Live music is rubbish
I spoke at the London Jazz Festival today. There was a series of panel discussions that took place under the banner ‘Thinking With Jazz’ and I was on the ‘Jazz Industry – Looking Forward’ panel.
We talked about a great many things – but there was a moment at which one of my fellow panelists happened to say “well of course, jazz is all about the live experience” – or words to that effect – and everybody nodded sagely as if this was something that everybody just knows. That it was entirely uncontroversial. A self-evident fact.
I entirely disagree. I like records more than I like concerts, and I said so.
It’s one of those things that takes people by surprise when you say it. In fact, sometimes they’re shocked. This was one of those occasions. I’ve been called a “bad music fan” (and worse) because of this preference. But I just don’t think that live music is more ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ than recorded music. It’s a presupposition – a prejudice even – and it goes unchallenged for the most part. So I challenge it.
