Thought this may be of interest to some of you...



It used to be that rock or folk were the places where musicians took on the tough topics head-on. Bubblegum pop is very rarely a forum for political or emotional discussions, or even a genre that welcomes experimentation; we've given that responsibility to the Bob Dylans and the Led Zeppelins of the industry. However, there are the exceptions. When I listen to music from the '80s, a decade where pop dominated and even the rock bands were fruity and commercial, two artists stand out as stars who, maybe for the first time, used pop music as a springboard for provocation: Prince and Madonna.

Prince is a phenomenal, original musician and, I think, a genius, who can play several instruments and write some great pop tunes. He was popular with listeners of that era probably because his hits were so daringly, sexually perverted; he's explored everything from masturbation to incest in his music, all in jaw-dropping detail. He provokes us with his music, while Madonna, on the other hand, incites her arguments more with visuals. Her music is always catchy and bouncy, not very sophisticated or dangerous content-wise, and that's probably why she has remained (though she is less popular in the year 2000 than she was in 1985) a gigantic pop star and why Prince (or The Artist, or whatever his name is...) is seen more as the daunting art-pop figure.


more continued here : http://www.filmwritten.or...ordare.htm

See comments from DavidEye below...

CalhounSq said: