Look, I realize it's ragtime. But if we're looking at the opening post—specifically regarding Strauss—we have to acknowledge that this was essentially pop music for the masses back then. Some of those waltzes are just so high-caliber that they've basically been elevated to the status of classical masterpieces. It’s the same logic applied to opera, particularly with Verdi; after all, who's to say an aria like Va pensiero isn't a legitimate masterpiece of the classical canon? Personally, I found this specific performance by the Metropolitan Opera to be quite impressive.
Forget all that—shrink the numbers however you want. We’re all stuck in this mess together, taking hits both financially and emotionally, but treating everything like just a game of percentages and statistics doesn't hold water. It’s easy to dismiss people by saying they’re "elderly" or "high-risk." But those individuals might still have years left to spend with their families, and every single death leaves behind an emotional and economic crater for a huge number of people. My mother is 77 and definitely in a high-risk category, but based on her current health, she’s doing great—it would be devastating if she were taken out just because I wanted some peace of mind...
This isn't the flu; it’s the first wave of this virus, and precisely because we don't know the long-term consequences or whether immunity even develops, precautions are necessary. Sure, we might get hammered financially, but it’s not our first time being broke. Honestly, maybe this is a necessary wake-up call for the entire world—because whether you're in a wealthy nation or a developing one, it forces a shift in perspective. Perhaps family, loved ones, and friends actually matter more than material possessions, despite the materialistic world we inhabit. A great steak can be just as satisfying as a hearty bowl of chili or some comfort food made with lard. Sometimes, sitting around a campfire with good company feels better than a fine-dining experience at a luxury restaurant surrounded by people who just grate on your nerves. Maybe once this isolation passes, we'll finally realize how much more important the people we love truly are compared to stuff.
Usually, I only stick to the specific thread where a controversy breaks out just so I can keep track of the details, but here’s the reality: during what should have been a perfectly normal discussion, two users started dropping side comments and insults aimed at Ivica. He eventually fired back with a sharper response, but—and this is key—he didn't resort to personal attacks or insult anyone else, unlike them. After Ivica posted his rebuttal, I believe two other users stepped up to support him, and that's when the moderation kicked in and deleted everything.
Look, I don't personally have an issue with posts being removed, but as I've said before, once they're gone, we lose all evidence of whether those posts were actually sanctioned or not. It feels more transparent to leave them up so everyone can see where the moderation stands—that way, other users can judge the severity of the infraction and understand the actual boundaries of acceptable communication. Besides, just because you can't see a post doesn't mean action was taken; ignoring the behavior is insulting to the users who were actually targeted by the insults or mockery.
I'm speaking from experience here—I once lost my cool and insulted two people on a different sub-forum. Instead of a real penalty, the mod just wiped my post and sent me a private message saying, "take it easy," adding that he’d probably say the same thing to them if he wasn't a super-mod. That sparked a whole mess, and in an attempt to settle things, I ended up repeating the behavior elsewhere, where Nica rightfully could have handed me a formal warning. When it comes to insults, deleting the content is fine only if the victim receives the same level of sanction as the offender. But since that isn't how it works, deleting posts just leaves people wondering and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of whoever was being attacked.
I actually did the same thing once—sent a customized enforcement proposal to a fellow forum member after they asked about the changes to the collection laws in a DM. I just filled in all the cost details they were supposed to handle themselves, but honestly, I can't be expected to spend my whole day monitoring private messages...
Just post your question here in the thread and you'll get an answer. We have plenty of attorneys and legal experts on this board, but let's be clear: this forum isn't a free legal aid clinic, especially since the topic is public.
Betty Johnson61 said:God, what cheapness. Using extreme philosophical relativism here. You know, like that line from that old cult movie—"I've been all over the damn prison system."
Sure, everyone has their own taste, but there’s such a thing as common sense. I mean, someone might have a "taste" for something horrific like harming children—is that normal to you? No. So, we've effectively defined "bad taste" through basic decency.
Quality is defined by logic—and by common sense, for that matter. What's next? Do we need to define logic and common sense too? Hah...
And yes, quality can be defined. But without resorting to that twisted kind of relativism that ignores reality. Anyone can do that.
So, no one's personal taste is an universally accepted metric for quality? Hmm... If good taste is supposed to be a benchmark for quality (read the two sentences above before attacking this), then is a lack of consensus on taste also a benchmark? If nobody agrees on what constitutes taste, does that make everything "good"? Are you playing psychological games now, trying to convince yourself the Earth is flat?
