Review#1

Upon these lines will soon rest 'reviews', that is to say 'critiques', of various bands or songs or albums or whatever, that is to say 'music', hopefully using some ideas from various thinkers, that is to say 'philosophers', drawn upon with our without reference, that is to say potentially 'plagiarised', apart from when the depthy insight simply comes from the systematic reduction of observed facts, that is to say, 'a posteriori'.

Round One. Red Hot Chili Peppers.

in the wake of stadium arcadium the RHCP became a postmodern version of themselves, out of nessecity rather than choice. this is to say, in this instance, a caricature. a fictitious parody of their former selves in which all clichés are embraced and made equal. sincerity and foolishness blend in dilute form to create an unbelievable fluctuating character arriving on the spoon from a long cooled soup. one cannot escape the predicament of the return to past musics in the wake of newer ones. is one's impression of the old influenced by one's impression of the new? or does a once cherished opinion hold true throughout subsequent misgivings? in this case, the dire caricature that greets you at the door of your ears plunges you back into the past, in which you recognise the traits from which this new offering has been assembled; a feeble frankenstien's monster made from what you once thought were reputable parts. the parts are thus brought into question, and the effort of a saint is needed to resolve the situation as a forgivable one, if not a man blind to his senses and inner truths. is it thusly not true that the old is rendered perpetually new, in the wake of our increasingly subtle yet precise critiques and their implications on previously held beliefs? as such, music is unable to age, and for this, only this, maybe the RHCP can be reconciled.

AN ESSAY CONCERNING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING

OF FEMALE MUSIC CONSUMPTION

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Aldric Fournier

***

'We are like chameleons, we take our hue and the colour of our moral character, from those who are around us.' - John Locke

introduction

To consider all consumers in a particular area to have the same habits is a mistake. Only a fool would be so crass so as to assume that all people from Liverpool like the Beatles, or all black people like hip-hop, or all Razorlight fans are idiots. But there is a broad exception. This exeption relates to the case of women, and is so because all women are the same.

This is an important truth, and should not be forgotten. However, to assert this does not equate to my saying that all women like the same music, which is obviously untrue. No, but the fundamental reasons for their choices in music stem from the same traits—the way women are leads them to into a state of preferring certain music to others. Imagine, if you will, all women beginning as blank slates ready to be shaped by experiences as time goes by; weathered and beaten into place by the winds of circumstance. This shaping has profound consequences on the way these women view the world and results in musical tastes determined by these experiences. I must point out that it is not just music which is shaped by these factors, but here it is music which concerns us. Thus, I postulate the theory that all women would have the same taste in music had they had the same experiences, and it is here that I will attempt to defend the profoundly ignorant dispostition of my generalisation. I am concerned with the culturally constructed woman, the idea it is the societal conditioning forced upon women from an early age that give them there woman-ness. Examples could be drawn upon where a young girl has been treated like a young boy, and thus grows up to be like one, but this deserves no more than a mention. Etiher way, and to aviod an empirical debate, let us say the result is the same: before even being consiously aware one's self, one has invarably become 'male' or 'female', in gender as opposed to sex. As Simone De Beauvoir said, "One is not born a woman; rather, one becomes a woman." Following on from this precondition, it is paradoxically reasonable to generalise about the nature of this type of woman, the female product of 21st century society, for she is in a box; she is defineable.

In keeping with the very foundations of this essay, namely the woman's impression of the songs she hears, my impression of the woman is nessesarily shaped by my own experiences. For how can objective and accurate knowledge of women's musical tastes be attained? It is from the studies I have performed, the habits and traits I have witnessed, that I draw my conclusions. Moreover, my concerns relate to a society's consumer habits, and it is largely within western society (at the present) where the best example of a population so entwined and at the mercy of consumer culture is found, most crucially in the form of music. Thus, this study is performed within and throughout the culture it critiques. It is here that I doff my hat to John Locke, for no man stands before him in arguing the significance of the experience as central to man's understanding of the world around us. This empiricism has both informed this essay, and is central to its argument.

Obviously women do not have the same experiences, nor the same tastes. This is evident; some women like anarcho-punk, some Bryan Adams. So how can one reasonably contend that their tastes (or more appropriately, the rationale behind tastes) are actually the same? One's outlook on life is determined by various things, with their treatment and perception of their treatment being central: their upbringing, how they are treated by contemporaries, elders, members of the opposite sex, etc. Also, their awareness of the influence these factors can have is of importance, for choosing not to be influenced is to define oneself as 'un-influenced', but what has influenced that choice? (As Sartre said, 'to not choose is to choose to not choose'.) This determinism gives the female music fan a subjective impression about the music she hears, thus giving her a basis on which to make a judgement. It is here where the accompanying imagery (providing there is knowledge of it, i.e. the witnessing of a music video, advert, etc), makes a further input, for it further backs up whatever impression she is making.

For women, it seems to be what the music represents which has the appeal, not the music itself, and in a broad sense this has a credibility for we know there is no objective truth to the quality of a song; no one individual can claim one song is greater than the previous. An assertion, for example, that one song has a more complicated sturcture than the last is not grounds to deduce superiority; the opinion remains subjective. Here arises complications in the cases of classical music and musical customs before popular music as we know it became so central in Western society. However, the issue here is confined to the sphere of modern music and its consumption, while appreciating the integration of popular classical pieces into everyday popular culture; the blending of 'serious music' and 'light music', using Adorno's terms. This focus on contemporary patterns is applicable because of the potential of implications prevelant in such a forcefully marketed area.

Another important aspect I beleive (as Adorno does) to have sway in music's appeal is the notion that familliarity goes a long way to securing an appreciation for a song, and this familliarity is simply brought about by making the means of listening to the song more available and desireable. This relies on imagery and symbolism, and manifests in the marketing of music. Once deemed aesthetically attractive the listener can go on to become more famillier with the song, hence believing that he/she has always apprecieted said song. A result is a loss of the 'conscious perception of music', as Adorno's says and the 'forgetting and sudden recognition of mass music'. This notion spans both sexes and an example that comes to mind would be the middle-aged man who has a seemingly baffling appreciation for tacky dance music or a girl band. Baffling, that is, until one see the video which accompanies the music. This is not to say the middle-aged man is using his liking for the song as an excuse to watch a video crammed with half-naked ladies. The intrigue is likely to start that way, but after familliarity starts to get a grip, he honestly believes he likes the song, as well as the ladies.

