Pop Music: What Goes Around, Comes Around...

Pop Music. Funny how this unpretentious, light-hearted term has truly become a phenomenon and has taken over so many of our lives. Some swear by these two words, others consider the very notion of it way beneath them. But so very few of us have been left completely sterile and ignorant of this genre.

Quite ironically, as I flipped through the online pages of Wikipedia (another representative of today's pop culture - forget Webster's dictionary - Wiki is the big boss now!), I noticed how Pop Music is not referred to as a set genre, but instead: "music charted by the number of sales, plays, etc. that the work receives. It is not a particular genre or style of music, but simply that which is the most popular for the tracked period of time." So true, I never looked at it that way.

Another interesting point made by the same source is that in opposition to music that may require education or formation to fully appreciate it, "a defining characteristic of pop music is that anyone is able to enjoy it."

What about the pop stars? I often wonder how the simple term "singer" has gradually shifted from the very essence of "a music artist" to the pompousness of "a pop icon" and finally has reached an arguably low form of art under a very glittery "pop star" position.

Can't say too many pop stars worrying about this too much nowadays, but a significant chunk of the album-buying (not the single buyers!) demographic in today's marketplace have raised the question on a number of occasions. It's hard to blame them, really, as there are more and more single-oriented records and much less "conceptualized" albums being made these days. How many songs do you really LOVE on an average album you normally buy nowadays? 1? 2? The days of "I love this album, what a work of art" are pretty much over. Itunes has made it a lot easier and much more convenient to operate on these terms - you like one or two songs on an album but aren't willing to spend 20 bucks on a CD of 12 tracks, 10 of which you don't really like? No problem. The obvious downsides are probably present, as well, but let's leave that to the critics...

It is a shame, though, that most artists (not all) have been replaced by what we now call the "pop stars" on a larger scale. Television has certainly helped a great deal, and particularly all the music-oriented reality shows. But can you do? C'est la vie, really.

These afternoon I came across Nickelback's Rockstar video spoof about "Pop Stars" which is absolutely hilarious, but at the same time, quite sad if you look at it from a realistic standpoint. Funny and all that, no doubt, but the ironic thing is that joking aside, it actually is a very objective synopsis of what's popular today. It's pointless feeling distraught and nostalgic about it, what's done is done and that's the end of it... For now. I'm constantly surprised - pleasantly surprised - when I witness first-hand the ever-growing "comeback" of real hunger and thirst among average music lovers for REAL music. Not to say that today's pop hits aren't very commercial and very catchy - no offense at all - but what ever happened to the days when we were regularly discovering the big shots like Elton John, The Beatles, Aretha, Barbra, The Jacksons....? Revolutionary talent, that is... It's hard to beat that sort of caliber, isn't it. Plenty of fabulous one-hit wonders have emerged lately, there's no denying of that! Great sounding, well-produced, highly addictive commercial successes all around... But what happens a few months down the line, when what was hot last month is no longer the "flavor of the month" today?

I read an interesting interview with the legendary Sir George Martin, often referred to as "the Fifth Beatle". His take on today's pop-music scene isn't all that lovey-dovey, either... "I've listened to quite a few records," Martin said, "but I'm not terribly happy with the current pop music."

Everything comes in a full circle, though, no doubt it'll be that way in this case, as well. Just curious to see what will eventually prove to be the final straw that leads on to the new beginning, a brand new starting point of that same old circle.

Interesting times... And remember: what goes around, always comes around :-)

P.S. Some of you might be wondering right now: "who cares?" And that's the bottom line, whether we like it or not - some do, others simply don't! :-)

"Keep your feet on the ground", they said...

Over the last couple of days, I coincidentally got a series of messages and comments from my friends and colleagues, gently reminding me to always keep my feet on the ground. Not that it had been provoked by a newly acquired attitude of any kind - surely nothing major has gone into my head over the past 48 hours! Yet, I did take a mental note of the friendly reminder and even gave it some thought afterwards...

When you're young and new to the alluring glitz and glimmer of the entertainment world, you are bound to get a bit dizzy at first - it's next to inevitable, no matter what anyone says. I can vividly remember myself at the age of 16, the very first time I witnessed some of this "magic" in action. Without even noticing how it had come about, I realized one day (or rather, my parents did) that I was taking a lot of this for granted: working with those whose names I had only read about in books, album sleeves of my idols and major music TV show credits; being featured and interviewed for major TV and radio stations in the UK; recording in some of the best studios on both sides of the Atlantic - and all of that without bribing anyone (well, you see, where I come from, bribery is a general "middle name"!)

So imagine not feeling hung-over (metaphorically, of course!) the morning after every adventure like that? I admit I felt a bit like that, and even more so, I started to wonder whether I really had to work THAT hard for all of this at the tender age of 16...?

I think there are two main categories of artists: those who hit the jackpot quite easily (again, nothing's too easy, not in our society, and definitely not in the showbiz, but comparatively speaking...) that is, the opportunity practically falls on their lap, and also those who have to strive and fight for every inch of success every step of the way until they eventually "make it".

The former usually results in a series of one-hit wonders (once again, NOT always) whereas the latter category is more often than not a preface to a real, long-term career. Why? Maybe because we are more likely to appreciate our success as a result of hard work, genuine effort, the ups and downs that go with it, and the notion of self-worth when it comes to knowing deep down that at the end of the day, it was YOU who made it happen. Clearly, there are certain personalities in everyone's career who are truly vital to the "making of" an artist. And that does require a huge amount of luck, as well. But ultimately, I strongly believe that, first and foremost, I can only really rely 100% on one person 24/7 - myself. Is that not so?

I guess the bottom line is, that with a bit of luck, hard work and genuine effort (unfortunately, talent is not always at the top of the list these days) there's practically nothing a human being is not capable of. Oh, I almost forgot - PATIENCE, the magic word - easier said than done, true, but it doesn't alter the fact that patience is a huge factor in all of this.

So whenever my friends remind me not to forget to keep my feet on the ground, I smile and think of all the good times and bad times, ups and downs along the way... And guess what, it ain't over yet! But what matters the most to me is that now, more than ever, I know who I am and who I want to be more clearly than ever before. There's a moment in time somewhere along the way when you realize that you have arrived at who you are not only as an artist, but most importantly, as an individual.

And so, when you weigh all the pros and cons, and you still find yourself on that long tedious but a truly adventurous road to your very own destination, you know it has not been in vain - nothing's easier than giving up and going back to square one. Anyone can do that. But a bit of persistence and perseverance can do wonders - I used to think this was a huge cliché, but it isn't. Honestly. And yes, knowing deep down that through thick and thin, through nightmare and dreams come true, it really is you who made it all happen can SO keep your feet on the ground!!