definitely about the music
Anyway I would have liked to have seen R.E.M live, along with Depeche Mode, but I guess we cant have everything in life
There's always the concert DVDs ...
With regards to compromise, the idea of making R.E.M music just fell by the wayside as new sounds were discovered and the idea of R.E.M (heavy lyrics, interesting arrangements back in the day) became old hat, at least it was to me. For one the idea of R.E.M writing all that heavy stuff is wouldnt they get tired of it all after a certain amount of time?
Heavy music will still and always exist forever more, let someone else shoulder the burden, I guess. ie theres stuff like 'Liberation' by Outkast