At this point, Adorno says, the listener must become somewhat passive if he/she is to endure it further. 'Deconcentration' allows the subject to avoid revealing the song's banal nature, simultaneously allowing immediate recognition of an abundance of music in the popular sphere. To an extent, I believe, this is accurate, but we mustn't allow ourselves to fall for Adorno's narrow minded view of consumers, and his subsequent generalisations. We must be aware of many women's habit, especially in adolescence, to do anything but listen to her favourite songs passively, at least in her opinion. The question is, is the music actually being listened to? Or is she hearing what she wants to hear? Does the music matter?

So this is not to say that men nessecarily act in an opposite, or even significantly different, way, but I would contest that these traits that we all may possess manifest themselves in the consumption of music for women far more explicitly than for men, who have, shall we say, habits which are less at the whim of their instincts with regard to this issue in particular. I would admit however than this type of consumption is spreading to a male audience more at present, and the blurring may soon become complete among certain audiences, most notably in adolescence.

Are women just more suseptable to the lure of romanticism? It must be slightly more complicated than that. There must be something within the responses and emotions which emit during the course of the conduit of interpretation which gives rise to an entirely unique, yet ubiquitous, attitude within which one can deduce an understanding of what music means to women.

With these ideas firmly in place, I will proceed to explain the role of women as consumers of music, in relation to men and in relation ot each other. I will seek to find the reasons for the appeals of certain acts and the reasons for the rejection of others, and explain them in terms of an archatypical female consumer in each case. The first way the woman consumes music involves a mix of self-respect (or lack of) and/or materialism.

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the case of the role model

The role model as a contemporary concept troubles me. We seem to have a growing reliance on figures in the public eye to set good examples to a youth who are assumed to be vulnerable to misguidance. In the same breath we decry those figures who we think have a bad influence on this very same youth, further luring them towards said misguidance, and generally being accountable for social problems. Central to this discourse is the youth themselves, apparently unable to control their own actions unifluenced.

Disregarding the heightened panics which implicate public figures in their governance of right and wrong, I still contend that there is reason to beleive in a level of influence, subtler and more subconscious than the above, which can manifest in the appropriation of aesthetic in the subject (consumer) and is based on admiration of the object (artist).

It may be most appropriate to consider this as an attempt to gain self-respect, or to draw attention to the ownership of self-respect. The music in question epitomises the post-feminist mindset of self-reliance, independence, and the degredation of men in general; a commonly mediated mindset amongst women today—just watch an episode of Loose Women, if you can bring yourself to do so. A suitalble example in the music world would be Destiny's Child and Beyoncé (lead vocalist of said group and solo artist in her own right). The underlying theme, even when not tackling the subject directly, is always the independence and strength of the woman. This is often apparent in the lyrics in showcasing the woman's strength and will, but it's also shown by the aggresive, almost manlike actions used in thier choreography, at times blended with more feminine behaviour—an occasional admission of the fact that they are actually women—and always accompanied by little attire, probably including a loincloth or some variation on this. This has the purpose of keeping men interested, while attracting the female demographic who like the pseudo-independent aspect.

The use of attractive women, and their adoption as role models, also utilises and takes advantage of the idea and acceptance that women are sexual beings too; another supposed breakdown in the male/female dichotomy. In this sense women are able to empower themselves as attractive and seductive, and tease male audiences in sort of like a, "we know you want it, but you can't have it" kind of way, complete with horizontal neck movements. This enables the artist to gain interest from sex-hungy women who allign themselves with this idea and see men as prey, much in the same way that men are percieved to see women as prey. Of course, while decrying the whole male gender, this sexual flamboyance simultaneosly attracts men, thereby ensuring both sexes are being marketed towards.

The irony of the strong-willed pop female preaching her independence whilst simultanteously using sex to sell her song is totally lost to the female consumer, who blindly accepts this manufacutured message (incidently dreamt up by an A&R department) and convinces herself that thats how she feels now: "So that's how to be succesful, sexy and in charge of your own life," they think, "you go, girl, good for you." This adoption of the aesthetic gives rise to a strange empowerment, one based on deception in all areas, which she can plan to assume for her day to day life. In actuality, the process does more to show women's insecurities, as the inevitable question arises: if so secure, so strong, so independent, then why the need to parade it with such vulgarity? This goes for musicians and fans alike.

Take the song "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls as an example. On the surface it liberates and empowers women, objectifying men. Not only does it call for a uniting of women, it renders the male population as uniform and objectifiable, and does so in the sleaziest way possible before risking being dismantled by consorship. Could this be a social reaction to a history of female supression, provoked by a need to claim politcal and societal emancipation? The question thus becomes, is the said social reaction contained within the creation of the song, or in the consumption of the song? Both answers would be troublesome, firstly because the creation of this music (indeed of most music) is to a large extent based on capital gain, and a theme is chosen in the hope that it will sell, which therefore undermines said theme—it is being exploited, not expressed authentically. Alternatively then, is female supression confronted in the consumption of music, with the issues at hand being embraced by the subject? It is not so, either because the passive listener barely engages with the music; it simply washes over as the comforting wave of familiarity, or because for the listener the message becomes purely individualised, all meaning is sucked into the realm of subjectivity in the process of consumption, and the listener fails to transcend this experience and confront societal issues such as female suppresion. Of course, it all becomes apparent when we realise that the song was in fact written by two men.

Thus, the supression of women simply remains a perpetual problem as a result of these music and marketing habits. That is to say, not only does 'It's Raining Men' fail to empower women, it (and its ilk) in fact only exhibit their insecurities in the most obvious light, and allows women to remain in boxes. The 'empowerment' aspect is illusory, and serves merely as an effective marketing tool. Furthermore, because the façade is transparent, the empowerment can never be taken seriously.

Additionally female musicians (of all types) in the pop sphere can be role models because of the life they are shown to lead, which is, in general, one of perceived comfort and respect. Money, fame, beauty, it appears, are the keys to a happy life, and women who aspire to that enjoy the music that shows it off in the most explicit ways—the ostentatious video's, the weddings in gossip magazines, the adverts and photoshoots which serve as a necessary side dish to the real career.

