A DVD of Interest.....Before the Music Dies

Thank God for dvd! The above clip is from a PBS documentary entitled, Before The Music Dies that I actually missed viewing-I believe it was originally broadcast during the last quarter of 06'. Before The Music Dies, perfectly encapsulates my frustration with the present music scene-formulaic songs, the lack of originality and diversity as it relates to Black music. This is a must see for any music fan that needs answers as to how we arrived at this point in our music/pop culture consciousness. Joel Rasmussen and Andrew Shapter, the filmmakers/documentarians of this cinematic piece, essentially were fans first, who out of anger and disillusionment decided to travel the country asking music fans(and music/radio executives) their opinions of our flailing music industry. Check out this excerpt from a November Washington Post article pertaining to the film:

The film includes testimonials from Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Erykah Badu, Elvis Costello and Questlove, all of whom bemoan the changing corporate structures that make it harder for new and lesser-known artists to win radio airplay or anything resembling freedom or patience from a recording company. (XM Radio, the Washington-based satellite service, has adopted the movie to highlight its commitment to genres of music that don't find an outlet on terrestrial radio.)

Do yourself a favor and take a look at this important documentary. For more on the Washington Post piece, click on the link below.

'Before the Music Dies' Diagnoses an Ailing Industry