MUSIC AND THE CON MEN

By Hans Ebert

Perhaps it’s the quiet before the storm or a time when many are regrouping to make new sense of previous nonsense.

(Source: Guardian)

It’s happening throughout the world almost as if we are waving goodbye to a past we wish to erase as we were part of it and trying to find a future where music is a Jimmy Cliff song and not important to many people.

Music has been downgraded to being another brick in the wall and another dish in the buffet of life.

In Hong Kong, CY Leung, an unpopular Chief Executive, is being bombarded from all sides to resign.

(Source: Sound Of Hope)

Yes, the electorial process was farcical, but the better or worst of two evils was voted in and it’s now almost become a trend to throw dim sum and noodles at Leung.

(Source: China Review News)

There’s something phony about many of these protests and cloning Occupy Wall Street and calling it Occupy Central with no rational reason for staging it.

As Lennon sang, It’s all showbiz, it’s staged and a Methinks Thou Doth Protesteth Too Much.

(Source: Oriental Daily)

Phoniness has also surfaced in the sordid case of former fung shui master Tony Chan and the late billionairess Nina Wang.

(Source: HKCNA)

Caught with his pants caught down, Chan revoked fung shui as something evil, suddenly discovered the god person and was baptized Peter Chan. The only thing he didn’t do was appear on Oprah and bawl his ass off.

Peter, Tony or Mary Jane, Chan was found guilty and sentenced for twelve years for forgery in his vile efforts to get his hands on the entire estate of his supposed lover, Nina Wang, twenty three years older than him.

(Source: HKEJ)

Sure, love is blind and age is a frame of mind. Still, the twists and turns and sex, lies and videotapes of this case has only now revealed that Chan had a criminal record for fraud dating back to 1986.

We are also seeing how the mighty have fallen, how Yes We Can was a hollow slogan like You Deserve A Break Today, that bankers are wankers and few are what they seem and only appear when they need a free lunch.

(Source: Blog Zero)

In the music world, it is incredibly quiet and please let’s not mistake “celebritydom” for music or endorsements as with the Jay-Z-Samsung business marriage for his new record as music.

(Source: One Click Root)

These will continue as music has become splintered and dysfunctional and more confusing than all those Billboard charts for every new music genre that the media creates. I await the Billboard Waltz and Cha Cha Charts.

(Source: CAC JDC)

Pure music and pure musicians are either a rarity or so under-marketed that whatever they might be doing doesn’t matter.

DIY? It’s DOA unless keeping the daytime job and being music hobbyists.

(Source: Life Ann Style)

In Hong Kong, there are also those who profess to be producers and engineers with their own studios who take on jobs just for the money and no passion.

No passion for music and the results are half-arsed plus there are cons going on- like losing tracks, losing mixes, late starts and being billed for these mistakes, all this proving that time is money.

(Source: Mr Grass Blog)

This is why there are obscenely high bills to pay for dull, tinny sounds with no imagination, no creativity, no nothing- but for which one is billed.

I can name names right here of who not to go near but why embarrass these con men when their gig is up and their time is coming to a full stop?

(Source: Things We Should Know Now)

We now get to the music. Is much of this really good? Not really. Most is derivative crap. One can have “attitude” but if the playing is warmed over and eons old Police, who cares? Some friends along with Mum and Dad?

(Source: Bubblews)

I am writing about Hong Kong, but variations or similarities on this theme are happening everywhere- cons plus stubbornness, defensiveness, mediocre musicians being legends in their old time plus ignorance about the rudiments of copyright, contracts, worldwide buyouts, sync deals, chords, melodies and being storytellers.

(Source: Stupid Humans)

What’s disappointing are when the people out there who have chosen to be professional musicians sing “Money” and try to slyly con others for an extra nickel and dime after being paid more than great session musos in LA or the UK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qFYmsuC01c

Again, I can name names but as long as I know who they are and their shuck and jive, it’s playing with a loaded deck and holding all the aces.

(Source: Wiki)

In Asia, we have been conned by many “name” musicians and producers we have all fawned over and become toadies for them.

Wyclef Jean, Nile Rogers and far bigger names who wanted to make some girls from China a star in the West come to mind.

The half-cocked promises a good singer from Beijing named Tia Yuan received from one of my music idols made me realize just how much bullshit goes on and those who deliver and those who dribble.

If only everyone was as relevant and passionate as the great Chris Blackwell.

One lives and learns from these con men from the West and understand that “the West” does not ever mean better and how Asia should slam the door on these time-wasters with their empty promises.

As Tonto would say, “White man speaks with forked tongue.”

(Source: Derrickl Phillips)

But when those one has trusted is found to be shuck and jive people, it’s distasteful and they should be outed and treated like the pariahs they are.

They are bad for the business of music.

(Source: Rotten E Cards)

#JimmyCliff #cyleung #OccupyCentral #Police #jayz