The subject's bitter but unavoidable intrigue into that which she cannot have is a weakness. We see it most evidently in the relentless intake of the gossip magazine. What is their purpose? Why are they interesting? Two reasons: the spiteful mockery of succesful people, usually directed at their crumbling, or expanding, figures (bodily or monetarily); and an attempt to connect with successful people, to be somehow involved in thier lives, which inevitably ends in envy. Both exhibit the subject's vain attempt to cheer herself up. It is the fantasy world to which she aspires, but the real world in which she finally and forevermore finds herself.

In this sense, the underlying reason for the woman's enjoyment of music stems from the modern societal phenomonon, the infatuation with celebrities, which in turn helps fuel the regular person's disenchantment with there own, unmistakably mediocre, life. The woman turns inwards to see where she has gone wrong, what it is missing in her own life, and finds solace in these previously mentioned musics.

***

the coup de foudre

When it comes to the unrequited attraction felt towards musicians, it is the pedestal upon which they are placed which which will forevermore be out of reach. The attraction to the successful is a well documented one, and is in fact opposed to the previous mode of consumption—the role model musician—as it requires a personal acceptance of the woman's attraction towards the male musician combined with her positing him in a higher place than her, on the pedastal. This requires a completely different type of woman, or a woman so easily swayed my marketing that one minute she's shaking her hips in girl-power splendor, the next groveling at some male lead singers equally vivacious hips, oblivious or indifferent to the clashing messages.

In the same way that power is deceptive in the role model situation, attraction is deceptive in this situation. The marketability of both situations is blatantly exploited, only moreso when it comes to selling sex. Every effort is made, every trick in the book used, to carry accross to an audience the nessecary image, and this manipulation culminates in a façade to which the audience reacts accordingly, with thier money. Akin to the habit of tending towards fewer clothes on female singers, the potential for increasing fanbase as a simple management of looks is all too obvious to not capitalise on. And, as previously mentioned, an attractive video goes a long way in to securing increased familliarity with a song, always an important consideration.

Male musicians also exhibit other attractive traits apart from their looks; abilities, musical prowess, dancing, singing, songwriting, money-making et cetera. These back up the already formulated opinions which are growing in the woman. This generally has fundamental differences to the average man's intrigue in female musicians, which is often simpler—a physical attraction or an appreciation of her music, sometimes both, but often independent of one another. It must be said that not only when the music is sold on the premise of attraction does attraction influences taste. The image of which accompanies is not always based on looks, and different members of the audience see different attractive features in the act. Some may be drawn to the over indulgent guitar soloist, with all its baggage of masculinity, others may be repulsed by this. This is simply dependent on what is deemed attractive by each individual.

On the surface, the clearest example of the doting female audeince arises in the observation of the 'live' performance, and is of course more explicit in certain groups' performances. Some acts warrant the more subdued, silent form of admiration, whereas some will be witness to a flock of screaming crowds. Well known is the Beatles' experience, which drew them away from playing live altogether, but it is also painfully obvious with the Backstreet Boys' live events. Is it unreasonable to suppose that these screaming crowds are comprised mostly of the female sex? One could assume so, or at least assume that amongst the mixed gender crowd, it is the females who are engaged in the screaming.

The question arises as to why they are seemingly unable to control their screams, and we conclude that they are, obviously, overwhelmed with excitement. But, even so, how can they possibly hear any of the music, that thing that is supposed to be central to the live experience. Answer: they can't. Thus, we deduce that in fact the music is not as integral as we once had thought, and it is the objects which are; namely, the spectacle of the Backstreet Boys or the Beatles themselves. Just to be in their presence is to enjoy the gig, they might as well turn down the music and listen to the screams, which is all you can hear anyway. This, we can be sure, is the more childish—literally, in many cases—proportion of the audience, so it would be presumptious to use this example as a microcosm for the larger female audience of varying ages and intellect. Indeed, this phemomonon is not exclusive to performances by male artists; girl bands will often give rise to the same reaction. So it seems we are talking about a different kind of attraction, one that transcends the gender of the artist and dictates some kind of besotted mass being (the audience, mostly female) gravitating towards the performers. This is the audience's joint effort in granting the artist entrance to the realm of the sublime, with a unified will to be subordinate to the spectacle.

Incidently, in the case of the Beatles, the frustration of playing to screaming audiences at least in part prompted a move towards studio-based activity, and thus engendered an abundance of innovative and inventive music. This move will have had the effect of realligning the ratio of the male/female audience inasmuch as the music now is pushed towards the forefront of the Beatles' output, as opposed to the spectacle (which does still have an undeniable importance, even behind the scenes). Therefore appreciators of the new, more challenging, music become mostly male, and women remain more faithful to the older hits. Established female fans will naturally keep liking the music, but this is because they are exactly that, established. They like the Beatles, not necessarily thier music. That's called loyalty.

The female music fan who does in fact prefer the later Beatles' music will do so because of the connotations she has ascribed to it—good times on LSD dancing in a club with her boyfriend, par example. It is also only under these or similar conditions when women will like prog rock, a well known male orientated phenomonon and heralded by the Beatles amongst others who were indeed progressive avant le lettre. And what are the characteristics of prog rock? Attempts to transcend rock music and blur the boundaries with high art, technical and lyrical innovation, instrumentals, concepts, varying time signitures, et cetera. In short, innovations in sound and idea striving to go beyond the notion of the Romantic and popular song; innovations concerning music and concept.

A further attractive quality of which there is an abundance in the music industry is the attraction of sensitivity. When accompanied by appropirate music, that of swooning lyrics and breathy vocals, this is never hidden, for it is known to be an attractive quality. It would not be beyond reason to harbour some scepticism as to the validity of the supposed sensitivity, in the light of its obvious selling power. When done to the extreme, we find ourselves attracted to the overtly sensitive musician, shunning the limelight, completely authentic (apparently), and exuding sincerity.

An extension of this does indeed concern the reification of the symbolic character seen in music within the boyfriend, and this can occur in two distinct ways. Firstly as an attraction to someone who seems to embody that which she finds attractive in her favorite music, the emanating of sincerity he seems to have which reflecting that which she admires in musician, or him conforming to certain generic styles which she herself conforms to, thereby highlighting some frame of reference and kinship which can be established. Secondly, the boyfriend comes first and begins to influence her musical taste, as this music is seen as an integral component contributing to his admirable character. As she starts to attach herself to him, she appropriates his interests and redefines herself around him.

