The Bay Area, home to some of the most abrasive, challenging and badass music that has transpired throughout the decades. From 60's psychedelic music, to Thrash metal, to Doom bands such as Sleep and Neurosis, and even Primus; the Bay Area has had its fair share of musical talent come through.
But now, in the 21st Century, in the bay area; I see a bunch of shit getting recognized and the honest, passionate music being ignored. Though I think the underground is great, this music needs to get out to a good majority of people.
For the older audience out there: you remember when being part of your music scene was fun right? Everyone had a great time, the music was real, pot was smoked, people were anticipating releases from their local bands, creativity was at an all time high..... fuck I could go on and on.
I was born in 1991. So I wouldn't know what that was like, but from seeing people talk about it (including my parents! Can you imagine be jealous of your parents having FUN back in the day? I can) I realize that the music was much more vibrant back then. And FUN.
This coming from someone who has been playing music and shows since 2007. I've played my ass off in front of 5 people and 100 people. I've played with probably around 50 bands since then and I have played at many venues across the bay area. I've also been to countless local shows as well.
I think that saying "the music scene" is dead is definitely false. People who say this are simply looking the wrong place. If you are looking at all of this popular cheesy metalcore bullshit you will find nothing at all; just a bunch of pussies playing Z-tuned guitars and bitching about their ex-girlfriends. The thing is, all of these so-called "legitimate venues" and the shallow, fake "I care about local music" promoters support it simply because they can make a bunch of money of suburban yuppy kids who go to the shows. Now, it's perfectly fine if these kids want to play that music; they enjoy it, who gives a fuck. What I give a fuck about is real music being sucked under all of this cheesy trash.
What I see is artistic integrity being lost. Bands and musicians are simply focusing their attention on pleasing these weasel industry fuckheads who don't give a shit about the music in the first place. Creativity is being replaced with rehashing what the previous popular band did. No enjoys themselves at shows anymore, they just stand around updating their facebook statuses.
Last show I played in the east bay I became visibly pissed on stage. Though I was slightly drunk, I had some anger to all the kids who were sitting down, on their cell phones, not knowing what to make of music that wasn't thrash or death metal. Now, I don't give a shit if you like my music or not; that isn't what matters. What matters is that creativity is simply being ignored because of all these elitist fanboys who are too attached to their "scene".
You know what? Fuck your scene. If you just listen to metal all the time you are a narrow minded idiot. I see all of these assholes who won't touch anything that isn't "brutal" enough. "Oh know we it's not brutal enough to have gore as subject matter so we just have to go straight to talking about drowning in a pile of feces". Are you fucking serious? I love death metal, but all of these newer bands are increasingly losing the point.
Who knows, the musicianship is there; no doubt. But the creativity and attitude? Gone. I don't give a shit if your band is off-time, off-key, sloppy, whatever; but if you have that attitude, that spark, and you simply don't give a fuck; I'm behind you 100%. It's not about how many notes you can play at a million miles per hour, it's what you get out of a single note.
But the battle is the art. Do you distinguish yourself as an entertainer or an artist? For me, it's being an artist. I might be entertaining when I act like a jackass on stage, but when it comes to what I do it's 100% about the art.
There's this internal anger I have for my generation, that comes out in my playing, in my art. There is this massive struggle to do what you want to even if it alienates an audience in the process. I have played stuff that comes so far out from left field that people have no idea what to make of it. The music isn't bad by any means, it's just that narrow minded concert goers don't know what to make of it.
I don't know about them, but when I hear something new and different, it excites me. It puts a big fucking smile on my face when I see something like that.
Get creative. Don't follow trends. Play at illegal venues, house shows, parking lots wherever. Put out the music you play whenever you want. Ignore these shallow promoter fuckheads and promote yourself.
-Dr. Matt
