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\RTS & ENTERTAINMENT k I is r- d :e )f H it s, :r May 7, 2003 * The Clackamas Print » 9 Underground' vs.'Mainstream' Viainstream music is too expensive; underground nusic fits the budget and ifestyle of real people Isaiah Creel Statt Writer Underground is a term that implies cret, nonconformist, individualist or d mply alternative things. Mainstream is a word used to describe linventional, ordinary, typic^.j^^rndtotheru- wise mundane things. 1 These terms are regularly applied to Lrms of popular culture: fashion, music, I Im, artf|Élc. For our intents and purposes, nwevdfwe will apply them tojpusic,par- cularl^fap and hip-hop. Mainstream artists are those yoósItoiWsrm Ie radio, Or see on television. Thefriform. expression t$ based chi » for the most pan, ed and true methods.W selling recordfc:: I A goodly arttouritjof thè rappers on the radio/television promote and even flaunt Ins unscrupulous fbrm of greed. They, devote entire songs tó either the labeLihat pays them ridiculous amounts of money; or to the fact that they can affhtd any? materia I luxury they wish. Tnefe, basically ndorse a lifestyle that only thiase at the' p nnacle of the social pyramid can begin to late to. Otherwise, they dwell on the poor con ditions they were brought up in, or even on fe corrupt means they chose to gain oney, e.g. selling crack, selling prosti- tes or robbing people. Music should be judged by what it sounds like, not by the accomplishments or shortcomings of a band middle class. No one among my kin makes the kind of money these mainstream rap pers seem to care so much about, and my mother always taught me not to steal, do drugs or buy prostitutes. I can’t pay $35 to see mainstream shows and still afford to eat. Even if I could, why would I want to sit hundreds of yards from the stage with 20,000 people? Underground shows cost on average $10 (that leaves $5 for food and $20 for enter tainment), ahdare:held in small intimate venues, allowing you to be mere feet away from the stage. A mainstrearh compact diWcpsts rough ly $15, and is available at any fsfeord store (but will probably cost approxirt^tely $18 at Sam Goody). Underground cd’s, on the qther hand, cost at most $10, buisare only available at the show or online. Ihis might that you; won’t;be"able to find an album that ybdYeMly-wanted to hear, but when you do findft, ti becomes far more valuablfesahd sought affer. i The mbsfimportapt advantage of under ground ■musie'':i$-;'-.re'alized when someone becomesiso-popular in the underground that they are forced into the mainstream. This benefits-nc&only the artist, but also the die hard fan that has all six of their ep’s, which bee&me- instant collectors’ items. Radically new artists appearing in the mainstream creates new platforms from which other underground artists can pros per in the marketplace. So be the first one on your block to hear about a particular artist, but make sure you save the t-shirt. album sales/popularity. Overplaying a band does not make it bad. I personally prefer selecting my own tunes Pete Ford A&E Editor and abstain from listening to the radio as much as possible. I have my own ways of dis covering music. However, all some people Mainstream music, in addition to every have as a guide to buy new cd’s is the radio. I thing popular in society today, was at one time could never discourage that. It just shows how polluted people’s minds can get as far as not so popular, or “underground.” I feel that the word underground is often forming their own opinions about music: they have none. wbich this is more sad than bad. over-used. A band is technically only “under On the other sidessqf things, I have to ground” until it becomeypopuhai^often when bands become popular they are labeled sell address that bands become popular or “main stream” for a reason. That reaso&Js usually outs. “Sell-ouLsvarc shunned due to the fact that because they play good music. The^Bantra for they sell insane amounts of records and their any true music fan should be to lístenlo good singles are constantly played on the radio. music regardless of its popularity, genre or People who think they are true fans tend to ieyeu^isi.band’s attitude. I sometimes even like bandBless once tKeir music becomes pop find myself listening toa band I don't partic- ular. This mak^...pgi? question how true those: ulariy like just to hear one single guitar riff. fans were to begin with. Granted, way too ; . We all hstento nwie for our own person many new fans (typically little girls, radio-lis al enjoyment, spT am itot ashamed to say I lis teners or those less musically-oriented.) come ten to a lot of mainstream music. Obviously, I with a band’s increased popularity, but that prefer it when concerts cost less than a new doesn’t necessarily mean that the band’s pair of shoes, and I find it discouraging that music has gotten any worse.