Matt's Music..

[X-Rated Truffle Pig]

Okay, so I love Matthew Good/Band's music. I have lived and loved it for years now I can't even remember. he is my favourite musician besides myself. but anyways we all know matt support charities and does a lot of good for other causes and what not. the majority if not all i support and back his views on certain things and what he wants to accomplish and such. I love his causes and I'd give anything to help out where he thinks it counts the most.

 

BUT...and this is a big but...you can kill me now...

 

does anyone else ever feel like they just want to listen to his music and watch their videos without being remind of the causes...Even once and a while. Be honest.

 

I am at least and am not sorry for it either.

[Disestabulistic]

It actualy realy depends on my mood.

 

If I want to be reminded of the causes, I am, if not I just listen to thte music and waych the videos and just enjoy them on an artistic and emotional level.

 

It's all in your frame of mind.

[X-Rated Truffle Pig]

yes it may be but there is always the reminder of the causes...

[Janna]

does anyone else ever feel like they just want to listen to his music and watch their videos without being remind of the causes...Even once and a while.  Be honest.

 

I am at least and am not sorry for it either.

That's what I always do. No, I'm not ashamed. Not that I don't care about the causes. Because I really do. It's just that I find that I enjoy music a lot more when it's perceived on emotional level, rather than sociological.

 

I don't know if that made any sense at all.

Anyways, I'll leave you with this:

 

"All art is at once surface and symbol.

Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril.

Those who read the symbol do so at their own peril.

It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."

 

~Oscar Wilde

[Little_Bird]

I'm only reminded of it when I go to his website. For the most part I do just listen to the music. Though, I admit I do have him to thank for becoming more aware/active.

[no yu begin wher i end]

I don't mind it at all. With the level of crap going around, it's refreshing to see someone promote a worthy cause.

[Dan #3]

Personally I don't care for his politics, I care for the music. I don't need his blog to remind me that the world is fucked up and full of lies.

[saturnine]

yeah, i'm a fan of matt good's music. anything he has to say is irrelevant to that fact.

[X-Rated Truffle Pig]

yes i'm a huge fan but sometimes you're constantly reminded.

 

IAWCC vid is perfect example

[raygunner]

I find its refreshing to find a musician who actually devotes his time and money to a worthwhile cause in parallel to bringing music to the masses.

 

Matt's devotion to Amnesty and geo-politics does us all a huge favour. You don't have to read every single article he posts or link he provides, but reading the odd article I guarantee you'll become more open-minded and, likely, more intellectual and well-rounded because of it. Its fantastic that, with his music and fan following he can bring attention to issues that are relevant and that directly or indirectly affect our daily lives.

 

I applaud Matt for motivating and engaging people to think about the world around them, instead of being passive and sheltered. So many great bands have done it successfully, think Rage Against the Machine (who were by far the most politically involved band I've ever seen).

 

Everyone knows Matt's a smart guy, by listening to him the worst thing that could happen is that it just might open your eyes to the world around you. The fusion of music, politics and world issues has always played a big role in the success (or notoriety) of many successful musicians.

 

I guess if you don't like it (or don't care), theres always Simple Plan and Limp Bizkit.

Edited September 19, 2005 by raygunner

[Guest apsham]

I find its refreshing to find a musician who actually devotes his time and money to a worthwhile cause in parallel to bringing music to the masses.

 

Matt's devotion to Amnesty and geo-politics does us all a huge favour. You don't have to read every single article he posts or link he provides, but reading the odd article I guarantee you'll become more open-minded and, likely, more intellectual and well-rounded because of it. Its fantastic that, with his music and fan following he can bring attention to issues that are relevant and that directly or indirectly affect our daily lives.

 

I applaud Matt for motivating and engaging people to think about the world around them, instead of being passive and sheltered. So many great bands have done it successfully, think Rage Against the Machine (who were by far the most politically involved band I've ever seen).

 

Everyone knows Matt's a smart guy, by listening to him the worst thing that could happen is that it just might open your eyes to the world around you. The fusion of music, politics and world issues has always played a big role in the success (or notoriety) of many successful musicians.

I agree with you. Matt has got me more aware about the issues, and into things. Thanks to him, I found what I wanted to do and I plan on running with it, I plan to be a journalist and an honest one. It's not that hard with the CBC up here in Canada I believe, and I think it's something that I'll love to do. It's something that really would not have thought about or run across if it wasn't for Matt's music. I thank him for that.

 

Also, because of his blog, I joined ceasefire.ca and have been published. I joined Amnesty and have helped out in any way I can. Is the message there in his message? Yes. But the lyrics are good, the music is excellent. I don't have a problem with it.