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romanticism of the tortured songwriter

This is by no means exclusively a falsehood; I do not believe all sensitive musicians to be 'putting it on'. But the argument remains the same either way; true or false, the artist is to some extent defined by sensitivity/sincerity and admired for it moreover.

Many parallels can be seen here with the case of the simple attraction of the musician, but here romanticism plays a more central role. As previously mentioned, the romantic notions of the artist are paramount in the image-making and commodification of music, but here the listener is granted the opportunity to gradually reveal deeper layers of the musician, typically a singer-songwriter (for he must be seen to express his own personal thoughts), as she becomes more and more involved with his music, and thus his life. A fictional world is henceforth created in which he lives his tortured existence (its accuracy to his real life is irrelevant) and in this world the female listener is an integral character. She aligns herself alongside the singer in a pas de deaux of sympathy and empathy.

So if we accept that there is some identifiable character within the music which the female listener can personally connect with then it is the degree to which she relates to the music that effects her interest in it. Take a beautiful girl who has grown up to be accustomed to being objectified and has since accepted this character without qualm (instead of rebuking it), will she be able to understand, and therefore appreciate and enjoy, the music of a tortured singer-songwriter who primarily deals with unrequited love? Il n'est pas possible! She likes music which allows her to show herself off, namely dance music or modern R'n'B, addressed in the next section. Her body is her tool, her self-esteem nurtured.

The girl who yearns to be noticed in some aspect (asexually), as she has perceived this to be of lacking in her life, is far more likely to be effected by the tortured artist for she can be the object of his desire. She can be the "you" of which he speaks; or she can be the 'other' who can console the singer, to show him love can be found. The R'n'B fan, on the other hand, is involved in a different relationship with the music; she avoids getting wrapped up in the romanticism of the perceived artist/audience relationship, and the music she likes has a more fundamentally sexual overtone which is opposed to the romantic one. The music helps her show off, and this is how she feels good about herself. This is not to say, however, that beautiful girls will not like the 'sensitive' music of which we speak, for she too may be susceptible to the romantic lure; within the spectrum of personality a space can surely be held for the dancing, romantic woman, for the fickle nature of female music consumer must always be considered.

Alongside this singer-songwriter typified 'sensitive' music must be the undisputed sense of authenticity, the definition of which may vary from person to person. The important thing is that the subject believes the singer. Authenticity goes a long way to securing credibility, for it uses the dichotomy of the inauthentic to acquire its relative nature. The inauthentic, the plastic, the meaningless, is vital to show this other side of music; the real, the sincere, the authentic, where self-righteous music fans can embrace the idea of consuming, and thereby supporting, the 'right' music, and deploring 'inauthentic' music for its shallow nature, its money-driven purpose, its lack of creativity. This becomes an identifiable trait of the audience who consume selectively, and attempt therefore to hone their individuality.

Finally, my position is that when the female decides that she likes the musician, or member of the band, for whatever reason, she then becomes interested in what he has to say. That is to say, the attraction comes first, the music is secondary. This becomes her role; that of the willing recipient, the doting girlfriend, primed to succumb; to spend all available hours lying on her bed flicking through the sleeve notes, unravelling the inner workings of her most admired artist. In this case, the music becomes incidental; a suppressed soundtrack next to a story unfolding in the foreground, as music accompanies a movie. This is not to say that it doesn't matter at all, for it reinforces whatever she feels, but the musical quality gives way and becomes an idea amongst a sequence of ideas, suggestions and messages which provoke an image to accompany the all-important aesthetic. Thus the artist himself becomes detached from the music, which simply becomes another part of his character, and the female listener thereby begins to see the artist subjectively as an idées fixe, and not subject to change or degradation.

***

la danse

The previous instinctive method of consumption leads nicely onto the fourth mode, which sets itself in opposition to it but in actuality shows itself to be intrinsically similar. We here can see the same type of personal attachment to the musical style, exemplifying in the woman the kind of character she herself want to convey

Certain musics lend themselves to the act of dancing and have inherently different musical characteristics which enable the dance to be more central to anything else. Repetition and simplicity is prioritised instead of experimentation and lyrical endeavours, and what few words there are may even bear direct allusions to the dancing act itself, thereby encouraging dancing. Different types of music call upon different types of dancing almost as a built-in rule. Music which one would categorise as 'dance' have necessarily bland lyrics, as they are disposable, not central to the song, and would only detract from the main purpose: a passive enjoyment of the rhythm and mood. Reflecting on deeper meanings within the song is not the desired activity. Therefore, they will mostly involve nonsense relating to sexual attraction in some form, however vague, which reflects the mood under which the song is received, namely the club or the mental positing of the club 'idea' in whatever situation the listener is in; her bedroom, par example. Moreover, the vocal is treated as another instrument, further plunging the lyric into insignificance. This bears no relation, however, to a similar approach found in various avant-garde musics where the vocal's differing capabilities may be explored as interesting alternatives. In this instance it is simply used to allow music to be just that, danceable, and this trite is dreamt up merely to fill the gaps. The will to participate in these various dances governs the listeners' appeal to the music itself.

However it is not so that only certain music incites dancing; any music can be appropriated for such a cause. What the music must do however, is symbolically reflect how the listener feels. Thus, if the woman enjoys dancing as an activity in itself for whatever reason, she will be prone to enjoy 'dance' music. Alternatively, the subject may prefer to dance to music which wouldn't be considered 'dance music' per se, but this is a result of her attachment to the music in question, and the dancing comes secondary. The decision to dance can be seen as a statement; a choice to show onlookers the type of music the dancer likes, to exercise cultural capital. It is only when this phenomenon is combined with others suggested when women become more guilty of this than men. For both sexes, music is cultural capital, a deeper look is needed to see where and when they depart. To enjoy music which can be enjoyed collectively in social groups is a large part of why people like music, an individual validation is perceived in belonging to a social group with common interests.

So what within the dancing activity produces a lasting impression on the music? Dancing produces endorphins, and reflections on dancing will provide fond memories. As the dance was accompanied by the music in question, it will come as no surprise to learn that this music is now 'liked'. Let us not assume that the dance experience comes prior to the enjoyment of a particular music, but it is the connection of the two which grounds the music in experience, thus giving the music new meaning with which to attach the subject; the mythical manifestation of musically-enduced enjoyment.

