Re: popularity

ghurd@mcgraw-hill.com
Fri, 11 Apr 97 10:22:55 edt


It seems like acid jazz has been on the verge of "blowing up" for a
long time. A momentum that seems to have always been side-swiped by
weak or misrepresentative projects that just didn't deliver the goods,
Jazzmatazz comes to my mind, but I know that was popular so maybe I
shouldn't mention it. Now with all the false starts, acid jazz I think
is pretty much going to be off to the side. By acid jazz I'm talking
about Brand New Heavies, Incognito, US3 type of stuff.

What is going to blow up into the mainstream and already has is the
"electronica" cousins to acid jazz. All the bands like Moorcheeba,
Sneaker Pimps, and Portishead/Massive Attack clones are becoming media
darlings; on top of that MTV's Amp show is going to spawn a whole new
influx of similar looking shows on television, Spin magazine is
reviewing the likes of Springheel Jack and others, Trent Reznor has
signed Luke Vibert (?? I read this in Urb magazine. Is it true?) the
list goes on. But we've already discussed this on the list.

I have been thinking lately that the more acid-jazzy bands and
projects just aren't going to get the overblown media attention that
Chemical Bros/DJ Shadow/Tricky, etc. are getting. The time has come
and has passed for the Heavies and US3 and the like. That's not to say
that's a bad thing. But it is only my opinion.

--Gordon

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: popularity
Author: "Jason Brancazio" <jbrancazio@mail.hamquist.com> at CCNODE
Date: 4/11/97 4:35 AM

Just a short note 'cos nobody's mentioned it....in the vibe of this possibly
growing, constantly emerging thread I would like to point all listees'
attention to this month's cover of Downbeat. "ACID JAZZ" in huge letters in
the center of the page, and the article discusses BNH, Buckshot, US3, and
Incognito, as well as rightfully positions the Groove Academy (Giant Step) as
one of the key U.S. founding fathers (NY in the houuuse! :)

As some people think it's becoming trendy I also find it funny how it's become,
to a certain extent, un-trendy amongst other people trying to be 'trendy' (the
ones who have been at it for a while now), who are now _really into_ drum &
bass...oh wait, but that phenomenon's at least a year old too.....whatever. We
all know here that good music is good music and are united in our desire to
find as much of it as conceivably possible (as well as in that 'oh shit'
feeling when we've just blew the month's rent on a pile of records/CDs).

I do enjoy the fact, however, that the publications that initially sprung up
with the 1990s acid jazz phenomenon (SNC, OTO) as their centerpoint have
maintained their coverage of the jazzy bands while accomodating the newer
styles.

Jay B