buzzing static
I’m over the global hegemony of the English language in popular music. All of you musicians for whom English is not your first language, please sing, rap, chant, and make song titles in languages we don’t yet understand. The American, English, Scottish, Irish, Australian, Kiwi, South African and Commonwealth Caribbean and other countries include fans that should be sophisticated enough to listen and appreciate the diversity of languages representing other cultures. If you want, throw in a few subtitles to help us out. Otherwise, f*** it. Why bother creating lyrics in English when most of our market listens to crap? The portion of the market that doesn’t listen to crap has enough curiosity to find you if you’re any good.
Given a couple hours to think about what I wrote, I'm going to try pulling my foot out of my mouth. Stereo Total, The Low Frequency in Stereo, zZz, General Electrics, and Röyksopp all sing in English and they are among my favorite bands. Cesaria Évora does not sing in English and she's one of my favorite singers. It doesn't really make sense to argue against the market; it is what it is. I just wish it were different.
Now that I’ve gotten that little rant out of the way, I’m going to add to the buzz surrounding 65DaysOfStatic. They’re good (and ok, they sing in English they don’t sing, for the most part they’re instrumental, but if they did, it might be in English because they’re from Sheffield, England; so, this doesn’t exactly reinforce the point I would like to make above). People describe them as post-rock and compare them to Explosions in the Sky. My friend Scott likes them. He likes them so much that he was willing to make all the necessary phone calls to get them rebooked somewhere else on a Friday night in New York when Europa tried to cancel their show because they arrived half an hour late for their scheduled slot (due to U.S. customs). Somehow, common sense prevailed and 65dos ended up headlining.* They are currently touring the U.S. and I would catch them now at a smaller venue if possible. Their September schedule includes places like Madison Square Garden and the Toyota Center in Houston because they will be opening for (ahem?) the Cure on the second leg of their tour.
Here is a video of Don't Go Down to Sorrow.
* I was not present at this show because I was moments away from getting some much needed sleep when my friend called me. I regretted not seeing them as much as I regret missing the entire Siren Festival, Hal Wilner in Prospect Park, Matmos at Lincoln Center, and the Brazilian Girls at Summerstage. Sometimes, I need to rest before I can even enjoy music. Oh, now that I see Head Stapler has included them in the podcast, I recall that Gogol Bordello was scheduled to perform on Friday at Irving Plaza too.
Labels: 65DaysOfStatic
15 Comments:
Hello Heidi.
I agree with you to an extent on wishing foreign artists would keep their native tongue... but I understand why they choose to use English or French or Tagalog or German or whatever is a common tongue to sell more music, because not everyone wants to rock to music they don't understand... I mean, they could be praising genocide or something and the music is really great to dance to... (Maybe that is a good mix... in the right hands... DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE I GO). One band who I really like is Die Fantastichen Vier, and all their lyrics are in German. No idea what they're saying and I am sure I could find a translation that sucked, but I prefer feeling like I am part of a global community and not just an english speaking world. That sounds stupid, that I am afraid to learn the translation in case the magic would be ruined.
A band who I wish kept their raps in their native tongue and NOT GO ENGLISH, is King Orgasmus One. They suck. Don't even bother. I think I prefer subtitles to over dub for sure. But when I am reading translations, it just depresses me because so much is lost in the translation. Yeah. anyways. My spanish is for crap. I dabbled in Russian to talk to the fishermen who pass through... Turns out they are Russian Orthodox and prefer their ladies in dresses and bonnets and SILENT... so useless knowing Russian, unless you consider how it helps read maps. Knowing Tagalog on the West coast is uselful in general, and that's probably the language I understand the best... It is the most common of 97 dialects used and boy...Filipino music is something else... Oh. so, yes I agree with bringing on the international. And I really liked the 65Daysofstatic. Thanks.
Tagalog?! Wow. I don't think I've ever even heard Tagalog spoken. Maybe because I've never been to the Philippines. Bring it on.
Anyway, I'm going to set myself on a mission to get people to talk about bands they like that come from non-English speaking countries, whether or not those bands choose to use English.
I like the track on the video way better than the ones on the napcast just because their instruments sound more organic. The ones on the Napcast - the guitarist has a chorus like effect on the guitar and the keyboards are just awash in bad synth tones. So, thanks for posting the video. That actually makes me curious about seeing them live. I've seen a lot of band lately like Maserati or Parts & Labor whose music you can't judge by their recorded output but instead have to see the band live. I suspect his is one of those bands.
Ramon, your opportunity:
July 26th at the Meridian Red Room, Houston, TX.
Heidi, I think I understand the basic sentiment you express in paragraph 1 and I appreciate that, but I think you are misguided on several points in the way you express it.
