Good morning, Friday. Happy 4th to all my fellow Americans out there. Hope it's a safe and wonderful long weekend, with liberty and justice for all.
So last night I got to see one of my favorite bands of all time, The Stone Roses. Those that know me well know that when wine soaked conversations lead to chats about music, I almost always cite this amazing band from Manchester with one real hit album as one of the best bands on Earth. I'm not alone in this thought- their self titled debut was voted one of the best albums of all time in England. And the Brits know a thing or two about music. That's for damn sure. Even if it is Independence Day weekend and the whole Brexit debacle has everyone completely tweaked, you gotta give it to them. They're brilliant at music.
They played at Madison Square Garden and the crowd was absolutely mad for them. It was an incredible testament to the power of music- this is an album that came out in 1989 and it still sounds so absolutely stellar today. The music is so lush, layered, narcotic. I could never get enough of them and I still can't. I have always been obsessed with that Manchester/Hacienda vibe- wish I had been there and I admired it from across the pond as a young one. But it got me thinking about the times in which we live in, where pop culture is now a very ephemeral notion with very little power to transcend. It also made me think about how wonderful the Brits are, but that's another story. Maybe this Brexit thing will lead to some great music. Who knows. Time will tell. There was no EU when the Beatles, Stones, or Stone Roses were just getting started. I don't know- just a thought.
So listening to that incredible sound made me feel a little sad. I'm not a nostalgic girl but it's hard not to think about what the legacy of today's music will be in the future. Maybe it doesn't matter, but maybe it matters to me. Everything created nowadays (in creative culture at large, not just music) is build for an ephemeral moment, an ephemeral audience, and a world always ready to move on to the next big thing. I hate that everything is so temporary now- I am a go with the flow type of babe but really- is anything meant to last anymore? Is it strange that we now have the Kardashians to look to when we think of staying power? It's true The Stone Roses did not last long as a band, but that music- the music endures. It stands the test of time. It survives. As do Ian Brown's cheekbones. My friend and I think he was descended from Druids. How else to explain his appeal? Oh yea, he's a Brit. You know how we American babes are a sucker for a British boy.
As I figure out the next phase of my very own career, I think about this often- how to stay relevant, how to embrace what's next, how to reach a new audience when it comes to marketing my skills. But I'm bummed that there's no "there there" anymore. I'm not trying to make myself extinct, but think about it- what will be long lasting and transcend time when it comes to creativity today? How can true artists compete with a generation that Snapchats their way through life? I believe strongly in embracing new media, but I'm most worried about the message. From the looks of the crowd at the show last night, I think others are feeling it too- that there's something amazing about music and artistry that can not only take you back to a moment in time, but also appreciate the very moment you're in. I hate the very notion of nostalgia, but as I figure out what's ahead, is it really so bad to look back- particularly when there's something so wonderful about music, art, and creative genius that stands the test of time. I feel like we've really lost something along the way in our quest to do everything in real time. Where's the endurance there?
So really I'm worried we are losing ourselves and taking this "be in the moment" thing a bit too literally. I'm more interested in staying power- and even if that means adapting to what's happening, I still want it to be memorable and well done. I guess I'm just a classic girl, who wants time to be on her side.
Cause that's what's up this happily Independent Friday in Brooklyn. Yours, in making it last. XO