john wrote:
> > She is not making products for consumers.
>
> Yes, she is.
>
> Well, obviously product is involved when you press 200,000 gazillion
> copies of the darned thing. My point is more of a distinction rather
> than a complete separation. I believe there is a higher, more artistic
> motivation to Joni's efforts than merely making product. In a sense, the
> only way she knows how to "make a product" is to make ART first and sell
> it as a product.
But she decided to pursue a carreer in which appealling to a large
audience is a given. And despite her image as a "pure artiste", she
has expressed disappointment, even bitterness, that some of her
most adventurous departures including "Mingus" were not embraced
by radio and a larger public. When she talks about it now, and
how she sacrificed her popularity to do it, she seems almost
regretful. She seems to have the attitude that people should be
following her music simply because it is Joni Mitchell. She is
right, of course.
If she was truly unconcerned with commerce, she might
be sewing embroidered doilies and selling them at the flea market.
The case could even be argued that she is turning to painting now
because her recordings aren't making any money for her, while
she is pulling $20k or so for her canvasses.
> Of all the recordings she has done, (which may hint to Bob Muller's
> dissatisfaction with BSN), BSN is probably the most "product" like of
> any of her recordings. Essentially, it's about Joni trying to live again
> in the moment of a night singing at a benefit with a large orchestra
> behind her. She tried to pull it into an "artful" level by using a story
> cycle, by revisiting her old material in a new way. For many on the
> list, that was not enough and BSN comes off more as 'product' than art.
>
> While this may be the case with BSN, it is definitely NOT the case with
> any of her other original productions.
People on the list have accused her of bowing to commercial
trends with DED and WTRF, and trying to recapture her
audience by returning to her 'more traditional' sound on NRH.
I guess my point is that she IS thinking of the market for her
stuff when she is doing it, and that doesn't IMO diminish it's
importance, she is still doing it in an artful way, and at a level
above pretty much everybody else.
My reservations about BSN do not concern whether it was
calculated or not. I agree with Colin that she was simply in
over her head. I think she could have pulled it off much better
a few years ago, when her voice was stronger. With no
original material to attract, you are left with the performance
itself, which is, IMO, lacking.
One more unconnected observation about critics:
Joni has had pretty much nothing but blanket condemnation for
popular music as far as I can remember...Occasionally she
will admit to liking someone, Sting, Miles Davis....Like Zappa in this
regard. Arrogant.
> Her videos suck eggs.
I think "Good Friends" is one of the best videos ever.
RR
