Comments on: David Bazan article in Paste Magazine

By: Ben Gibbard in Paste Magazine | Daniel Renstrom

Ben Gibbard in Paste Magazine | Daniel Renstrom — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:37:43 +0000

[...] writes some cool things about songwriting that I wanted to post here, especially in light of what David Bazan said in Paste last month about songwriting. Here are a few of Gibbard’s quotes: I’d [...]

By: Heather Fischer

Heather Fischer — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:39:09 +0000

I was just waiting for U2 to pop up somewhere in the article. Never fails, makes me wish I didn’t love the old U2 stuff so much since it’s so “cool”
You know what I mean.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:55:27 +0000

I would likewise not pass over the idea of “art for art’s sake” but I would first ask what the nature of art is. Is art something that is merely created and merely observed; the only connection being the witness by the observer of the artists’s creation? If the answer to that is yes, then art does only exist for art’s sake with the product of observation merely the interpretation of the work of the artist. But if the answer is no, that is not all art is, but rather both creating art and observing art are not seeing art as an end in itself, then art will be seen to serve many purposes not discluding itself. Music can then be descriptive and/or prescriptive, it can tell you about something, it can resonate with your own experience, it can give you an experience, it can proselytize as an advocate for an idea. Art (music) is something to participate in, whether you are the creator or the “casual” observer. So we, as creators and observers, do not serve art but rather art serves us whether it be to great ends or less favorable ones.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:13:48 +0000

On a first pass, I wouldn’t completely eliminate the “art for art’s sake” idea, but would maybe ask if that idea is possible.

At the core of art is some form of communication. An idea. A mood. A thought. A question. The driving force behind why you choose a dark blue, or A minor instead of C major.

I’ll get out of this before I open up a can of worms that can’t be answered online, but will click “submit comment” thinking that chords and colors can communicate ideas. Tension can cause us to ask questions…not just look at something and say “oh look…tension”

By: andira

andira — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:10:11 +0000

I feel I can definitely relate to David on upbringing. My brothers and I were only allowed to listen to Christian radio and artists (unless it was the Carpenters or Osmonds), and so when I was at the age I where I could step out and listen without parental boundary, it was actually a little confusing and scary. Somehow it had gotten in my head that if the music didn’t have a gospel message, it wasn’t worth listening to and could even be a bad influence.

It didn’t take too long for me to expand my thoughts and boundaries on what I deemed worth listening. College and peers helped with that. However, even now it is difficult for me to write a song without some kind of underlying message of hope. I don’t consider it a weakness; I do not place it there out of fear, but out of a desire to encourage. It’s definitely a reflection of my upbringing, however.

I think that all music, whether sharing heartbreak, happiness, or hope, has purpose. Even if the piece does not lay out a plan or tell a story, I think it has the ability to teach. It’s influence on our moods and focus is undeniable. That is the power of music. Music for its own sake? Hmm. I think that’s where I may have misunderstood David. I personally get excited about music for its power to change, uplift, soothe, and tell me stories. To me, that makes music a tool. I guess I have a hard time understanding how music could be without influence. I think I’d like to understand what he meant by that phrase “music for its own sake” a little more. (Wow this was long..sorry!)

By: portorikan

portorikan — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:35:23 +0000

I was actually thinking about this and feel that I share some of his struggles when sitting to try to write music. It always feels like the music has to serve some other purpose, which is kinda weird, because I was thinking of this the other day while driving or something.

I was thinking about it in relation to art, or modern art. I think of artists as problem solvers and how creating great art means to solve a problem that is presented when creating a design or whatever. I’m not always a fan of some of the art for art’s sake that I see because it feels like it’s lost its purpose, so it’s become self-indulgent in what it is or has become.

I wonder if that kind of though could easily be applied to music. Not sure if that makes sense, but it was my thought process.

By: brody

brody — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:11:58 +0000

love me some Pedro The Lion… He’s a little over the top, but I still dig his stuff.