Yeah, I said it.

Sublime

Kim: I’m with you that a lot of youngsters are impressed by Jimi now because he’s a black guitarist. I’m a youngster myself, but I got into Jimi through my dad, who was an original fan from back in the 60s, so I’m exempt from this rule, I think…

Justin: I’ve thought about Jimi’s death and how it had affected his legacy. My gut tells me he’d probably still be making good, but not great music, but my brain tells me that he probably would have had a stagnant period, say, in the 80s maybe, before bursting back on the scene in the 90s like many of his contemporaries did. I don’t think his career trajectory, even at its worst, would have been as bad as Clapton, though.

But back on topic. My take about Matisyahu is that it’s more the record company executives driving his “Look! He’s Jewish!” popularity and less the American record-buying public. A lot of people listen to the radio and don’t really have the time to “dig” on the internet, or in local music mags, or spend money on obscure CDs, and gravitate towards things they see and hear on the big stage. If Matisyahu is more popular than Damien Marley, that’s the doings of record companies, if you ask me. If a Jamaican reggae artist was pushed as much as Matisyahu is (I can see him coming up through the floor here at work, but I digress…) then I’m sure mainstream America would be snatching up and enjoying their CDs as well.

Or maybe Matisyahu has struck a chord because of his music, I don’t know. I’m with you again on this one Justin: he’s not bad, but not great.

However, Kim, you are on your own with that hendrix thing. I personally don’t think Hendrix being black had anything to do with his popularity in the 60’s counterculture (in the US anyway). At that time, African-Americans had not yet abandoned rock and roll and it was not yet viewed as the “white music” our generation might see it as today. It would not have been shocking or gimicky to see a black man play guitar in 1964 in the way that seeing a Jewish dude rap might be today. Perhaps, when Hendrix was in the UK, being black may have worked to his advantage, but simply because American rhythm and blues was so big with the young crowd over there that they might have viewed him as “more authentic.” Maybe not.

This is sort of unrelated, but, I am a big Hendrix fan but I often wonder how his death has affected the way we remember him. If he had survived the 70’s and we had to deal with Jimi’s “junkie albums” or an abyssmal 80’s career (a la Clapton) or comeback albums where Jimi collaborated with younger artists who weren’t even alive when he played Woodstock, on which, he plays badass solos over horrible songs (a la Santana) would we still feel the same way that we do about him?

*Not knocking Alpha Blondie. I love Alpha Blondie. Just thought I’d say that before someone tries to twist it.

Don’t even get me started on Alicia Keys…

Amish Death Metal will be huge.

I am not interested in taking the world by storm. Ever.

Doo-Bop sucks.

you are right. the guy has a gimmick and he is selling records. i like his music. i own the live album. i also own the best of barbra steisand. so what? they are rich and we are still poor. piss on ‘em. i still think you are an underrated (and slightly frustrated) bass player who, with the right gimmick, could take the nation by storm! good props to mc serch!