Probably less than surprising my favorite music is rock born out of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. That doesn’t discount everything from the ’90s and beyond but my listening is more attuned to those past eras. Good thing there is so much of it to listen to. Even now I continue discovering ever such good stuff from “way back then”. For example, I listened to and enjoyed Elvis Costello from the time his first album was released but somehow never quite seriously listened to his stuff until recently. That’s when I subscribed to “Rhapsody”. At around $13 per month I can listen to music and artists whose albums I couldn’t afford to buy before. Any time I’m online now I can listen until satiated. Now I sometimes need to take a break from listening just to cleanse the pallet so to speak. But I’m straying off subject.
While reading histories of various groups that have gone by the wayside one of the most frequent reasons for breakups has been “artistic differences”. OK then, does that mean they couldn’t agree how loud the cowbell should be? Sorry, I just couldn’t resist that. It just seems the “artistic differences” phrase has become a little old and decrepit and in need of a wheelchair (or at least crutches). Seriously now, does that sound like a good reason to break up a group and cut off the revenue stream? Or is the reason many groups last only so long something far more sinister?
Sinister? You ask. Picture this: Harold, lead singer and bass guitarist with the highly popular group “The Dissed” has seemed out of sorts as of late. He was an inspiration all through three months of studio sessions recording their latest album “Dissed n Dat”, shared equally with other group members giving input during the mixing and was instrumental in organizing the album’s promotional tour. But about halfway through their 60 city US tour something changed. So the other members decided to have a sit down chat with him to see if there was anything they could do.
Seems the problem was simple: After his 5,677th performance of their hallmark hit “All Dissed Off” from their first album he’s having problems talking himself into performing it again. In his words, “every time I hear the intro now I just want to go postal. I know it made us rich but I just don’t know how many more times I can perform it”. The rest of the group confide they likewise are dreading each performance of it but apparently have restrained themselves a little better. After much discussion about what to do they talk with their agent(s) and it’s agreed the tour will continue and news stories will hint there are some problems between the members. Once the tour is over they will take a break and in six months or so start studio work on another album that may never be released because of the ever widening “artistic differences” between the members. Thus they get to retire to lives of leisure or whatever and will never need to perform any of the stuff they don’t want to again.
Now you know what “artistic differences” really means.
You do believe me, don’t you?