“I’m over the global hegemony of the English language in popular music.”
There is no global hegemony of the English language. I can’t tell you for sure about every language, but my impression is that other languages are not that different from Spanish, where most of the popular music is not in English. Music in English gets played in many cultures but from that to global hegemony is a long shot. I think what you are saying is that you want more non-English music around you.
“All of you musicians for whom English is not your first language, please sing, rap, chant, and make song titles in languages we don’t yet understand.”
We do. And living in New York City, you should know that. You are likely only a few blocks away from popular music in a myriad of languages. And if what you are wishing for here is that there be non-English music on the U.S. popular music charts and radio, just give it some time. There are many non-English language a stations in the US.
“The American, English, Scottish, Irish, Australian, Kiwi, South African and Commonwealth Caribbean and other countries include fans that should be sophisticated enough to listen and appreciate the diversity of languages representing other cultures.”
That statement is kind of condescending. Of course there are, and of course we know that, and of course they do listen to music in other languages, as I’m sure you do. And of course, the reason we don’t always write in languages other than English has little or nothing to do with whether there are or not people in English speaking countries that appreciate music in languages they don’t understand. The music in languages other than English is there and not hard to find.
Also, listening to music in other languages is not necessarily a sign of sophistication – check out all those “world music” enthusiasts.
“If you want, throw in a few subtitles to help us out. Otherwise, f*** it.“ I think what you’re trying to say is, Don’t worry about us, do your thing. But instead, it sounds like you are saying, write in whatever language you like, we don’t care what you’re saying, but if it makes you feel better, throw in some subtitles and we might read them, the way we might read liner notes on a record sleeve.
“Why bother creating lyrics in English when most of our market listens to crap?”
I bet most of the world markets in every language listen to crap. At least most of the Spanish market does. Do you think the only reason to write music in English (or any other language) is for the market? I don’t think you do. And to think that such is what we do, seems again a little condescending. Even if you were talking to Julio Iglesias or Ricky Martin or Marc Anthony or Shakira, all of whom have recorded in English and enjoyed success in the English speaking market, even if you were talking to them, it would be silly to chide them for singing in English. You can chide them for sucking, but why would they not want to sing in English if they can, why limit their options? They’ve all continued to record in Spanish as well as in English (except maybe Shakira, I don’t know what her deal is, she’s really gone sour).
“The portion of the market that doesn’t listen to crap has enough curiosity to find you if you’re any good.”
This is not true, there are many who listen to good music in English who care nothing for music that they can’t understand. And I can’t blame them.
Also, the way you’re using “good” in the above line reminds me of those who say, If the music that accompanies your foreign lyrics sounds like what we English speakers consider good, then we’ll pay attention. Statements like that don’t show any more interest in a foreign culture than does the person who says, If its not made in the USA I don’t buy it. If you want to learn about the music of other cultures, you have to also listen to what may at first sound like crap.
As I said, I think I understand the basic sentiment behind your statement, you want more variety in your music and you don’t want people to anglicize their music just because you don’t speak their first language. Fair enough, but consider my example. Spanish is my first language, yet I have written in both languages for as long as I remember. There are things I can say better in English and things I can say better in Spanish, and things I can’t say very well in either. Translating in and of itself can be a very rewarding enterprise. ¿Que hubiera pasado si hubiera escrito todo este mensaje en español?
PS - i dug the video, havent heard the podcast yet.
Stereo Total sings in a few different languages so you got to give them credit for that. Plus their rendition of Push It Real Good is sooo sexy with those French accents.
I'm not sure if PIRG is the proper title for that Salt & Peppa song.
Um, it is Salt & Peppa isn't it?
Yep, Roberto, I have to say I agree with you on all points- except for the hegemony (and clearly, Spanish has that too, in a way that Czech doesn't, for example)- but, the way I expressed it came out as a brain fart. In fact you're right, the thought remains more as a sentiment than something I can articulate.
Harrumph. Something is bothering me and I don't know exactly what it is. Maybe it's what I perceive to be a hardline division between the 'rock' music and 'world' music.
As I amended in the post, having an argument about what I wish the marketplace for music was like is pointless. I suspect, though, that the channels by which we gain access to new and interesting music are more filtered than you might think. I know, the internet, blah, blah, blah...
I should have stated "definitely, throw in the subtitles, please. I like to hear foreign languages, but would also like to know what you're trying to say." It would be interesting (for me, anyway) to have the roles reversed. If you're a Polish rock fan, you're probably used to singing along in English and translating. How cool would it be for Americans to sing along to a Polish rock band and work out what the words meant in English? I question why it doesn't happen. It can't be because all Polish rock bands suck. (For clarification, Poland is a stand-in for every other country or region where people don't speak native English and listen to a lot of alternative/indie/punk/metal etc.)