Dance music can also not be ignored in the face of the mediation of music. Music is sold on the grounds of experience and music videos will employ dancing to the appropriate styles of music. The visual sale of music is based on enjoyment and sex; namely, good-looking people having a good time. The audience are thus invited to enjoy this experience in the same way. The female listener can thus become the object of desire found in the music video. This may be an unconscious reaction, for many female audience members would decry the abundance of sexually provocative women on music videos, yet they will basically re-enact their performance in the local club. The difference, they may proclaim, is that in the club they are not selling the music, and are not objects in the same way, but this is only true to some extent. In addition, the very fact this behaviour is on TV is to some to give it credibility, to re-enact it is, in keeping with the appropriation of idea seen in previous modes of consumption, to align one's self with the music. It is in this alignment where meaning is created, and the subject realises her appreciation for the music.

***

jealousy and the dislike of music

In keeping with the unsavoury subject of dance, the female who dislikes dance music is not attracted to the man who is. Or is it that the female is repelled to the idea of herself dancing, and thus becomes offended by the man who wants to see this from her? She encounters an uncomfortable position in the face of the activity of dance, for its unwritten rule which permits the persistent approaching of various men; for her reluctance to do what is expected of her; for her hesitation in exposing herself in the way dancing seems to do. She consequently fails to enjoy music which has as its central characteristic the connotation of dancing.

The dislike of music by women could be seen instead as a disinterestedness, as an indifference to music she has not yet considered. Such music has failed to yet make an impact as it has not penetrated her life in one of the ways described above, such as the vehicle of empathy or admiration. Again we return to Adorno's familiarisation with music, and the fickle nature of the music she does like is highlighted. Reasons for ignorance towards certain music can come from many angles; its scarcity in her social group, in which the prevalent, generically enclosed music flows within and soundtracks her socially defined life, thus a need for or interest in different music is not conceived of; the music's obscurity in the popular sphere—its unfamiliarity comes from its consumption by a select few, rendering it largely detached from the public eye; or her inability to confront certain music because of previous preconceptions relating to it. In the latter case it is the seemingly inherent connotations which accompany various music genres which cause distaste. Likewise, these connotations are also used to draw other people towards the music, thus keeping genre based marketing and consumption valid and rife. An obvious example would be the distaste a Goth would have for hip-hop—two distinct and conflicting ideals are possessed, and displayed in appearance and attitude. However, in the ever-blurring genres on the surface of music, that is to say the music of omnipresence from which one is unable to escape within public life, the differences in genres slowly amalgamate into one—namely, pop music. It is here where original forms of music are diluted to the point of inoffensiveness to enable widespread marketing to as large an audience as possible and consequently where listeners are unwittingly treated to an array of varied genre's, albeit diluted versions of themselves.

Music without lyrics is rarely central in the popular sphere, but it differs from other marginal genres precisely because of its lack of words. A consequence of word-less song is that the symbolic nature of the music is harder to define; one is not given an implicit picture on which grounds an opinion can be generated, and definitions relating to generic musical norms are relied on instead; an altogether more ambiguous process. Words and voices evoke personalities, attitudes, stories and images with which listeners can allow themselves to relate to or dismiss. With words out of the equation, the listener is unable to work out whether she's supposed to like it or not; its image is not explicit enough. The remaining reason for her enjoyment of this music, short of literally enjoying it in itself, is her relating the music to something else. This will be via one of the modes mentioned above, i.e., her boyfriend likes it, she enjoyed dancing to it, she heard it in a movie which she likes (connotation and familiarity, in effect). Without one of these reasons she will be indifferent to the music, and thus averted to it. If one of these is in place however, she may accept a whole new style of music as a result.

Music can also be disliked on kind of moral and/or existential grounds. For example, when the artist's lifestyle, be it carefully honed into a fiction or a leaked truth, is opposed to the listeners world-view. This distaste starts independently of music in a rejection of the artist and then extends to the music itself; an example of the artist's dislikable output. Such examples may include the dislike of the music by Chris Brown, when in fact it is his domestic violence which is actually putting off the listener; or the dislike of U2's music when in fact it is Bono's self-righteous do-goodery which brings a sour taste to the mouth. The activities of the artists do not match the audience's ideas for the right way for one to live or to represent oneself, and consequently the music, as an audible representation of that person, is deemed unsavoury. The world of PR is well aware of this, which is why careful measures are taken to ensure the correct image is presented. The Libertines provide a good example of an image which is embraced in the marketing of the band, fuelling kinship and connections with some people, and disgust by others. In the case of the Libertines, or more accurately of Pete Doherty, the lifestyle became reported on far more than the music, and as a result he is demonised by some, revered by others.

While jealousy may manifest in dislike for female musicians, it may be so that female audience members like a female singer; this is not unheard of. Instead of loathsome envy she may instead be appreciative of the artist's skills or looks. The result is dependent on the audience member's own inward judgement; her self esteem. It is how willing she is to set comparisons aside and accept the artist for who she is, irrespective of how much 'better' she may or may not be. Not only does envy for the artist give rise to a dislike of her music, for the female audience may also see the female artist as a threat. She assumes that men will expect her, the listener, to have the same skills, looks and success as the female artist, which puts on the pressure. The resulting orientation is one of perceived failure, and bitter hostility towards a society which demands so much from women. Beautiful women are thereby the target of such animosity.

But exceptions are always present. The subject can re-route their dislike under exceptional circumstances. The way in which she relates to music is always in flux. The same music deplored by those mentioned above can be enjoyed by others. It depends on the nature of the listener as to whether she reacts badly, i.e. her insecurities are exposed; or she welcomes it. A song sung by a girl, with an attractiveness held within her voice, amongst other places, would at first seem to be a male orientated attraction, but the female may too like the music if it exemplifies something she wants to hear, such as a fluffy love song which mirrors the life she thinks she's living. But this truth only occurs if she relates to it. When she does she uses the lyrics as substitutes for her own feelings. She adopts its message and convinces herself that it is her own. If she, conversely, is unlucky in love then she will not respond to the song in which the singer flaunts her new found happiness. This will only be torturous for the listener and simply provide fuel her bitter complex.

