Addendum

Ok, well I thought more about the issues that I was blogging about the other day, and I just wanted to add a few points. I wasn't in a very good mood so my arguments weren't very balanced. Also my dad sent me an email which made some good points I agree with so I thought Id add them.

Basically, I know the majority of pop has always been lame, with a minority of some listenable bands there (Dad mentioned the Arctic Monkeys and I mentioned Amy Whinehouse)
and all music is a question of taste (beauty in the eye of the beholder etc.). Think back to the 60s, I mean I don't really like the Beatles, but compared to the old crooners who were around when they started out, they were miles ahead in terms of talented song writing and making enjoyable music. So there has always been crap pop and reasonably listenable pop in my eyes. But I still think I want to know why all the music that has really changed my life, that has really helped me express my emotions, is so unknown and unrecognised when compared to the Crazy Frog.

I mean some people argue that for something to be liked by a lot of people, it has to be really bland and formulaic. Maybe the reason I like the music I do, and it expresses my emotions so well, is that I've felt the emotions the people who made the music felt, and with great skill they've managed to put these feelings into music. And so when I hear the music, I recognise the emotions, were as other people just don't, it just sounds like noise. And because a limited number of people can relate to that music, it has a niche following. This is one theory. Another, is that most people just don't like emotional music... everyone has something they want from their music, and some people don't want to release emotions through music, they just simply want something that is happy or something with a good beat to dance too. Or with Hip hop, maybe they just want something with intelligent lyrics that make them think or laugh. I suppose there are a lot of different layers to this, since people like the same music for different reasons, there is no one reason why we do or don't like something. And different people like to be challenged on different levels.

So, in hindsight, I really just want to know why most people don't seem to like challenging music. That is what I felt when I heard what was in the charts, I felt it was unchallenging, Id heard it all before done better. Maybe some people manage to find something in it, but right now, I don't, and I wonder why. As I said before, my conclusion is either I'm out of touch with what most people find challenging in music, or good challenging music isn't making it into the charts anymore. Ok, well I hope that has made things a bit clearer.

Now, back to Apple.... basically, my beef isn't just to do with the MacBook Air, but just the whole company's general attitude, which I believe I sort of touched on, but didn't really explore last time. Their just becoming even worse then Microsoft in terms of monopoly... their stupid iPhones and iPods that only work with iTunes, and iTunes music that has DRM so you can't do whatever you want with it. The iPhone only works on one mobile operator and the contract has to be for at least 18 months. If I remember correctly, the Germans threw a fit when the iPhone was released, and Apple were forced to reduce the contract and consider letting people unlock the phones to let people use them on other networks to escape the wrath of German anti-monopoly laws. And last I heard you can't get the iTunes service in France at all, because the French government said: if you pay for music, you should be able to do whatever you want with it, and put it on rival mp3 players. Apple didn't like that, so they just never released a French iTunes.

If Microsoft released stuff that was equally incompatible, people would be up in arms. I mean people bang on about how rubbish Vista is, but it still runs more software then Macs. Apple has used Microsoft-style tactics to completely buy up the smartphone and mp3 player markets, and people still get excited about their next release and journalist's eat out of the palms of their hands, unlike Microsoft who if you ask me, have received an unfair amount of criticism. I've used Vista, its installed on Jamie's PC (also note it is also the 64 bit version, which has less compatibility then the normal 32bit version) and we've never had any problems with it. Apart from it didn't like his old USB wireless dongle, but oh well, they only cost 20 quid for a new one. I bet no third party wireless dongles work with Macs...