[Vance]

I think too many bands are mostly concerned with making money. Which is fine and understandable and a lot of good music comes from that. But it is good to see artists that have more depth and pay attention to the world and try to make a difference.

Not only do I think Matts music is some of the best ever made, but I respect him so much more because of what he sings about and what he stands for.

[Ravenous megin-sane]

i can honestly say i have never thought that.

[X-Rated Truffle Pig]

Everyone knows Matt's a smart guy, by listening to him the worst thing that could happen is that it just might open your eyes to the world around you. The fusion of music, politics and world issues has always played a big role in the success (or notoriety) of many successful musicians.

 

well said...

 

i respect what he believes and what he stands for, but i still stand by my point...

 

cheers

[uglyredhonda]

Strangely, I've found myself able to keep the two separate. When his songs are political, they're oblique enough that it doesn't pull me out of the music. And if the political items on his website get a little overwhelming, I just don't check it out for a couple of days.

 

I'll admit that his political views are often farther left than mine. But, at the same time, I've noticed that I've been more politically motivated/aware since I started reading his site on a semi-regular basis.

[sentient_robot]

The 'causes' that Matt can write about speak to his ability to consider art as a medium for social communication. When we ignore the message, it says more about our inability to confront ourselves... it speaks to the fact that we feel unable to handle both truth and our own need for its avoidance.

 

Art has no surface, save for the artist. The artist is like a prism; through the device of the artist, the single white light can become a rainbow of infintite expression.

 

It is an illusion that the art comes from the artist. The truth is that the art comes from you.

 

See it as surface, see it as profound- that art is yours to define. Make of it what you will.

[X-Rated Truffle Pig]

beautifully put.

 

stupid question but are you in art?

[Audio of Being]

I really don't have a problem with the causes at all. Alot of bands these days (REM, Pearl Jam, U2) have all been outspoken about alot of different things.

 

I think it is good to realize what goes in this world, and if music is one way of telling how things really are, I think we all should listen.

[beautiful_midnight]

It doesn't ever bother me that he is so vocal about his opinions. If I want to hear about them, I will read his blog. If all I want is music, then I'll just listen to his CDs.

[static]

I think one of the reasons Matt is no longer accessible in his music career is simply because of his more politically inclined lyrics. Not that accessibility matters in my POV. Just a point.

With that said i'm glad he has political lyrics that reflect more of his personal belief system than say a song by green day which is basically made to hitch on the "Fuck Bush! Fuck war! Buy this record!" bandwagon.

 

And yet i know exactly what you're saying. The problem isn't Matt's political leaniancies in music. It's that it's overkill. It comes to a point where you've heard OVERTLY political songs for two records straight. It's reached the point where he's become just as cliche in singing about politics as pop stars that sing about breaking up. He's no longer saying something new in regards to political lyrics. He's just rehashing his old opinions.

 

You may now open fire.

[Disestabulistic]

And yet i know exactly what you're saying. The problem isn't Matt's political leaniancies in music. It's that it's overkill. It comes to a point where you've heard OVERTLY political songs for two records straight. It's reached the point where he's become just as cliche in singing about politics as pop stars that sing about breaking up. He's no longer saying something new in regards to political lyrics. He's just rehashing his old opinions.

 

You may now open fire.

Avalanche and WLRnRR were definitely more political, but it's all in the way you interpret it, he may have written the songs on a political level but you can (hopefuly) listen to them and get something different out of them, as I said before, all in the frame of mind.

[Devil On Rollerskates]

WLRRR was definitely overtly political but I think Avalanche was more subtle.

[NationofCool]

WLRRR was definitely overtly political but I think Avalanche was more subtle.

I agree.

If he's gonna be political..

I think he should do something that's in between..

when it's blatantly obvious..

it's not as meaningful..

at least thats what I feel.

 

With Avalanche, it was pretty subtle..

so a lot of "mainstream" listeners might

not catch on.. something in between..

where it's political but it takes a 5-10 sec

of interpretation in order to notice.

 

rather than 5-10 min or being bombarded with overtly

forward political lyrics.

[static]

Yeah i guess i have to agree with everyone on the avalanche front. Though Pledge of Allegiance and 21st Century Living were pretty darn obvious. To me anyway.

[driftinginfluence]

Pledge of Allegiance is not overtly political to me at all, only if you consider it totally literally. To qoute something i remeber Matt saying about it, the song is about pledging allegiance to yourself, and I mostly hear that when i listen to the song, it doesn't seem overtly political to me at all. I mean it's all subjective, but when he sings "I won't let you down, done letting you down" it seems as though it's directed at the self, in the context of the band breaking up and becoming a situation he despised.

Edited September 30, 2005 by driftinginfluence