Subjective experience of cathedrals, huh? As if subjective experience isn't something we acknowledge? Fine, but that's the point—if art is subjective, then so is the impact of cathedrals. But you forgot to mention that just because most people see cathedrals as something significant doesn't mean they hold any weight in the vastness of the universe.
According to your brand of relativism, QUALITY DOESN'T EXIST—because no one is qualified to say what is high quality. But if that were true, then quality and lack thereof wouldn't exist at all. And since everything clearly isn't equal, that's where your logic falls apart.
As for the rest of this... hahahahahahaha...
Stop playing with these cheap relativistic tropes. It's child's play.
Come on, Seva—before you get banned and we're stuck looking for a new clone, just tell us plain and simple: who's the greater artist, Koja or Rowland S. Howard, and why?
Dickon Hinchliffe, once part of Tindersticks before diving headfirst into solo projects and film scoring... Ever stop to ask yourself why , Baby, Acceptance, Ripper in the Belly, Father
@Old Soul, thanks for those links to Michael Nyman. I’ve always considered Peter Greenaway one of my absolute favorite directors—though I haven't paid enough attention to who actually composed his scores—and Prospero's Books is easily one of his best, right up there with The Pillow Book and Drowning by numbers.
Raymond Walker5 said:To plenty of people, yeah. Obviously, names like Michael Nyman or Craig Armstrong aren't exactly obscure—they're huge figures in the industry—but they aren't exactly household names you'd discuss in the same breath as someone like Bruce Springsteen, Hans Zimmer, or Led Zeppelin. In this thread, it seems people are mostly familiar with artists who fit into some specific post-apocalyptic garage-hip-hop punk niche.
My dear young man, why on earth do you feel the need to assert your musical superiority over everyone else in every single discussion? This whole thread was started with the intention of sharing those "hidden gems"—those underrated artists that span all sorts of genres.
Specifically, since you were busy listing genres, I included everything from blues and AOR rock to alternative, punk, and post-rock... Some people will dig it, most won't, and that's just how it goes.
Whether you want to admit it or not, Zeppelin is bigger than Elton—let's be real, it is—but you're entitled to your own opinion. I support your take, and that doesn't mean I don't know my music. If we all thought exactly the same way, we’d probably all be listening to the exact same song.
For instance, I was looking through the lineup for this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival yesterday and stumbled upon an Indigenous artist who has picked up a ton of awards in Canada, yet I'd never even heard of him before. William princ - Breathless.
Then there's a band from Canada called Soulsavers, featuring Mark Lanegan on vocals. Check out the track revival. They later recorded another album where David Gahan handled the vocals.
And then there's Antony (born Antony Hegarty), a Grammy Award winner in the UK. Listen to their cover of Leonard Cohen's If it be your will.
They aren't exactly unknowns once you get later into their careers, though the real question is how much of today's fanbase actually knows this era of their work—but it's still worth revisiting Strummer before he joined The Clash and his time with the 101ers, specifically Keys to your heart.
It’s similar with Nick Cave, looking back at his Australian roots with The Boys Next Door; Shivers already shows those early hints of what would become the Bad Seeds, even before The Birthday Party and Somebody's watching.
dustygardener43 said:I've always had a soft spot for the original British punk scene. This American iteration just doesn't quite hit the mark for me—it gives off those Ramones vibes. Americans seem much better suited for Rock-a-billy.🙂 Though I suppose the Dead Kennedys are an exception, even if they aren't "pure" punk in my book.
Personally, I'm all about that UK sound—bands like Stiff Little Fingers, and especially that Hanx! live album. Did you ever catch them playing at The Factory?
Jonathan Fire*eater—the precursor to The Walkmen, featuring a new vocalist and several musicians from The Recoys. They never quite hit the big time commercially, but they certainly paved the way for the likes of The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and the rest of that indie rock wave. It’s a shame about their singer, Stewart Lipton, passing away last year. No love like that.
Hazmat Modine—that jazz brass outfit from New York City—I actually think they played a show in Washington, D.C. about ten years ago through some local radio station.Tom & Jerry.
Then there's Dorian Wood, a Costa Rican film student; I wouldn't exactly recommend his other videos if you aren't particularly fond of seeing naked, heavy-set men on screen🙂, but this cover of Ashes to Ashes featuring just a string orchestra is something else.