But a decent one, with substantial comments from Dan Zanes and Ralph Covert of Ralph's World. Paste Magazine (which I've subscribed to for a couple years now -- it's a good read and has reviewed a few kids' music CDs in its pages), has finally posted online their article on the wave of artists entering the kids' music business. (I've had the magazine for about 3 weeks now, and was about to post without the link, but it showed up today.)
My favorite comments from each artist?
Dan Zanes -- "Soon we'll have a generation that doesn't know that 'Yellow Submarine' or 'Octopus's Garden' were Beatles songs; they are just gonna know them as songs they sang together in kindergarten."
Ralph Covert -- "I have no interest in making 'kids' music.' I won't ever make a 'kids' record,' but I'll make music kids love."
Go read.
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I'm still feeling like I'm living a life out of Where's Waldo?, but that will end soon. To all of you who've e-mailed me recently, I will get back to you soon. I've got more reviews, more news, and more surprises coming up.
5 comments:
Nnng-kay, Ralph... I love your music, but it's definitely "kid's music". Very good kids' music, which many adults can appreciate, but still kids' music in most senses I can think of. Is that something to be ashamed of? Or are you referring to the old perceived meaning of "kids' music" as in trite or sing-songy or whatever? But if so, then that doesn't make sense, because that definition has obviously changed for quite some time now. Anyway, that was a strange comment. Rock on, though. <:o)}
I had the same reaction as Eric to Ralph's quote.
Welcome back, Stefan!
Yeah, "favorite" was a poor choice of wording on my part, at least for the Covert quote. "Intriguing" might have been a better choice. The quote isn't much different from the approach Zanes takes, but it certainly comes off a little more... strident.
It may not have been clear in the Paste article, but I think, having seen the quote in other forms, that he means he wouldn't set out to make music that is strictly for kids. He wants to make great music that kids can enjoy.
But then, maybe that is how/why so many artists are currently changing the definition of "kid's music"
Yeah, I suppose he may be heading more in that direction in the case of some newer songs like "Hideaway". That's just a really great song, regardless of any genre label or target audience. But then other things like "Green Gorilla", "Dance Around" and "I Don't Wanna", and many many many of his songs from previous albums are really "kids' music" in every appreciable sense, and even seem obviously targeted so. But again, what's wrong with that? And they are excellent examples within that label, so... ?? I just think it was a weirdly rhetorical comment, but no big deal. I still loves the Ralph. :o)
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