Has anyone listened to this gem from the pride of Michigan (along with Kid Rock)?
https://www.tednugent.com/pre-order-the ... do-it-now/
Surely a great listen.
New Son Volt album in Spring?
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farrarfan1
- Posts: 5342
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- Location: Still out there,doing what I would die for
This album is different because from day one it has been made clear that its focal point is Jays political views. Nothing released between 08 and 16 comes even remotely close. Are there any interviews in which he said he wrote a song or put together an album in order to heal the country or try to bring everyone together during that time?
I tried to use exaggeration to make my point earlier and that was apparently lost on some but I do believe it's a valid point. The country was just as divided then as it is now on social, economic, political, racial, gender and every other category imaginable, but there was a democrat in the oval office and the desire wasn't there to draw attention to the issues. I get it, circle the wagons and protect your own. But now that a republican is in office the same divisions are suddenly a crisis that is tearing the country apart.
From a business standpoint I think this is a brilliant move. Since some on the left, and this group is his clearly his target audience, believe the political conditions in the country are the worst they've ever been in the last 200+ years he might be able to capitalize on these emotions and make a killing financially. And if that happens I applaud him for his genius and business savvy!
Does the political views of artists like Dylan, Young etc matter? Who knows. Did any of their work do anything to positively affect federal, state or local legislation that made life better for anyone? Did their work have any influence on the way people voted? I don't know how you can quantify what an artists influence on politics is.
As I said before I'll buy the album. From his interviews it sounds like he tried to balance the political songs with some "lighter" tunes so I'll just try, like I have in the past, to overlook his disdain for the right and enjoy the songs the best that I can.
I tried to use exaggeration to make my point earlier and that was apparently lost on some but I do believe it's a valid point. The country was just as divided then as it is now on social, economic, political, racial, gender and every other category imaginable, but there was a democrat in the oval office and the desire wasn't there to draw attention to the issues. I get it, circle the wagons and protect your own. But now that a republican is in office the same divisions are suddenly a crisis that is tearing the country apart.
From a business standpoint I think this is a brilliant move. Since some on the left, and this group is his clearly his target audience, believe the political conditions in the country are the worst they've ever been in the last 200+ years he might be able to capitalize on these emotions and make a killing financially. And if that happens I applaud him for his genius and business savvy!
Does the political views of artists like Dylan, Young etc matter? Who knows. Did any of their work do anything to positively affect federal, state or local legislation that made life better for anyone? Did their work have any influence on the way people voted? I don't know how you can quantify what an artists influence on politics is.
As I said before I'll buy the album. From his interviews it sounds like he tried to balance the political songs with some "lighter" tunes so I'll just try, like I have in the past, to overlook his disdain for the right and enjoy the songs the best that I can.
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unchartedthickets
- Posts: 1068
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:52 pm
- Location: The southside
Apropos considering where this country has gone since 2016.turpentim wrote:Yes because it is we, who merely agreed with one another and did not reference mutual masturbation while also arguing on a Jay Farrar message board that "much of his music sucks," who are at fault here. Indeed what a boring forum this would be were it not for references to Jay’s sucky music and his fans’ homosexual fondlings.amzie wrote:OK--should have said that this forum is once again becoming the echo chamber that it usually is. Only interesting when someone doesn't toe the line. Oh, well.
My apologies to the rest of you, but I’ve been dragged into the ditch.
Tim in the ATL
Yes because it is we, who merely agreed with one another and did not reference mutual masturbation while also arguing on a Jay Farrar message board that "much of his music sucks," who are at fault here. Indeed what a boring forum this would be were it not for references to Jay’s sucky music and his fans’ homosexual fondlings.amzie wrote:OK--should have said that this forum is once again becoming the echo chamber that it usually is. Only interesting when someone doesn't toe the line. Oh, well.
My apologies to the rest of you, but I’ve been dragged into the ditch.
Tim in the ATL
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unchartedthickets
- Posts: 1068
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:52 pm
- Location: The southside
A-fucking-men. Well said, uncharted.unchartedthickets wrote:Artists have a choice to follow or not follow what they believe.
Some artists are process oriented and allow mistakes and surprises
to dictate outcome. Others start with a concept and follow through.
Most artists do both. It’s a continuous ebb and flow of life and work
in flux. Farrar has stated as much. History, politics, musical genre,
personal relationships and perspective...it’s all there. Every album
Jay Farrar makes is a personal statement of time, and place.
Artistic integrity is a function of honesty. Artistic integrity, pursuing
one’s belief, should never need an apology. Shitty songs or not.
Tim in the ATL
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unchartedthickets
- Posts: 1068
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:52 pm
- Location: The southside
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unchartedthickets
- Posts: 1068
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:52 pm
- Location: The southside
Artists have a choice to follow or not follow what they believe.
Some artists are process oriented and allow mistakes and surprises
to dictate outcome. Others start with a concept and follow through.
Most artists do both. It’s a continuous ebb and flow of life and work
in flux. Farrar has stated as much. History, politics, musical genre,
personal relationships and perspective...it’s all there. Every album
Jay Farrar makes is a personal statement of time, and place.
Artistic integrity is a function of honesty. Artistic integrity, pursuing
one’s belief, should never need an apology. Shitty songs or not.
Some artists are process oriented and allow mistakes and surprises
to dictate outcome. Others start with a concept and follow through.
Most artists do both. It’s a continuous ebb and flow of life and work
in flux. Farrar has stated as much. History, politics, musical genre,
personal relationships and perspective...it’s all there. Every album
Jay Farrar makes is a personal statement of time, and place.
