COLUMN: Aaron Osborne (I Exist)
Killyourstereo.com introduces its new column based component today where we give musicians freedom to offer a unique, personal and individual voice. This month and the months thereafter, we will host the thoughts of various industry members, which aim to allow readers a new insight and perspective into a variety of music based topics. Whether you agree or disagree with the points of contention, the focus is to generate discussion and receive a different side of the page with the respective opinions. I Exist guitarist Aaron Osborne offers the first entry in his monthly column – ‘Oblivious Maximus’.
Killyourstereo.com introduces its new column based component today where we give musicians freedom to offer a unique, personal and individual voice.
This month and the months thereafter, we will host the thoughts of various industry members, which aim to allow readers a new insight and perspective into a variety of music based topics.
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Whether you agree or disagree with the points of contention, the focus is to generate discussion and receive a different side of the page with the respective opinions.
I Exist guitarist Aaron Osborne offers the first entry in his monthly column – ‘Oblivious Maximus’.
“Southern Discomfort”
The Australian music media has been pumping out online articles all over the place for the last couple weeks, seemingly full of a lot of complaints, distress and general grumpiness towards national radio stations, music festivals, touring companies and anything else people can have a sulk about. Initially when I sat down to write this I figured “You know what, I’m gonna throw in my two cents about Triple J and who owns what music festival and how tours should REALLY be booked!!!” and then I realised, who cares?! What does any of that shit have to do with the music that I enjoy, the level of involvement I have or the band I play in have with the current Australian music scene and why do people really care about this stuff anyway?
I realise a lot of people want their voices heard, and people are pretty quick to jump on the defence of something they like or attack if they dislike it, but why are these topics such an important point of focus for people who really, won’t have any affect on the outcome and aren’t horribly effected by it in the first place? Music journalists, have at it, discuss and debate your little hearts out. Everyone else, ignore it and get on with tweeting about your workmates, ‘gramming your latest purchase and doing Buzzfeed quizzes, that is what we need you to keep doing on the Internet, or otherwise it might just shut down!
Some people will probably have a crack at my opinion on this as ‘It’s OUR internet man, and OUR radio, and WE are the people who go to the festivals’ but really, regardless of your complaints, arguments or distastes, the only way you are going to change the things that give you the shits is to stop supporting them, and fighting with them and just ignore them and do your own thing. National radio stations aren’t going to start playing death metal during the drive shows, no matter how hard you fight, music festivals are going to be run by millionaires, because big bands ask for millions to play them and tours are going to flop all the time because PEOPLE promote them, and people fuck up all the time.
Listening to and playing “alternative” music has brought me tons of friends, let me go places, see awesome bands and occasionally drink some booze for free. I would love for radio stations, music festivals and tour promoters to give everyone who is a nice person, who works hard and is a good musician a fair shot at getting their time to shine. However, having a crack at them over the Internet, probably isn’t going to make that happen. If anyone wants to put your hand up to actively work to change this, then, AWESOME, get going and I wish you the best of luck and can hopefully give you a hand at some point. Until then, listen to music that sounds good to you, go to local shows, support your friends bands even if you think they suck and be a good mate – you will get way more enjoyment out of it, and maybe even some free booze. Awesome.
-Aaron Osborne
Do you agree, disagree or maybe just have additional thoughts? Let Aaron (KYS username: AaronOsborne) know in the comments below.
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