-' getting a populat ed for under $15 is almost a To be quite honest, it completely disgusts fbst cause. However, if you like something me when people (even friends oiprnine) have, (for whatever reason) you should not have to been following a band for a longtime and as justify ypur opinion, even to yourself. soon as it becomes popular, theys|ct as if the •^£|||Serground” bands do play with a dif- band no longer plays good music. Seems iron- Térent kind of heart when trying to succeed ic but their stereotypical arguments tend to than they do after they have already succeed involve the change from the bands older mate ed. They also play at smaller venues where it rial or the costly over-produced major label is easier to get into the music, but well-writ releases. Really, these are just excuses not to ten music should always be appreciated be categorized as a “mainstream” listener. regardless of what a band has become, In mainstream radio, the amount of airtime because in the end the music is the only thing your band gets is directly related to the band’s that matters. I have no idea where they are coming om. My family can be considered lower First Annual ChndrenS Poetry Forum The Clackamas Community College English department, Childcare Club and Student Government are proud to announce that on May 9, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Gregory Forum, they will host the first Annual Children's Poetry Forum. - Poems from local authors will be read in addition to favorites from around the world. Children will have the opportunity to write their own poems and create Mother's Day cards. *AII activities are free and open to children of all agesl* For more info contact Julia Palshikar at (503) 723-8812 or atpalshikar@juno.com BUY 2 FULL STANDARD BUY 2 GET I FREE OF E(W ÄSER Äoo OM Not valid wi Not valid wnffany other coupon The Real Freshness is at Pogy’s Subs Fresh Baked Bread Daily Never made from frozen dough Meat sliced fresh for order riy other coupon Beavercreek Rd. Les Schwab POGYS 1630 Beavercreek Road Suite J Oregon City, OR Located in South Ridge Center ORDERS TO GO South Ridge Center Call us at (503) 655-9070 Standard Submarines ULL HALF • Ham, Salami & Pepperoni 2 • Ham & Salami 3 • Cotto Salami or Bologna 4 • Ham & Turkey »•All Cheese 6 • Turkey & Salami 7 «Pastrami 8 «Pepperoni I «Ham 10 «Salami 11 «Turkey 12 «Pastrami, Swiss, Kraut 13 • Pastrami & Salami Ep‘c EVeNtS Cpie Events presents: Shows to prepare for Van’s Warped Tour 2003: Who: Rancid, Pennywise, Rufio, Acoustically amazing music: Who: The 2nd Annual Northwest Thrice, Dropkick Murphys, Taking Back Sunday, Glassjaw, The Ataris, Less Than Jake, Poison The Well, The Used, Avenged Sevenfold, Unseen, Andrew W.K., Suicide Machines, Face To Face, Slick Shoes, Mest, A Simple Plan, Mad Caddies and many more. - The Van’s Warped Tour contin ually brings all of the best alter native rock musicians together for one of the largest and most successful annual events to date. Not only will the Warped Tour host more bands than one can watch in a one day but there will be all kinds of crazy booths and. strange attractions. Spring Summit will host: Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, Old & the Gray, Fiddlers 4, Reeltime Travelers, Jerry Douglas Band, Piano Throwers, Two High String Band, Jackstraw and more. - This three day long festival will most likely be an earth-friendly, mellow, overall good ol’ fun time with available camping. When: Horning’s Hideout (North Plains, Oregon) Sunday July 6 noon till end Tickets available through TicketsWest (parking included) Where: Columbia Meadows (off I-5 N) (Formally Portland Meadows) When: Friday June 27 - Sunday June 29 Ticket prices vary based on how soon tickets are purchased and how many days one will spend at the festival. Tickets available online at stringsummit.com. Where: Poo Punk-rockers unite: Who: Good Charlotte, New When: Found Glory, MxPx and The Movie Life are touring together on ‘The Honda Civic Tour.” -This show definitely aims to please a younger crowd and the lack of creativity in some of the songs played will be heavily overpowered by the intense stage presence by all four bands. October 2 - October 26 Tickets on sale now and available at cirquedusoleil.com Tuesday May 27 $25 tickets through Ticketmaster Where: Where: Under the white Grand Chapiteau Memorial Coliseum Cirque Du Soleil presents: Who: ALGERIA -Anyone who hasn’t experienced one of Cirque’s off-the-wall per formances is in for something new When:
