Posted on 09/23/2003 4:42:20 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Barbra Streisand says she finds listening to her own songs is so boring that it was one of the reasons she gave up public performing three years ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Who does Brbra listen too? Being an ego driven, insecure diva, she probably wouldn't tell you the truth, afraid you might discover her "secrets" or even abandon her for her idol. But the pop artists have at one time or another been influenced, inspired by people they regarded and perhaps still do as better than themselves. In 1963, the Rolling Stones listened to Muddy Waters, more recently Keith Richards said he listens to Mahler (or somebody, I don't remember.) They certainly didn't get inspired listening to the Swinging Blue Jeans in 1963 and to grunge in 2003. And hearing such things always pushed me to explore those sources as well. And then the sources' sources. You've heard the term "the artist's artist" - a writer or musician who is most often unpopular with the general public but known and regarded by other artists.
What's more, the influences can be heard or felt in the music. You can hear that the grunge groups listen mostly to themselves and to each other. You could hear that country artist John Anderson listened to the blues, while some of the country lightweigths listened only to the country radio top 20. And so on...
You've heard the term "the artist's artist" - a writer or musician who is most often unpopular with the general public but known and regarded by other artists. It ain't Brbra, however she chooses to misspell her name.
I'm not a big Babs fan and out of 1,000s of songs in my collection, I probably only have one of hers.
Personally I don't like her politics, which pretty much turns me off to her completely.
But it doesn't change the fact that she is one of the best singers of our time who for many years has been on the top of the heap when it comes to popularity in the music industry.
And when it come to "karoake", I think it's ridiculous.
But not any worse in taste or lower classed than insulting talent like Streisand on the basis that one's personal tastes are so superior to the masses.
That's something to gag about.
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