By Beth Keating.
I am hindered by a bipolar energy when it comes to writing: moments of passion-infused motivation followed by episodes of a confused, apathetic lethargy. There’s a question that keeps returning whenever I begin to contemplate focusing on Drone again – it’s simple and it’s insidious: What is the point?
When I started this site, I threw myself into a new world – with the hope that I’d be able to write about something I loved and meet new people who shared the same passion as me. I was ambitious, ultimately a tad bit arrogant, but I had a great time – encountering people spanning across hemispheres who became kindred spirits, exposing my ears to a whole bunch of amazing music.
Around about a year ago I began experiencing an identity crisis. Setting up Drone had given me a lot, but I felt myself changing, desirous of being able say something more solid, more developed. I have struggled with that ambition ever since.
I used to have passion for ‘music writing’ – but looking back over old material, I’d hardly call my content worthy of such a title. Now I’m not sure what role my voice has to play in the wider cultural landscape. Music is important, but my opinions are just an unnoticeable blip on a very crowded radar.
What is the point?
Despite battling the cynical view that music writing is an indulgent and irrelevant pursuit, a large part of me still believes in the power the form has in terms of historical documentation and cultural representation. But I’m tired and apathetic towards the standard review/interview/news-style beat of the music blog. This is the point at which I consistently keep finding myself, and I keep finding myself at a loss as to how I can move past it… and evolve.
The music we listen to – and that I try to represent on Drone – is amazing. And as such, it’s worthy of a type of analysis that extends beyond trite pop pieces that relay the same old, well-trodden information. There are so many avenues today from which to get your music information – I guess what I’m struggling with is what sets Drone apart. Going back into academia this year has strengthened my analytical skills and opened up an entirely new belief in my perspective. Ultimately this site began as an outlet for one person; over time it has welcomed a lot of different, wonderful voices into its fold. That’s where I’d like the point of difference to lie – a place where genuine expression is valued over timeliness or trendiness; a living documentation of passion and pursuit that grows, changes, evolves as its creators do. It’s not perfect, but it seems more real than presenting a replication of an already heavily replicated formula.
The new mantra for Drone Magazine will be: ‘No pressure, just passion’. What is the point? I think I’ve just defined it.
4 comments:
Looking forward to more excellent content soon!
Gah! You're quick off the mark! You're the kindest xoxo
Hi Beth
I have also been thinking the same thing recently. Not just about whether my writing reaches the standard of 'music press quality', which by the way is generally extremely poor, full of cliches and people who are so caught up in trying to impress their audiences that it becomes overly receptive to hype and following the latest craze rather than having any realistic or alternative perspectives or generating cultural observations which may have some meaningful value to society.
Music and art criticism is a tough game to play and there are many people who are quick to devalue its role by questioning its relevance and function in society. But if good music writers did not exist (and there are still plenty of good ones) then who would be left to write about it? Music is constantly changing, as is everything, and to say that it doesn't need to be documented would be foolish. As an art form it is probably the most important, in its direct way of delivering messages to people, changing the way people think and behave also for its significant impact on tradition and culture.
I don't know much about your own personal struggle as a writer but that is something you have to think about and decide on by yourself. It is good that you are able to criticise your former work as it shows that you have developed as a writer.
And just because there are millions of other people with opinions out there that does not mean that your voice has any less value.
As with any magazine or media platform it takes time to develop your own identity and even longer to reach an audience. I think that your website has a very strong identity of its own and if you keep going and expanding it and spreading your message then maybe you'll hit something at right moment in time and things will work out.
I am currently launching my own music magazine and I know how difficult, stressful and dejecting it can sometimes be as a journalist. Ultimately I want to be a musician myself and writing about music is something that I do because I believe that I can relate to it and understand it better than the average apathetic listener. I enjoy the discovery of new music and old. The attempt to, in some way, recreate the experience or journey which music can take you on through words and images is often rewarding in that it helps me to understand the music and my own thoughts better. if I can inspire somebody to want to go and listen to a record or to see a band which I enjoy then I I have ultimately affected their conciousness. I believe that discussing anything benefits our brains as it enables us the opportunity to view things from another angle, thus expanding our awareness into the the infinite shroud of the universe. There is something about the feeling of sharing the experiences that I have had through music with others which I can't explain.
Anyway I wish you all the best and I bid you to keep on going as long as you can.
Yours recklessly,
Alex Hancock
Thank you for your very articulate and considered comment, Alex. First off, it's really nice to hear from you and it's incredibly exciting to hear that you have your own piece of music media in the works - you must be sure to share it with me ASAP.
I agree that the ability to help share music with people, and enable people to connect with an artist or a band they'd never heard of before is incredibly rewarding - it still amazes me when I'm told I've turned someone onto something new and it's hit them in the right way.
And I agree with you in your point that music deserves to be documented - it definitely does. But at the moment, I feel there are a handful of (online) sources that do it very well, and a myriad sources that are just replicating information in the same template - effectively not adding anything to a cultural dialogue. I suppose my perspective has changed, and I'm actually really happy about this because I now feel empowered to really create content that contributes to the discussion, rather than filling space. Since writing this post, I feel like things have become clearer for me - this is the online world. Things don't have to be structured or in line with traditional models. As people who cross the platforms of editors, journalists, fans and actual artists, we're capable of redefining the way music is written about. In my mind, my musical journey is a large part of my personal journey and the development of my identity. I can't separate music - when and where I discovered something, what impact it had on my life - from who I am and who I have been. This story has validity.
Likewise, the types of music we are drawn to deserves recognition beyond mere referencing, and the overuse of descriptive language. When I started Drone there was a definite gap in terms of representation of the bands we love. That has shifted over the last few years (there are many more online sources writing about psych and psych-influenced music), but I still feel there is a distinct lack of thoughtful analysis which really looks at the cohesion of this very global niche, the strong community created around the music, the ties the music has to other cultural forms, and the genre's impact on cultural discourse.
I've totally made no sense with this reply - I'm still trying to articulate all the ideas in my head! But I'll end this with saying I really appreciate your thoughtful contribution to the discussion, and we should definitely talk about these issues more. Be sure to email me about your new venture. :)
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