Survival is the optimal thing.

Not only am I a huge fan of The Smashing Pumpkins, but I am also a fan of Billy Corgan's outlook on and willingness to talk about the industry of creating and marketing pop music. Most musicians either don't have a deep outlook on their own industry or are unwilling to talk about it with fear of destroying whatever image they've created for their audience to view them by. Once it becomes about money the beauty of it is tainted, so many artists choose not to reveal that side of their craft.

In the very beginning of this interview, the dj asks Billy what he thinks about newer bands licensing their music to sell Jettas and Kodak film. Billy makes and important response which is that records don't sell anymore and without that source of income "survival is the optimal thing."

How do bands make records? How do they get that first source of income that allows them to go on tour? How does it reach the next level and become a career without that once very essential source of income?

It is pretty obvious that their is no slowing down in the creation of albums. In fact, their are more albums reaching the public consciousness than ever since bands no longer rely on the budget of a major label to record, release and promote a record. But, very few bands are able to turn this new DIY model into a profit and hence, can't quit their jobs and go on tour without maintaining a lifestyle of borderline homelessness or a financially supportive girlfriend/family.

So, what the hell can we all do? Do we purposely create music in hopes of hawking it to major manufacturers and retailers or do we just give up on the idea of ever being financially rewarded for our creative endeavors?

I think a lot about music in the days before their was a physical commodity to sell (e.g. records, tapes, cds, tee-shirts). There were a handful of genius composers who were given money by the local government to compose music, but most people's lives didn't have the possibility of seeing a creative endeavor realized. Depending on where in the world you were many people were too poor to even focus on something as trivial as art. They were just trying to survive.

It will never be quite like those times again, but maybe we can get back to a point where we just create without the hope of financial gain and not have to worry about whether the rest of the world knows what we are doing in the privacy of our hometowns.

Stumpclub: Vol. II

Music is not black and white. Some people want to write songs with great melodies that conform to the standards of what a great melody is as represented by every great pop songwriter. Some people have a shit-load of energy that they need to get out who could care less what a melody is. And then there is a whole lot of in-between.

What makes Stumpclub: Vol. 2 a brilliant compilation is that it represents this spectrum of popular music with full force. There are good examples of both extremes with a whole lot of in between. This is everything that makes the Portland scene so amazing is that even though the outside world doesn't recognize these spectrums, PDX does in spades. Not only is the music created, but it's recognized as being great music. It's a known fact that songs based on pure, raw emotion are just as good and listenable as those with amazing melodies and more predictable sounds and structures. I'm not saying Portland is the only scene that recognizes this cause frankley I've never been a part of any other scene, but it's one of the few that advertises it.

On the side of catchy melodies that will linger in your consciousness for days, there is David Evan (myspace.com/davidevanmusic) who is secretly one of the best song craftsmen that the Stump has to offer, not to mention an amazing producer. "Kill no keepers, Kill no thieves" prooves to be his best written and produced song to date.

For pure emotion and what I imagine is an amazing live show from The Penny Jam video I saw on their myspace page (myspace.com/magicjohnsonmusic), the musical group named after former Lakers b-baller, Dream-teamer and advocate for HIV/Aids prevention and safe sex. In the song Kelly the Antichrist the guitar/drum duo either hate Kelley or love her and hate Christ. Honestly, I don't really care to translate. I don't care either way, because that's not what is appealing about MG. They have the kind of caotic energy that starts revolutions and was drained out of most of us by eighteen from over-consumption of Mountain Dew.

In the middle and by far the best track of the compilation is Raggae Bob by The Hand That Bleeds (myspace.com/handthatbleeds). Even though the song doesn't have the kind of melody that you can sing in the shower, the mix of control and emotion that underline this song is commendable. I'm not sure whether she loves or hates his guy, but the ability of the bass, guitar and vocals to stagnate on the edge of creating a catchy melody or something that has no audible appeal is fucking fantastic. As someone who is always inclined to create majory key sounds, it blows my mind how they are able to naturally hug that line. This isn't something that can be faked or learned. It lies somewhere deep in the unconsciousness of THTB.

Other stand-out bands on Stump Club: Vol 2 are Hockey, Copy and Reporter.

stumpclub.org