Great Quote on Popular Music

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:08 pm

"People talk to me about this group or that group, and 50 years from now, will anybody really remember? They come up to me and say, 'They've sold 13 million albums,' and I tell them, 'McDonald's has sold millions of hamburgers, but that doesn't make them good.' " - Oteil Burbridge (Allman brothers, Oteil and the Peacemakers, Aquarium Rescue Unit, etc...)

hahursey · Post by **hahursey** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:53 pm

So, what do you think this guy would say if asked, "What makes a band/it's music last the ages?"

Besides biting the head off a bat.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:45 pm

I don't believe any of his bands have ever featured bat head biting. I believe he's speaking of songwriting, musicianship, melody, harmony, rhythm, originality - musically, not in level of degeneratism of the band members. That sort of thing.

i.e. whatever genre is hot right now and the biggest band in that genre selling 30 million CDs doesn't make it good anymore than the fact that McDonalds sells 30 million hamburgers a month makes their burgers any good. I'd rather eat ground premium chuck grilled on my woodfire grill, and I'd rather listen to Oteil and the Peacemakers...

=^-..-^= · Post by **=^-..-^=** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:10 am

Damn, he stole my quote!

I have used the saying 'Just because McDonalds sells billions of hamburgers doesn't mean they are gourmet food.' for about 10 years, when any debate arises over 'quality verses popularity'.

Attribution for this quote goes to that infamous teecher/philosopher: Bigmeow.

Sankofa · Post by **Sankofa** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:57 am

Dammit, I thought I was the first person to think of grinding up meat to make sandwiches, turns out Clive Davis had me beat.

B.M.R · Post by **B.M.R** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:17 pm

personally..........I like McDonalds hamburgers.

But I couldn't agree any more with what they said. If you want to be remembered...be yourself and write the best music you can write. You might not be the most popular band...but the people you touch will remember you for who you are.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:47 pm

And just to be clear, being popular doesn't mean you won't be remembered - Beatles anyone? Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Led Zep, etc...

Honestly, does anyone think people will still be buying Yanni or Kenny G records in 30 years? 500 years?

People still buy recordings of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart... I predict that in 400 years people will still be seeking out recordings of Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, etc...

Oliver's Army · Post by **Oliver's Army** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:10 pm

I can see the connection to mass produced crap and selling it to the masses.

But... once in a while.... I WANT a greasy Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

sharkmansix · Post by **sharkmansix** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:22 pm

McDonald's has sold millions of hamburgers, but that doesn't make them good

Nope, but it makes them good at what they do!

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:59 pm

Oliver's Army wrote:I can see the connection to mass produced crap and selling it to the masses.

But... once in a while.... I WANT a greasy Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

A little guilty pleasure on occasion??? Absolutely! And there's the undeniable connection between teenagers and crappy food. McDonalds or Chops? I'm probably taking the kid to Mickey D's because they won't appreciate the crab cakes and black and blue ribeye anyway...

SHAWN · Post by **SHAWN** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:01 pm

bassjones wrote:
Oliver's Army wrote:I can see the connection to mass produced crap and selling it to the masses.

But... once in a while.... I WANT a greasy Quarter Pounder with Cheese.
A little guilty pleasure on occasion??? Absolutely! And there's the undeniable connection between teenagers and crappy food. McDonalds or Chops? I'm probably taking the kid to Mickey D's because they won't appreciate the crab cakes and black and blue ribeye anyway...

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, does this explain why once in a while someone emails me and says they are actually listening to a Migraines cd instead of Charles Mingus?

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:59 pm

hehe...

=^-..-^= · Post by **=^-..-^=** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:27 am

bassjones wrote:I predict that in 400 years people will still be seeking out recordings of Miles Davis, Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, etc...

But in 400 years, who will attribute the McDonalds quote to the Meowster? Huh? Huh? I thought so. . . .

I now feel violated, abused, and insignificant in a cold, cruel universe. . . .

Grindspine · Post by **Grindspine** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:20 am

McD's and popular music both pretty much suck IMNSHO.

G Fresh · Post by **G Fresh** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:25 pm

So are the Rolling Stones still popular because their music is good or because they are still touring 40 some odd years after they began?