***

individualism

Adorno is adamant in his scathing portrayal of the culture industry's intent to give us the pretence of liberation in consumption while in fact streamlining it in a dominating fashion. His notion of 'industry' refers to a standardisation of forms, within which a constant 'new' is offered but only disguises the 'eternal sameness'. In contemporary music this line of thought still has a resonance, even when taking into account the variety of musics and subcultures out there. This is because of the continuing interchange between marginal and mainstream musics, and the perceived acquisition of individualism through 'authentic' consumption and expression.

The paradox is beyond apparent: so-called individualism coming about through the acquisition and tailoring of a fictional personality, cultivated within the conformity of generic norms. In other words, individualism is prescribed by the conventions of a certain accepted aesthetic, the individual is told how to be individual and embraces the role. Throughout music history this can be seen in any genre which has defined itself as against the grain, or fashionably subversive. Take the example of heavy metal or a related genre. Within the genre which exhibits a repulsion to the mainstream, and derides conformity, comes an implicit code denoting the ways in which this derision is to be upheld. Within this mini world which ridicules the conformist mainstream comes a more select, concise conformity: dress code, acceptable music, etc. In the humorous book parodying the heavy metal subculture, Hell Bent for Leather, Seb Hunter comments on the metaller's distaste towards keyboards. Of course, a distaste towards keyboards is merely a preference, on its own it means nothing, but when that distaste towards keyboards becomes a bullet point for one's inclusion into authentic metal-fan status, it takes on a whole new meaning. This example may be a slight exaggeration of the situation, but he point remains; this individualism, this will to be 'different' from the norm, is prescribed, and comes from the need to be accepted in the social group, and define oneself accordingly.

For the consumer of such music this comes about from the viral nature of the attitude towards it; namely, music with a sense of 'scene' attached. It is then tailored in various corners like the music press (which is dedicated to giving meaning to music) and the clubbing scene. The combination of an idea of individualism and fashion exemplifying this individualism paves the way for a complete sect of the audience all focused on a genre of music tailored to forfill the needs of this audience. Present-day pop-punk probably provides the most potent picture of this pattern; audience and musicians alike wear the same clothes and pretend to act the same way. Pop-punk is also a good example of a music where meaning is gained through an aesthetic rather than the music, as the music crosses genre distinctions but is not consistently 'authentic'.

The quest for individualism manifests in imaginary subcultures and genre distinctions in the market, all hyped up due to the financial prospects available by propagating such ideas. To be able to opt in to some kind of subculture is to acknowledge said subculture an abundance of popular awareness, thereby dislocating it from its subcultural essence. Once it is visible, it no longer exists. It is then capitalised on and becomes centralised. People further opt into the image, still perceiving it as somehow more special and unique than regular pop music. It becomes a vehicle by which one can define themselves. But this pretend individualism has been dissolved of the original sovereignty on which it was built, and has been ever since a name could be designated to the image. To be able to define the subculture is to negate it.

So it must be concluded that the 'underground' nature or status of music becomes devoid of importance to the audience, as its abundance becomes ever clearer. The subject's attraction to this type of music comes from the sense of belonging, of kinship with others, defined by a carefully chosen selection of music and fashion, and while male audience members may be equally as liable to this behaviour as female, it is in fact a quintessentially female consumption trait in essence, inasmuch as it is the hormone-driven irrationality of adolescence which informs it, the need to socially define oneself that inspires it, and the will to accept pseudo-individualism which authenticates it.

The previously mentioned pop-punk is remarkable because of the surprising lack of difference between accepted and unaccepted music by the connoisseur. Where Paramore is good, Kelly Clarkson is bad, but the evidence shows they're both reading from the same song book. Naturally, this is where authenticity makes an entrance; Kelly Clarkson is merely a pale imitation attempting to capitalise on Paramore's market share, correct? And since when mimicry not generate derision? So the verdict of inauthenticity is justified? Maybe so, but the argument still stands—Clarkson is rejected for reasons external to the music. The selective qualities of such a genre owe a great deal more to the judgement of the musicians than to the music itself, for within the alternative world meaning is acquired by reacting to the mainstream, it is in essence the antithesis to the mainstream. It is the inevitability of alternative music's gradual blend with the mainstream which holds its demise.

***

conclusion

It is the Lockean tabula rasa that allows such a general rule for women to be applied and, under the same umbrella, go some way to explain a multitude of varying thoughts, expressions and ideas relating to their consumption of music. What Locke says about knowledge, and its grounding in experience, I believe transcends knowledge and informs opinion and impression. And while experience can go a long way to understanding the underlying features of women's taste in music, and to give overall conclusions as to their nature, it is exploring the varying reasons for the likes and dislikes (or indeed, indifferences) to different music which show the elaborate and contrasting responses and reactions to such music, which in turn highlight the reasons again.

'Man is condemned to be free,' Sartre said. People are afraid of their own freedom, a freedom which becomes unsettlingly apparent in the absence of gods, in a world devoid of inherent meaning, previously prescribed to us through institutions. Here we are left to take absolute responsibility for our choices and actions. This notion contradicts the way we like to think we live, both personally and as societies; freedom is striven for, and exercised when attained, we tell ourselves. This idea can be effectively combined with Adorno's statement that 'the world wants to be deceived', referring to the ease and gratification that comes form the culture industry's offerings and the tendency to rely on them. Here we could apply the study of individualism as an example in which the subject can be comforted in the knowledge that some kind of meaning has entered their life in the shape of selective listening habits, whereas in reality they have managed to by-pass all choices, or maybe more appropriately managed to make pseudo-choices. These pseudo-choices lay the foundations for the validation of the subject, be that within themselves or to whomever it is deemed necessary.

A fear of freedom gives a different spin on the old notion of repression within society, such as that of women, inasmuch as it raises the question of the validity of emancipatory struggles, but it does not excuse them. For while deception may be grounded within the masses as a subconsciously satisfying alternative to dealing with real freedom, the resulting perpetual state of cultural decadence and the streamlining of personal lives into pigeonholes is an undesirable outcome, especially for those who are aware of such a thing. One of these pigeonholes concerns the case of the 'socialisation' of women, to use Toril Moi's phrase., and demands an anti-essentialist view of women, in which generalisations about this particular group are near impossible. As stated in the introduction, this is what I have been concerned with. So how does the socialisation of women play out in music consumption? Well, in the ways described above, but in all cases there are examples of what it is that have caused choices of music, and these choices have been dependent on the will for the subject to embrace the deceptions which inform their choices, and are thereupon exploited within the culture industry in marketing, and thus the cycle continues. So, within this frame it is the differing ways in which woman-ness has been foisted upon individuals which has enabled them to each become one of a recognised array of characters, hence they are left to play the part of their given character; the independent, man-hating diva, for example; or the sensitive kooky, emo girl. The appropriation of these characteristics does not give an insight into the authentic personality of the subject, rather of the desire to gain validation through it.

