Voice: A Call to Action
Originality should be the goal of both artist and consumer
By Eric Frank
July 9, 2016
As a musician, one’s goal should be to distinguish your own voice. No matter the instrument, no matter the means, voice separates oneself from the herd. And as the herd in Colorado continues to grow, that separation becomes increasingly important and increasingly more difficult.
But what good is a voice if you don't have an audience? And diametrically, what good is an audience if you don't have a unique and original voice?
By the latter statement, I mean audiences aren't exactly helping artists nor the scene at large to develop and distinguish their own original voice, instead choosing to continually drool over and gobble up tired, regurgitated music.
I've heard from countless colleagues and friends about how they "play covers to pay the bills ". That statement deeply saddens me and is disheartening to me as an artist. And it's not that I'm against cover songs. They can be fun for both the band – especially if tweaked or given the band's personal touch (i.e. their own voice, a la The Bad Plus) – and a familiar tune can certainly engage an audience.
Therefore, I believe a call to action is in order. The call is to the people of Colorado—the audiences supporting and attending the concerts of our local artist community. The call is to art itself... to expand our horizons of musical familiarity, of aural boundaries and sonic compliance. Colorado, and Denver in particular, has all the makings of being THE artistic hub in the United States but it takes a collected and concerted effort to accomplish it.
I have no doubt that our musicians are up to the task. The talent circulating in the area runs deep and wide and continues to impress musically and personally. Seriously, our musicians are great people! The challenge, then, falls upon the shoulders of the people…
To listen to new music. To seek out new bands and artists. To spread the word about something fresh, to seek the unknown and ultimately, to wean ourselves off of cover bands, of expired melodies and bands extinct. Trends and movements are created by the brave individuals that set new courses, not out of the familiarity of a well-beaten path.