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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
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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: