The Logic Off Topic list

I would like to RE-DEFINE what I am trying to articulate...to both of 
you.  Teddybut and Colin.  Cause I think, in some ways ya both missed 
the point and yet, we are in agreement in other things.  But still...

The Poser
Now, teddybut, you are now in this moment starting to define what you 
mean by Poser.  To you this means some person who is more interested in 
image, than in providing the audience strong material of self 
expression.  This was no defined early on.  So, this finally being 
said, I was trying to point out, that there are musicians who are 
un-sckooled who offered a lot in history.  But there were also the 
sckooled musicians that offered a lot to history as well.  I think I 
expressed that clearly enough.  BUT...

To me, a *Poser* can be *anybody*...for instance.  If one is sckooled, 
but their material is derivative.  Then for me, this is a poser.  
Because they are in Emulation of, and not the creation of.  Yet this 
can be true for anyone...sckooled or un-sckooled.  Leaving the 
imagination of the individual being the most important tool of the 
artist to convey the content.

If one looks at Jimi Hendrix today.  One might think, by your 
standards, as Jimi passed you by on the street or in the halls 
UofMaimi, "Huh, a Poser".  But Jimi was no Poser.  If you say he was, I 
am going to come over your house, tie you up, and play Nsync videos 
over and over, with eyes pried open, force feeding a mixture of Tang, 
cherry Pepsi, cotton candy and Twinkies.  You will changed man, forever 
and have real bad case of heartburn.

But no less, Jimi Hendrix was extremely talented and yet eccentric with 
with how he looked.  Janis Joplin, George Clinton, PFunk, Bootsy 
Collins, Elvis Presely, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie and slew of others 
that reined throughout history, writing great music and dressing to the 
nines.  Poser...I don't think so, these people carry their own weight 
in one form or another.  Looks can be deceiving...we then remember the 
movie "Shine"?  Yet, it is true about about "all flash, but no guts".  
But one can't say that about "Earth, Wind and Fire".  All Flash and all 
Glory there.

Yet, we also have the sckooled musicians, that to me, they may be 
talented people and write okay music.  But, just okay, not great...just 
"oh hum, that's nice...next!".  Yet we have un-sckooled that are 
exactly the same.  Just okay, nothing so special.  Just snoring through 
either CD like a buzz saw.

Yet, I can't help but luv Simon from that American Popstar...Yah, I 
watched on like two times.  And, that Simon guy just railed people...I 
was like, yeah...harsh but true...next!  None the less, as much as I 
liked him, I couldn't BARE to watch it anymore.  Just too painful.  But 
I luved his "burn, baby, burn" approach.  Funny, I think that most 
would love to buy Clips of Simon DVD.

Never the less, there are the success' of the sckooled musician's as 
well, that do make it into the collection of music.  Unique individuals 
that come across from speaker to the soul.  When I listen to 
music...Goose bumps are a must!  I need to feel chemistry as the 
listener.  Yet it isn't their status quo of education, or their 
reputation, it was their ability to connect with me or move me in the 
ethereal sense.  "Wow, who the f*ck is the that?"  Or, "Damn, I luv 
this!  Let's listen to this again."  But even, "hmmm, I am not sure 
about this." is good too.  Because that means, I stepped into unknown 
territory.  The result is not yet defined.

But I also would like to note that, just because someone gets some 
private lessons in ear training, theory and harmony.  Doesn't mean that 
they received a full education in music.  But, these are mere 
semantics, that one can learn as they go.  So yeah, a FULL education is 
necessary for some things, but not always necessary in everything that 
is creative.

So for me, the Poser is not defined by what they wear or don't wear.  
Since, what one wears or how they look is obviously inconclusive to how 
talented they are.  Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, and Elvis Costello, are 
all prime example of Bill Gates playing rock and roll.  No for me it is 
"how important is the material to me".  That being said, some sckooled 
individual fail to drive through the emotional barrier or peak my 
interests.  Having no Passion, empty and void of any soul.  Yet, this 
happen in both concepts of the sckooled and un-sckooled musicians.

Or like when one picks up an excellent fine ass babe, wearing all that 
"let's get ta some funky monkey luv".  Yet, finally when you're in bed, 
she's a freakin' stiff.  All about standard missionary, no 69, no puff 
n stuff.  You know, just a mortician's wet dream.  Poser comes to mind 
in moments like these...of course I am purely speaking from a guys 
perspective on this.

Or how about those people who like "keep trying to play like Jaco".  I 
mean, let's be serious here.  Jaco was one of kind...that is it.  Now a 
lot of these players may be good, but they need to find themselves, 
instead of trying to be something, that they can't possibly be.  Trying 
to be, and Being are still two totally different things and have 
nothing to do with education or lack there of.

That being said...what we can all agree on is, "It doesn't matter where 
you were educated...Music has to come from the gut."  Tap, tap, 
tap...now everrry one, once again, wit feeeeeling this time.

Britney Spears is a poser.  Paula Cole is not.  But I don't really like 
either of them.  But I can respect Paula Cole for not lip syncing and 
dancing around like a hip hop clown.  Yet I am sure that Paula will 
have a nice long career in music.  Where as Britney could eventually 
end up on street corner playing "Blowing for Crack".

For me, it is about the quality of the music, the quality of the 
musician's work...not their degree or lack there of.  As Don Juan said 
to Carlos Castaneda, when Carlos handed Don Juan his second book that 
was just published.  Don Juan looked at the cover and skimmed through 
the pages.  Then said "that's nice, very nice indeed...but here, you 
keep it, because you know what people do with paper in Mexico."

Again, I say this:
"One then, recognizes the need to be "you" at all times."

Peace,
Alexis