Artistic integrity is a function of honesty. Artistic integrity, pursuing
one’s belief, should never need an apology. Shitty songs or not.
amzie wrote:The politics of a musician are secondary--there is no cognitive dissonance from me. When I brought up 9/11 years ago, this board practically flipped the fuck out--now that's some cognitive dissonance. I like Farrar despite his efforts to be somehow politically correct. As for those other musicians turpentim mentioned--I NEVER listen to them. I happen to dislike it when liberals wear their hearts on their sleeves. I can think for myself--I don't need Jay Farrar to fight my political battles--his music can be great despite his believing that what he says actually matters. A lot of his music sucks like any other musician's. But he's the only one I listen to who goes around professing that his views matter. Get over yourself, Farrar.
You crack me up. I would argue that his music actually could NOT be great if he didn’t believe what he has to say matters. Imagine art of any medium whose creator didn’t think his/her expression mattered. It wouldn’t even get created, let alone get a chance to "suck." How many other sucky artists’ message boards do you frequent? Tim in the ATL
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unchartedthickets
- Posts: 1068
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:52 pm
- Location: The southside
Jay is not only a political artist. He also looks at the human condition
in not so political terms. That said, to ignore the politics in Jay’s work is to carry some cognitive dissonance. You can still appreciate the art and not agree on the politics but can you ignore the politics? I can’t.
Union isn’t a political anomaly as Tim has thoroughly stated. Without having heard the album, we can only speculate based on Jay’s previous work and statements concerning Union, that we have a reaction to current political events in America . To me, the title Union, is overtly and poetically political. Union in terms of the Preamble of the Constitution - "A more perfect union", Barak Obama’s speech "A more perfect union", or Union in terms of the working class.
in not so political terms. That said, to ignore the politics in Jay’s work is to carry some cognitive dissonance. You can still appreciate the art and not agree on the politics but can you ignore the politics? I can’t.
Union isn’t a political anomaly as Tim has thoroughly stated. Without having heard the album, we can only speculate based on Jay’s previous work and statements concerning Union, that we have a reaction to current political events in America . To me, the title Union, is overtly and poetically political. Union in terms of the Preamble of the Constitution - "A more perfect union", Barak Obama’s speech "A more perfect union", or Union in terms of the working class.
Do Bob Dylan's politics matter? Woody Guthrie's? Pete Seeger's? Do Neil Young's? Bruce Springsteen's? Steve Earle's? Merle Haggard's?
If you answer yes to any of these and think Jay's don't, why? Because the others reach more ears? That's a weak argument. Like all artists who care about the world we live in and have convictions in one direction or another, Jay's convictions find their way into his art. How couldn't they?
And everyone's politics matter. Artist or not. The personal is political, the political is personal. To think otherwise is to fool yourself.
And when has Jay's writing *not* been political? It always has been. At times more explicitly than others, but always political -- no matter whose name has been on the door of the Oval Office. Not even going back to Uncle Tupelo, when damn-near every song he wrote was overtly political, we can just look at Son Volt and his solo career. Here's a list of Jay's undeniably political songs over the last, oh, 25 years or so:
Ten Second News, Out of the Picture, Straightface, Medicine Hat, Flow, Bandages & Scars, Jet Pilot, Atmosphere, Endless War, Medication, World Waits for You, Exurbia, Joe Citizen Blues, The Picture, Action, Underground Dream, Automatic Society, Methamphetamine, Down to the Wire, When the Wheels Don't Move, No Turning Back, Exiles, Promise the World, Back Against the Wall, Threads and Steel, Feel Free, Clear Day Thunder, Damn Shame, Direction, Cahokian, Greenwich Time, etc. — no doubt *many* more could be said to be political.
One is left to wonder how on earth anyone could be a Farrar fan and think his politics don't matter. Or even more baffling, to suddenly be annoyed at a political statement named ‘Union’ at a time when our nation is as divided as it’s ever been.
What the fuck have you people been listening to all these years?
Tim in the ATL
If you answer yes to any of these and think Jay's don't, why? Because the others reach more ears? That's a weak argument. Like all artists who care about the world we live in and have convictions in one direction or another, Jay's convictions find their way into his art. How couldn't they?
And everyone's politics matter. Artist or not. The personal is political, the political is personal. To think otherwise is to fool yourself.
And when has Jay's writing *not* been political? It always has been. At times more explicitly than others, but always political -- no matter whose name has been on the door of the Oval Office. Not even going back to Uncle Tupelo, when damn-near every song he wrote was overtly political, we can just look at Son Volt and his solo career. Here's a list of Jay's undeniably political songs over the last, oh, 25 years or so:
Ten Second News, Out of the Picture, Straightface, Medicine Hat, Flow, Bandages & Scars, Jet Pilot, Atmosphere, Endless War, Medication, World Waits for You, Exurbia, Joe Citizen Blues, The Picture, Action, Underground Dream, Automatic Society, Methamphetamine, Down to the Wire, When the Wheels Don't Move, No Turning Back, Exiles, Promise the World, Back Against the Wall, Threads and Steel, Feel Free, Clear Day Thunder, Damn Shame, Direction, Cahokian, Greenwich Time, etc. — no doubt *many* more could be said to be political.
One is left to wonder how on earth anyone could be a Farrar fan and think his politics don't matter. Or even more baffling, to suddenly be annoyed at a political statement named ‘Union’ at a time when our nation is as divided as it’s ever been.
What the fuck have you people been listening to all these years?
Tim in the ATL
Last edited by turpentim on Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.