The Big What Ifs...

[Kiki]

I saw a book today regarding some big "What Ifs..." in music. I should have brought the book so I could describe it in greater detail. However, I didn't take anything from my pocket and I will have to tell you what I can remember.

Okay, it is a book with What ifs. Scenarios. The might have been and might not have beens. First thing which kicked it off (I'm paraphrasing all of them by the way) was "What if Elvis was drafted earlier into the army and spent the rest of his days a support act?". Pretty big stuff. I mean they're the King. Lots heard them. Without Elvis there are many artists who would have had to find other influences and idols. The pop music world without Elvis would be quite different by the time 2013 was to come.

Others included "What if riot police had to be used at Woodstock and the love and peace movements image was greatly tarnished", "What if the 27 curse was broken", "What if MTV was shunned by the public and hip hop never reached the mainstream', "What if Religion beat The Beatles (I'm not sure what this one meant, didn't read far enough, maybe John's God comments?) and some others I can't remember. None were "What if so and so played on this album or what if this dude joined that band". Lots of wider reaching events in pop music.

After dealing with all these post Chuck Berry 'What ifs...' near the end they pull out "What if the idea of recording music never took off with artists at the start of the last century and live performances were still a privilege." I may have not wrote it as well as it written but wow... no chance for BEA to even exist in such a world! Even if recording music was decided worthwhile again after the world wars it simply shuffles the deck too much.

One of the most interesting of all was about no one famous and instead what might have been... what if one random person died and they were to give a great contribution to music. Someone who was in the position (opposed to someone less opportunities) to give something amazing but one mistake or decision cost them. Is it worthwhile feeling sad over this? What about just being aware of the potential we are missing out on? Should such an idea breed sober thoughts about are place in these things, being one music listener and possibly musician?

As I said, I don't have the book and I haven't read what the author had wrote about each scenario. I thought I would share to see what can be made of the fragmented details and perhaps we can create our own 'What if...' What event or idea could have swung the other way to change music as it is today? Could write what you think would have happened had something in music's past been different?

[Guest]

What if instead of the guitar being the primary instrument in rock music, it was the accordion? Or something else. Heh. The triangle. Comfortably Numb would be renowned for its triangle solo...Time would be renowned for its triangle solo too, it would fit the cover art.

[meccalecca]

What if slaves were never brought over to the United States?

What if Joseph Jackson was had his children taken away from him by child protective services?

What if Bob Dylan had a pretty voice?

What if the majority of music press was based in Germany, Chile, and Turkey?

What if Kate Bush was unattractive?

What if Tupac and Biggie were lovers?
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[Kiki]

[meccalecca]

[AlexZangari]

Mecca, fuck you for making me feel grateful for slavery.

I'm going to go bang my head against a wall until I forget what a horrible person I am.
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kill yr idols

[MrFrogger]

I think we're all forgetting the biggest" what if" of them all













What if we shoot an alien?

[Guest]

On the issue of slavery ultimately benefitting music: I don't think appreciating the music we've gotten as a result of slavery is in any way expressing a gratitude toward slavery itself. After all, much of the greatest music in the world deals with very dark subject matter. Just think of all the great music we wouldn't have if murder weren't a thing. Or suicide. Or rape, or depression, or a million other horrible, horrible things. Idk about everyone else, but I'm pretty comfortable loving Joy Division's albums without being grateful of the fact that Ian Curtis was depressed. In fact, I would argue that the most powerful forms of artistic expression arise from the longtime suffering of individuals or groups of people.

[benpaco]

So ... as much as I don't like to think about what ifs as I don't understand quantum enough to really question anything (and that gets really complex with "well you imagine it and it happened" or "there's a timeline with that" or "no matter what we'd be here" or "we aren't here"), I think we've missed the biggest question of them all:

What if suicide wasn't possible?

What if we still had Ian Curtis making music? What if Nirvana was planning a return tour and a 6th album? What if Sid Vicious had decided that a solo career wasn't for him, and was now making music with Lemmy and Jerry Only? What if Elliott Smith's career was able to relaunch and he became the prolific singer/songwriter when people think of that genre? What if Smith was now working on an album with Sparklehorse? What if Nick Drake was just now retiring at 65?

There are so so many great people we lost to suicide. If it wasn't possible, music would be so terribly different now.
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. . . 2016 . . . 2015 . . .

Things I Make

[Kool Keith Sweat]

ah yes... quantum and suicide...