Reading and writing and mp3s

Since I've been on such a reading kick lately, I thought I'd share some things I've been reading online about the role of music writing and music blogs and all of that:

• MP3 Blogs vs. Music Blogs:  Different Purposes? on Condemned to Rock 'n Roll
• Nightlife/The Dream of Your Own Paparazzi on Flux-Rad
• Dancing About Architecture on Flux-Rad

To be perfectly honest, I find myself alternately fascinated and exhausted by this stuff.  I've never been called out on my writing - mostly because I've never claimed to be much of a music writer - but I routinely see the writers at the Nashville Scene (and the Nashville Cream) torn apart because of their taste, or their personal musicianship (or lack of musicianship), or whatever standards the Scene/Cream readers have conjured up in their own heads for the role of music writer.  Plus, I routinely struggle with what my intentions are for this blog - while I don't like to think I'm of the "regurgitating press releases" category, I'm certainly never critical, and I'm not sure I ever provide thoughtful commentary about the artists and music I'm discussing.  So this is interesting stuff to think about.

Basically when I get confused about what I'm doing with this blog, I have to step back and remember that first and foremost, I'm a DJ.  In both DJing and blogging I think I'm attempting to be a something like a curator; a cheerleader; a guide. 

Comments

[Darrin]

Most of us straddle the line between being a music blog and an mp3 blog. And I kinda like that happy medium. Anyone who has the sticktoitivness to keep their blog going for more than a couple of months probably goes through phases where they post stuff they know will get hits (especially once you've gotten some attention... it's quite addictive). But I think after a while if you're doing it just cuz you love it, you start posting about whatever strikes your fancy. And it's those people I make it a point to read. The people who do it because they have to... because they love music and they want to turn others on to what they like, or they want to share their perspectives about how music relates to their life. Those blogs are a hell of a lot more interesting that someone who just posts the latest MP3 leaks, or just does album reviews.