We seem to celebrate mediocrity and this has carried over into much of what the mass media pushes as great music. To find great, classic music, one has to look beyond what is thrown at us and seek out the gems outside mainstream.
The influence of the media and entertainment on society is unquantifiable even as those sectors endeavour to reflect society. They guide the discussions through what they put out. In Africa, we have often talked of how it is the West that determines the perception of us. This is not totally the case. The power bases on the continent – like South Africa and Nigeria – do so as well through the programming created on and for channels like MTV Base and Channel O. Because these spaces, based in SA, determine what is put out as being representative of Africa, can we comfortably say, this is the full picture?
Written September 6th, 2009 I have always sought pastimes that allow me to escape from the trials of reality, albeit temporarily. From books, film to music and games, I’ve been known to shut myself off from the real world for extended periods of time. In fact, a strategy game called Age of Empires nearly killed my marriage in its first year. I would sometimes get home from work and play this PC game from 6pm to 6am. And the first time I bought a Playstation? It was Christmas season and I was home alone for a full ten days, including Christmas Day. I played from 10am to 5am every day, only...
Written September 29th, 2009 This is a mini-rant. Social media has become all-consuming. We live our lives in the public space, randomly sharing our private moments with a world we don’t necessarily know. It started with email, moved to MySpace and found a home in Facebook. Friends you hadn’t seen for years and people you would never ever meet otherwise, become your Facebook friends. You share pictures, moments and your state of mind in status updates, giving a running commentary of your life. You discovered blogs and now you share everything from recipes for your favourite dishes through to...
Written on September 22nd, 2009 Do you ever sit and wonder what music will sound like in 10 years from now? 20 years? With all the talk that television and cinema are going to dwindle in popularity, do you ever wonder what you will be watching in the future? Do you ever look at your parents and wonder what they really think about the music you are passionate about today? If your parents are over 50 years of age, they were probably born into an Africa with no (or very few) cars, no television, no telephones (let alone cellphones), no computers, no electricity, no running water in homes, etc....
Written on September 15th, 2009 Music is an amazing creature. It caresses the heart. It strokes the spirit. It inspires the intellect. It has served as soundtrack to a multitude of souls since the dawn of mankind and it continues to provide refuge, comfort and happiness. Despite the millions of songs created, across countless genres, through the centuries, artists continue to lay their creativity and souls on the line, mirroring our lives. As former President Thabo Mbeki said, in 2006, “As life is like a kaleidoscope that is dynamic and ever-changing, music follows suit. Yesteryear's music...