Blarg

Ok my blogs are very ranty today, sorry. Probably in a really bad mood. Not sure why. I wish I had something more positive and enlightening to write, but very little has happened in my life recently, I've just been sat around at home with Hazel, or at lectures. I've been avoiding the outside world because of half term and valentines day, both of which just seem to spawn lots of annoying people doing annoying things in my face when I walk around outside. Also there is starting to be some mothers day stuff in the shops and I don't know how to feel about it. Memories from this time last year are starting to come back to me and it makes me withdraw. I'm managing to go to lectures and get some work done and look after myself. I get quite angry sometimes and just like to be alone, other times i just become all needy and need company. Just depends what sort of day I've had really. Jamie going back to London this week has made me quite down this week as well. I know its whats best for him, and he needs to be with his family for now (because his granddad has just died of throat cancer FYI) and now he is not at uni any more he needs a job. But I still miss him a lot because he was probably one of the main people I talked to, and he was always in, so I felt like i needed to talk to someone, he was always there. I should be OK though, normally one of the girls is in, its just one less person to talk to.

Apple sux

Apple's new MacBook Air sounds like complete wank. Its got: an aluminium case that apparently causes interference with its WiFi, and by the way, the WiFi is the only networking its got. No ethernet, cos ethernet isn't cool enough for Jobby anymore. And 1 USB port, because having lots of things plugged into it makes it look ugly and usable. We don't want that, thats not the Apple way.

No DVD/CD drive, so no films or music, unless you buy and download them from Apple over its shitty WiFi using iTunes. Only you can't do that, because its only got an 80gb hard disk. It has a 2 and a half our battery life, and thats without any external things plugged into it, which you'll obviously need because its so under-featured. And the screen looks small.
And you get all this joy and more for £1,200. Go look on Dell's website and see what that gets you.

Unless Apple suddenly completely changes overnight, I don't honestly think I will ever buy one of their products. For the amount they charge, it just simply isn't worth it.

Music

Urgh the music most people listen too sucks.

I just took one look at the top 40 and was like "I wouldn't listen to any of this." I get exposed to more pop then normal these days because of Hazel, but she played me the top 3 singles and their all awful. I can barely stand to listen to them, let alone buy them. Did you know the biggest selling single of 2007 was Arvil Lavigne's "Girlfriend"? Ok, maybe the singles charts have never been a bastion of good taste, but seriously: the decline of modern music in the last few years is just shocking. No wonder record sales are down 10% in 2007, its not cos of the piracy, its because there is no good pop music to buy.

Fortunately, I'm fine with my own music for now, I currently have a long list of metal I'm interested in and about 10gbs of music that needs to be listened to for the first time. Ok, it might not all be good, but some of it should be. And a lot of it is new, so there are clearly still a lot of good metal bands around making good metal. The question that really begs to be answered, is why does most of Jo Public like such crap music? I honestly don't get how people can listen to most of it. Ok, Amy Whinehouse and Kate Nash, although aren't my taste, I understand why someone would like them. Same way I can understand when women say a guy is hot, I can normally see what they mean. But with the current top 40... I can't see why anyone would fork out any money for it at all.

I honestly don't know whats to blame with pops decline, maybe its the Crazy frog, I mean if that hell spawn can be number one for 17 weeks (or however long it actually was), maybe that just opened the gates of hell and let all this shit infest the charts. I'm even disgusted at the most liked bands on the Aber network on facebook.... 1. Muse and like Oasis at 3... i mean their listenable... but I wouldn't buy it.... Clearly I'm just out of touch with most pop listeners and mainstream radio friendly music, but I'm not the only one. The last CD I got with Terroriser CD was fucking amazing, got me into so many new British bands, I got it back in December and I was listening to it earlier today.

So clearly there are other people who have similar taste to me, but maybe we're just minority nowadays. Also I don't know if id like my music to get mainstream coverage... but all I'm saying is: I wish people would stop watching boring reality TV, absurd soap operas and looking for Madeline McCann, and stop listening to mindless boring repetitive music. Wake the fuck up, pull your head out your arse, use your brain, open your eyes and ears, there is so much better music with so much more passion and skill involved then fucking Avril Lavigne. Everyone who bought that fucking CD should be shot.