At heart, I'm probably a bit of a conspiracy theorist.
FYI, am now trolling the internet for Eastern European and Vietnamese punk rock bands... I should be doing work that pays my bills.
Tagalog?! Wow. I don't think I've ever even heard Tagalog spoken. Maybe because I've never been to the Philippines.
I bet you have heard Tagalog and didn't realize that's what you were hearing. I know I have.
I think its on the corner of 23rd and 44th drive in Long Island City. Anyways, right behind PS1 there is a filipino church with mass in tagalog. The sign on the awning by the entrance says 'Iglesia Ni Cristo' which I assume means Church of Christ in Tagalog, but in spanish it means 'Church, not even Christ'.
I just noticed that you edited your post. I'm not used to that, sorry.
Anyways, I tend to agree with you that there seems to be a hardline division between 'rock' and 'world'. But defining world music is tricky, for one it sounds anglocentric, kind of like colored music. Also the term 'world music' has fallen into complete disrepair by labels manufacturing international sounding music for anglo consumption.
But do we really need to have that dichotomy? The truth is that there is plenty of rock in many languages, tons of excellent rock in spanish at least, and i've heard some very cool eastern european rock bands singing in their languages as well as asian rock. However, if other languages are like the spanish rock scene, you will find the market full of bands that merely imitate anglo bands and make an effort to kill any non-anglo influence, even as they still sing in spanish. this does not mean that there aren't some great bands that really mix it up. In my opinion some of the spanish rock bands that are mixing it up are playing the best rock music around these days. If you dig a little bit you'll find a lot of very cool rock music in spanish that is not afraid to mix it up in ways anglo bands haven't dared to in years. I have to imagine that the same is true for other languages, but of course in their own scale. I mean way more people speak spanish than czech so one would imagine way more bands playing rock in spanish. but i bet the czech bands are there, somwhere. Like most music worth listening to, you have to put in a little work to find it. but you know that.
... and before anybody points the obvious out, yes i realize that punk rock is a cultural byproduct of disaffected youth. countries without disaffected youth are unlikely to have punk bands.
I forgot to say thanks for a very thought-inspiring post. The subject of language and music is very close to my heart. And even if I may have written the above full of confidence and apparent know-it-all, that is not quite the truth. Living with two languages and two cultures is not a simple nor easy matter. So any discussion of the issue is always welcome and very much appreciated. thanks.
This post has been sort of sticking in my craw all week, and I think what it is is the underlying assumption that us English speakers are the only market that mostly listens to crap.
This troubles me for a couple reasons:
1. An increasing number of bands I like (Arcade Fire, Spoon, Modest Mouse, Interpol) are charting regularly in the top ten and I'm trying to determine if this means my taste has turned to crap when I'm not looking.
2. I really don't believe English-speaking countries have a hegemony on bad taste. I've been to Japan, and the Boredoms don't get played on the radio there. I went to Hungary, and somehow I wound up with some friends in a small room where a local group was playing awesome traditional Hungarian folk music as a group of old and young people danced. Sounds like paradise, but talking to one of the folks there I quickly came to realize that we were in a room with the roughly 30 people in Budapest who gave a shit, which is probably a rounding error when calculating music tastes and comparing to the thousands out numbing their brains to club tunes.
That said, I often get disappointed that the NZ hip-hop bands never rap in Maori, at least from what I've heard. But then again, Maori language in NZ is a complicated, thorny issue, as it was all but dead until recently and most people weren't raised on it, plus too it's not like hip-hop is an indigenous NZ tradition. Although I've put up a couple of African-language rap tracks on previous NAPcasts.
I also always thought it was cool that The Pixies had some Spanish-language songs.
Did you get to see Los Planetas at Primavera, Heidi? Spanish (or Catalan) shoegaze. I'm not sure which, and even if I was more well versed on the linguistic differences, their music was profoundly shoegazer and therefore lyrically incomprehensible.
Name some countries that don't have disaffected youth, by the way. Having been watching a bunch of films at the film festival, it seems like every country has a film about some unhappy young people coming of age and not fitting in to their society.
I like the 65DOS songs on the NAPcast better than the video. Go figure.
Okay that's enough contrarianism. Time to shower and go see four more movies.
I went to Hungary, and somehow I wound up with some friends in a small room where a local group was playing awesome traditional Hungarian folk music as a group of old and young people danced. Sounds like paradise, but talking to one of the folks there I quickly came to realize that we were in a room with the roughly 30 people in Budapest who gave a shit,
Please let me know where that room is. I might have an opportunity to visit it soon.
Nah, I don't think we have a monopoly on bad taste either.
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