Matt Gleason is a art critic/publisher of Coagula. In this interview he does not hold back. He calls it as he sees it. It is a long interview but well worth the viewing. The most exciting is his passion and belief in art. This is something that is missing from music. We no longer have any "real" critics. People who are willing to put their true "critique" on paper. Lester Bangs was writing nearly 40 years ago!
Music is in desperate need of this type of person because we are in dire straights and the public has missed the plot and the awards like the Grammy's only further the dilution. This is something that has driven me crazy for several years. I strongly believe this is one of the reasons music is hurting so badly.
Some questions...
- What would we think of Picasso if he just painted someone else's ideas?
- What would we think of Picasso if he had to use a computer to color correct his paintings?
- What would we think of Picasso if he was "interested in extending his brand" to clothing lines, perfume, action figures, etc.?
- What would we think of Picasso if he changed his painting to include a Pepsi logo?
- Does playing guitar make you an artist? Does singing a song make you an artist? Does writing a song make you an artist?
You might be a great singer, or a great guitarist or a great songwriter. That does NOT make you an artist, it might make you skilled at a profession, it might even make you an artisan but not an artist. Art is supposed to challenge us and move us in a profound way. It should make us happy and sad and even angry. We should be shocked by it and we should be soothed by it, but most of all it should stand the test of time. Standing the test of time ultimately means that there is substance rather then just fashion behind that art.
More on this later...
