Elite versus Common art, or the truth of so called originality (At least in Music)

Let me start by saying I don't know HTML or any of that internet stuff. If I post a link you'll have to work old-school and cut and paste it into your browser. That is, at least for now. This is my first venture into blogging. It won't look pretty, but it'll be informative (I hope) and a bit humorous (not likely).

So in reading the book, and the posts of the Discussion forum I decided to use my blog to elaborate on the derivative nature of art, particularly music. Some of this might not be your taste in music, but it's a subject I love and can easily write about.

The main difference between Elite, or high art and the common arts is said to be originality. Common art comes from the more creative High art. Chris then mentioned the grunge phenomenon. Much like punk rebelled against the slick nature of popular music and style during the disco era, grunge was the youth reaction to the over-produced world of:

boy bands:
http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/050622/113728__newkids_l.jpg

sugary hip hop:
http://image.listen.com/img/356x237/1/8/1/7/737181_356x237.jpg

and electro-romantic pop of the 80's:
http://www.geocities.com/party_time_80s/spandau-ballet.jpg

Nirvana and Pearl Jam, while both invigorating and important to popular culture, were quite derivative of other acts. I always found Pearl Jam to sound like loud Neil Youngsters and Kurt Cobain admittedly stole the sound of the Pixies.

This dude does a great job elaborating:
Jacko's Jeremiad: Do You Like Nirvana? If So, You'll Love the Pixies

To compare, if you have time here are some videos:

Pixies:


Nirvana:


Okay, so the Pixies one is from the same time period as Nirvana, but the older stuff just didn't do well on youtube. Trust me, they did it for quite a while before Kurt came along.

So really everything comes from something else as demonstrated here:

Slavery-inspired gospel music begat Robert Johnson who begat BB King who begat Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, Al Green, Smoky Robinson... who begat the Beatles, Stones and Zeppelin, who begat well, everything else, but particularly Metal, Punk, Grunge...(maybe not Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Hannah Montana, definitely not NSYNC or NKOTB or the Backstreet Boys)

How does all relate to the use of signs? Well, a cheap way to connect them would be the symbolism in the Nirvana video...I think the real sign would look like this:
http://www.kpengineering.co.uk/recycle.jpg


What's old is new again, and really Grandpa was right, the old stuff is better.