Comments on: Comments on 18160

Post number 18160

jonmc — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 11:53:51 -0800

Outsider Music. From a mailing list, here's a concise description of what is really more an idea than a genre, per se. The Hip Surgery Music Guide has some info on the essential artrists of the phenomenon. If you wanted to stretch the definitions of the form you could include, some better-known artists as well. Unspoiled genius in the rough or merely crude freakshow appeal? The answer I believe is somewhere is somewhere in between. But in an age where most music is either a copy of what is currently popular or a revival of what used to be popular, Outsider Music is a place to go for a "Wow! What was that?" musical experience.

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 11:59:44 -0800

For some more information on outsider music, see this article at the now somewhat defunct Audigalaxy.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 12:10:36 -0800

The Hip Surgery Music Guide site looks like it will take some time to go through, but I'm looking forward to it just after seeing the opening graphic. I question some inclusions, though - Spike Jones? Roger Miller? Offbeat, maybe, but not really outsiders. Likewise, Ross Bagdasarian (David Seville) deserves credit as a legitimately popular recording artist for "Witch Doctor" alone. Oh well - the random quote I got when I first went there is appropriate, I guess: "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture." - Steve Martin.

By: kliuless

kliuless — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 12:24:15 -0800

does brak count?

By: turaho

turaho — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 12:36:36 -0800

I have seen that "Talking about music..." line attributed to Frank Zappa and Elvis Costello, too. Does anyone know who originally said it?

By: yhbc

yhbc — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 12:42:01 -0800

Well, I took the quote at face value, but a quick Google search turns up this guy, who has so far chronicled about a dozen or more people to whom the quote is frequently attributed, but has still not found the definite source. (warning - godawful green lettering on black background).

By: ph00dz

ph00dz — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 14:05:30 -0800

The kids of widney high are rad.

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 14:10:38 -0800

warning - godawful green lettering on black background Whadd'ya mean? Ah, sweet, sweet days of Apple IIe.

By: nstop

nstop — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 15:00:22 -0800

Also falling within the scope of "outsider music" is the sub-genre of weird and hilarious "song poem" recordings: The ads in the back of magazines would say "Send us your poems or song lyrics and we'll get them recorded. Big money could be yours!," or some such come-on. What it turns out to be is that you pay them to put music to your words, then they send you a couple of copies of it on their label. And that's all they do. From the liner notes for Beat of the Traps, the first of many latter-day compilations of these recordings.

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 15:57:02 -0800

I don't know whether we should be nominating our favourite Outsider Artists, but this man is the one of the most extraordinary performers I've ever seen (and I've seen him hundreds of times). I just hope he wouldn't mind me calling him an Outsider Artist. The most outside OA I've ever seen was Smiley, but I don't have the energy right now to try to explain him.

By: macrone

macrone — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 16:09:31 -0800

Beat of the Traps is a fun compilation. I believe it was put together by Tom Ardolino, drummer for NRBQ.

By: Satapher

Satapher — Mon, 01 Jul 2002 17:14:18 -0800

Ssssssssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyddddddddd. man.