This performative aspect of conditioning has an affinity with the fear of freedom and will to deception, as it actualises the effects of such social constructs. The roles which are assumed convincingly provide people with ideas of meaning which they can behold and nourish. Judith Butler's theorisation of gender as performative is exemplified in the case of music consumption in the ways described above. We are thereby left with an idea of femininity within the consumption of music, as opposed to women and the consumption of music. This femininity relates to a socially and culturally constructed idea of what it is to consume as a woman does, and by no means includes all women. However, the inability to break from these stereotypical impulses shows that their veritable effect is still in abundance; the knowledge of such constructs does not (or has not yet) dissipated such behaviour.

But this is little wonder, considering the nature of the industry we are dealing with, and indeed that of the wider industry as a whole, under the umbrella of capitalism. Within the popular music industry the overriding selling point is image, over music, a trend which has its roots in the marketing of commodities as desirable instead of practical, of which Edward Bernays gave the coup de maître in his pioneering reworking of the understanding of consumer exploitation, using the psychological ideas of his uncle, Sigmund Freud. Bernays' work ultimately led to the establishment of public relations; of a consumer environment underpinned with desire, and allowed meaning to be entwined with commodities. The infamous example is that of cigarettes marketed to women as 'torches of freedom', due to their being synonymous with men. This is fundamentally identical to the way certain musics (and many other goods) are marketed today, albeit nowadays involving more subtlety, on occasion.

Adorno makes reference to anonymous 'intellectuals' who maintain that mass commodities, popular or 'light' music, in our case, are essentially harmless; merely responding to a stimulated demand. However, Adorno counters this point of view, stating that the offerings, or 'advice to be gained', from the culture industry is 'vacuous, banal or worse and the behaviour patterns are shamefully conformist.' So it seems in the music industry that we are dealing with an abundance of sameness, a choice which is thought to be offered but in actuality is not there. Furthermore, the symbolic idea of authentic consumpsion, inextricably linked to that of romanticism, and perpetuated by marketing habits, stimulates a consumer conscience which is constantly in flux. This is shown in the hi-jacking of so-called underground music and its stylistic appropriation within pop music, capitalised on due to the selling power of the underground aesthetic. The obvious implication of this trend seems to be an ever narrowing breadth of diversity and originality within pop music, and the engulfing of marginal genres into an all encompassing popular sphere characterised by its crass imitation of the music it wishes to capitalise on combined with its dilution into overtly conscientious inoffensiveness. One might as well listen to white noise; ah, but that would sound too offensive to the ears.

But let us not dismay, for the dystopian flames which we foretell will be starved of the oxygen they require to spread their cultural detritus. Let us imagine the decadence resulting from growing the appropriation of all marginal music into the central muggy mass known as pop, and its subsequent spoon-feeding all who listen attentively or passively. The kind of mass admiration described earlier comes into play as validation of the music and the process by which it was created, namely the act of appropriation itself. One implication is that which shows the growing dependence on role models to inform people of their opinions and personalities; the use of fictional personas found in pop culture to define onlookers. The mimicry of he or she who is admired theoretically creates, if pushed to its logical conclusion, a society of people who are pale representations of their heroes, resulting in a channelling of not only music itself but people themselves. The process perpetuated itself as a fiction of artists become established, and a functional mould becomes apparent in which newer artists are placed and developed. This new generation, more invented than the last, arises within a deeper establishment of this type of artist which in turn gives rise to yet another new generation, based on the 'invented' previous generation, and has once again departed even further from the original's genuinely. This is not to say that all these artists will be 'faking it', consciously or otherwise, but the aesthetic has since been worn, the pattern all too familiar, and the mould too reliable. Of course, the recognition of such inoriginality would not spell the end of such a trend, au contraire, but instead is understandably seized forevermore and persistently mass marketed. Finally, a growing passivity and tolerance to cultural output allows a flourishing.

Once again though, I ask you to have faith, for all is not lost not. The answer lies in history, and the inevitably cycles within which history is created. As the romantic era reacted to the enlightenment, modernism to realism, and postmodernism to everything and nothing, revolution must occur in the creative rehash and rebirth of things. The place to look at present, however, is beyond the margins, for the centre is currently far to ingrained within itself. Of course, 'beyond the margins' is problematic for its relevance questionable, but its potential lies its implicit nature and critique. The German record label Mille Plateaux exemplifies this idea most effectively at present with its use of the Deleuzoguattrian concept of 'deterritorialisation', a term to describe the reaction to and opposite of the threat of systems becoming rigid and normalised, namely 'territorialisation'. This notion of deterritorialisation is put into practice in the music exhibited in the output of the label. The related notion of 'reterritorialisation' concerns the threat within capitalism of the subsequent reintroduction of the deterritorialised back into the system which it reacted to, in the way described above. Amidst the perpetual state of territorialisation, all that can be done is the practice of reacting against it. That is the revolution; to be inevitably caught within the perpetual state of flux and never grounded.

music in-itself

What I hope to have shown is that it is not the music itself which is integral to the judgement of it, and that the music, amongst other attributes, does little more than point listeners in a direction which complies with an increasingly established idea of what that person perceives herself to be. While I don't think this is necessarily actually any thing new, the implications of this process being fed back into the music industry, and in turn helping shape its output, is becoming evermore obvious. Furthermore, I have been adamant in my branding of the woman as the main culprit behind this, or, from another perspective, the main victim. It must be stated, to clear any hazy clouds which may impair my credibility, that the woman is in fact not on trial, but the ingraining of the performative, which is, in this case, that of femininity. The pop culture climate feeds a growth on behavioural tendencies and allows it to flourish, leaving performative roles nourished, and individuality liquidated. In light of this, it would not be unwise to rename this essay An Essay Concerning Human Understanding of Music Consumption and Femininity.

