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My name is David R Marsilia. I'm 22, and I first discovered Ayn Rand when the movie version of The Fountainhead was shown in my senior English class at the public school I attended (the one good thing I got from school!). I'm now a devoted fan of Ayn Rand and student of Objectivism.

I'm a musician- I play amplifiers, guitars, effects, drum machines and other instruments. I do what I can to portray my "benevolent universe", and I'd so much like to see a new kind of Tiddly Wink emerge in popular music! (can it even be imagined??)

I love all kinds of art and science. Lately I'm interested in learning a lot more about personal finance, and business practices. I'm interested in politics ("until I don't have to be anymore") and in being a radical for Capitalism.

Very enthusiastic about meeting other Objectivists, and in discussing ideas!

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My name is David R Marsilia.  I'm 22, and I first discovered Ayn Rand when the movie version of The Fountainhead was shown in my senior English class at the public school I attended (the one good thing I got from school!). I'm now a devoted fan of Ayn Rand and student of Objectivism.

Wonderful!

I'm a musician- I play amplifiers, guitars, effects, drum machines and other instruments.  I do what I can to portray my "benevolent universe", and I'd so much like to see a new kind of Tiddly Wink emerge in popular music!  (can it even be imagined??)
Not by me, but that doesn't mean you can't create it. The closest I think we've come to popular sense of life music in the last ten years, by the way, are the swing-era influenced rock bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Cherry Poppin' Daddies. In the interests of full disclosure, they are among my favorite bands (I also love Norah Jones who has the amazing ability to sing sad songs that nevertheless don't have a hint of pain).

I love all kinds of art and science.  Lately I'm interested in learning a lot more about personal finance, and business practices. 

Personal finance? I'd suggest the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." It has its detractors, but I have reason to believe it offers sound advice, and it certainly motivated me.

I'm interested in politics ("until I don't have to be anymore") and in being a radical for Capitalism.

Very enthusiastic about meeting other Objectivists, and in discussing ideas!

Then you came to the right place! Welcome!

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The closest I think we've come to popular sense of life music in the last ten years, by the way, are the swing-era influenced rock bands

I'm familiar with them, but I prefer the original swing-era groups. I don't find the techniques of rock music, specifically 90's era punk-ska, to be an improvement on the original idea, so the way I look at it, why do it?

But I sympathise with the desire to see quality art-- quality ANYTHING-- from recent times. With the *amazing* milestone acheivements in technology and music making equipment, it's baffeling to wonder why modern music isn't better. My theory is that it doesn't have to do with the "evil" recording industry, marketing, or any of that-- but with the minds of the people who are playing music.. as a subsect of the minds of people in society in general.

THAT'S why I'm optomistic about music of the future.. especially with intellectual networks like this one springing up everywhere. And all over the world! And the technology keeps getting better!..

But I'll tell you a couple of recent (since the 80's at least) groups I like.. although they're maybe a little too influenced by rock also.

Cocteau Twins -- this group pioneered a lot of great techniques in composition and performance.. their singer, Elizabeth Fraser, who's since gone on to do some notable solo stuff such as contributing to the recent Lord of the Rings soundtracks.. is one of the best popular singers of the later 20th century. Their sense of life reminds me at times of the French Operettas Rand liked... An album I would recommend is Milk and Kisses, their final one from 1996.

Felt -- A British pop group from the 80's. The press always compares them to Velvet Underground or Bob Dylan but to me they're better than that. The guitar work is often lavishly brilliant, and the singer has a kind of mischievous quirkiness that's not self-depricating. Sometimes they sound too much 60's for me, but I think overall their sense of life displays a rare ornate kind of beauty you simply can't find elsewhere, even in old (pre-60's) music.

So that's my advertisement for to-day. :)

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THAT'S why I'm optomistic about music of the future.. especially with intellectual networks like this one springing up everywhere.  And all over the world!  And the technology keeps getting better!..

An optimist!

An enthusiastic optimist!

My kinda people!

Welcome David!

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For what it's worth, I think there are a number of reasons why there is a serious dearth of good musicianship in modern, electronic music. Certainly, the popular crowds want simplistic--whether they want grungy or upbeat.

In electric guitar, the good players have gone into metal. This isn't the silly tattoos-of-the-devil shit of Ozzy, nor the talentless noise of The Beastie Boys, nor the bad-boy-image of Aerosmith.

Among the many sub-genres of metal, I refer to the one called "progressive metal". There is intricate, dynamic, energetic, complex, changing, creative *MUSIC* there. I can suggest a few albums, if anyone is interested.

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For what it's worth, I think there are a number of reasons why there is a serious dearth of good musicianship in modern, electronic music. Certainly, the popular crowds want simplistic--whether they want grungy or upbeat.

Again, I don't think it's fair to blame the market. The market gets blamed often enough.. but I simply don't believe that a truely superior product, marketed appropriately, would ultimately be defeated in a relatively free environment-- not even one as morally and emotionally starved as contemporary society.. one might agrue *especially* not then. This does open the issue of FCC, which I hold somewhat to blame for the state of music in America anyway, but that's a whole other issue.

It's interesting how you say the good players have "gone to metal".. as if it were a tortuous last resort where defeated musicians go-- as if to a purgatory for the sad duration of their careers. Well, maybe you didn't mean it that way, but the idea of benevolent Sense of Life progressive metal is hard for me to envision (I won't say impossible). If it could be, I'd like to hear it. When done correctly, a distorted guitar can sound very much like a horn section, and with the crazy time signatures associated with prog.. I could imagine a certain kind of slapstick style music to come out of it. Hm.. but I still don't know if I'd be able to tolerate it. You could maybe make a new kind of surf music out of it.. sometimes those bands sound a lot like crashing waves on the beach to me. Maybe add some maracas.. steel drums?

Ultimately, music is still a subjective art form..

[lol, oops i just reread your post you said gone *into* metal. sorry..]

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David,

You might like a composer/musician I recommended on another thread.

My very favorite contemporary composer is David Arkenstone for his wonderful melodies, drama, and his ingenious, complex, seamless integration of traditional and electronic instruments. [...]The album "Chronicles" is a compilation of some of his best work and is a good place to start.
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