So what of music in all this? Does it remain merely some tool around which people create definitions for themselves and duly reward in payment the creators for giving them the opportunity to behold them? Can music itself be reclaimed from the hedge though which it has been dragged? If music is to be experienced and thereby judged on its relevance and relationship to the subject, then little space is left for music to make an impact based on its musical merit alone. It seems to me that two groups have the potential of escaping this predicament, the first being passive listeners. Does the passive listener in actuality represent the most authentic form of listening habits? That of capriciousness and spontaneity based on what one fancies at that moment in time? The problem is, however, that in this case the music is devoid of all meaning, that supposedly fundamental aspect of all artistic output. In this case, music is not music, it is a soundtrack by which one experiences their day. But is that not what music could be? Or already is?

The second group is that of reflective listeners: those who actively critique the romanticisation of the activity in which they are engaging, to strive to escape from its traps and live a life of musical freedom, and to enjoy music from all angles, independent of imposed ideas. But can unromanticised music exist? Would it mean anything? Surely to enjoy it for this reason is to romanticise the idea of unromanticised music, for the listener needs to extrapolate the music from all romanticised notions. An admirable task, if not one which can be reconciled. The reflective listener is guilty of this condition, and thus is compelled to accept, and maybe even enbrace, this pleasant hypocrisy.

Preface

Preface to the blog edition

Adam Hutchings

The essays contained herein have no exceptionally unifying theme, they simply can be grouped under the umbrella heading of cultural ponderings, however each in their own way transcends their cultural significance to address further issues. What fundamentals are there in relation to the habits of women when it comes to music consumption? Aldric Fournier surpasses expectation to give a damning yet reasonable overview of the issue. Do adverts create or destroy culture? A question few of us have asked ourselves. Many condemn adverts for their implicit manipulation, others enjoy them for their perceived creativity or expression of humour or art or quirkiness. Richard Morris examines adverts in an historical and cultural context to find out more. And finally, as global warming is used by all to sell products Aveline Barnett Wing ironically utilises this very habit while simultaneously critiquing it, and loosely directing her analysis towards the music industry . My own opinions of the issues contained herein are bettered solely by the individuals who are present here, which is why on this occasion I am mere editor of this collection, giving the main limelight to these experts on there chosen areas.

The renowned French philosopher and cultural commentator Aldric Fournier, well known for his outspoken, pessimistic stance on the role of women and his intolerance to people who are not him, gives an interesting view on the female music consumer in his chapter An Essay Concerning Human Understanding of Female Music Consumption. This essay follows from a series of essays from Fournier, many concerning the differences between the male and female psyche, and contains almost as many flaws as his previous attempts.

Adamant in his position and compelling in his argument, Fournier's viewpoint is undeniably an empirical gesture, stemming from his own unavoidable experiences and inadvertent studies; a response stemming from bitter rejection from the female population. Fournier holds a unique authority on the matter as a result of being inaccessible to women, yet self-aware and judging on this matter, and finally using this judgement in an analysis of the way he is treated, and others are treated, in the world. His appropriation of the Lockean Tabula Rasa is largely a rhetorical gesture used more for effect than for its theoretical suitability, as Locke's relevance largely ends after Fournier's emphasis on experience is shown. However, he combines this premise with notions of socially constructed citizens within the contemporary, culminating in a scathing generalisation of women and an Adornian polemic against the subtly dominating nature of the music industry in particular.

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding of Female Music Consumption owes more to Fournier's self-developed knowledge of 'the way women are' than his expertise on music consumption, although it must be said that by no means is he ignorant on this subject, having worked in a small specialist Parisian record store which exclusively sold music from everywhere in the world apart from France; such is Fournier's eccentric nature.

The English sociologist, poet and novelist Richard Morris explores the implications of adverts on culture in Adverts: Culture Created or Culture Destroyed positing himself in a fair and reasonable place, showing a critique of the purpose of advertising and the paradoxical notion of their acceptance into the cultural sphere, whatever that may be, while simultaneously refusing to get stuck in the role of advert-bashing and noting changeable situations, opinions and agendas.

Morris' background has its roots in poety, having won the 1984 'Best Poem in The World' Award for the groundbreaking I'd Quite Like a Rug (shown below). Since then he has had a continued presence in the poetry world and, as a result of his continuing prolificacy, consequently moved into novel writing, often taking on various humanitarian issues, such as exploring the hidden agendas of national news coverage and the various issues deemed unnewsworthy, and therefore hidden from the public, in his novel Abbey Guthrie's Plaque.

A natural progression led him into sociology, in which he lectures at Oxford and Cambridge Universities regularly. The subject considered herein primarily concerns the role of music as cultural capital and its appropriation in avertising whilst looking at the broader cultural importance of adverts.

I'D QUITE LIKE A RUG - Richard Morris

id quite like a rug

to be pushed around the floor

and occasionally replaced

in the centre

it slips under the bed

clawing towards the dark

i'l pull it from its goal

and tell it to stay put

my rug could be red

and blend into the carpet

or it could be blue

and do quite the reverse

id quite like a rug

but it would get lost

beneath the mess that time

never fails to bring

and so i'd feel a guilt

the rug cannot be kept

for I can never give

it life which it deserves

so rug, please stay put

hanging in the shop

wait for someone else

I'd quite like a lamp instead

Copyright © Richard Morris, 1984

Our final essay is Global Warming and Pop Music: "Fund my Record, It's Research!" by the famous San Fransisco-based hippie-slash-political commentator Aveline Barnett Wing. A veteran of the psychedelic scene, Wing's hippie roots are evident, albeit reasonably restrained, in her critique of the economic opportunities of the climate change 'fashion' within the music industry and elsewhere. Wing uses this as a foundation to explore authenticity and what could be considered misdirected musical ability in the music industry as well as the way 'green fashion' has has evolved over recent years - another marketing gimmick, so to speak.

Aveline Wing nowadays specialises in non-fiction writings of a largely left-wing nature, and is critical of such things as globalisation, corporate power, cultural decadence, R'n'B, and capitalism, although she concedes she is yet to come up with a suitable alternative. She is a regular columnist in the monthly magazine J'adoube which aims to see contemporary issues from an unbiased and objective point of view and to consequently make sense of some of these issues.