I’ve come to the conclusion that Experimental Jazz and Death Metal music are pretty much the same thing. Well, obviously one is louder, faster, more aggressive, and contains more references to slashing and maiming than the other, but the general idea behind both forms of music are generally pretty similar.
For example…
- Both types of music are dismissed as irritating background noise from an uninitiated listener, until, on further examination, they realise it’s actually just irritating music.
- Experimental Jazz and Death Metal are both completely devoid of vocal harmonies. In the case that vocals are needed, they are achieved a few ways. From the making of random low-pitched noises (sultry “Yeh’s” or brooding growls), to horrifyingly loud, completely annoying noises (shouty “YEH’s” or over-the-top RRRRAAWWWHGHGHHHHH!!!!’s)
- When someone doesn’t “get” their favoured music, an Experimental Jazz/Death Metal fan will always defend it by saying “you just don’t know how to listen to it”, or “it’s above your head”.
- Both forms of music are played, and listened to, purely for the self-satisfaction devotees receive when they mention a band or artist they like, and the person they’re conversing with doesn’t have a clue what they’re talking about.
- Both genres are awful.
Look at the picture on the bottom…
I mean, shave the blonde dude’s head, give the asian guy a spiky leather jumpsuit and make the chick an evil-looking, bearded Nordic man, and you practically have a death metal band here!
What would they be called?
Jazz Faeces perhaps?
This is Modern 
And you do know that everything you just listed was in fact an opinion, right? Which means that none of it is true. I’m not saying it is false but it is indeed not true. My opinion of it is quite different considering it is my favorite–not all I listen to, but my favorite. The thing about them both being “just irritating music” is not a fact. You may think so but some others do not, therefore it is your opinion. The “just noise” thing IS what music is. And the thing about people who enjoy it have no knowledge of music is bull because it is music, just not the kind you like. And the thing on just listening to it so when engaged in a conversation on music they can completely confuse the listener is untrue because there are plenty of people who listen to this music. You are obviously not eligible to debate on this subject seeing how it is ALL based on you OPINIONS, NOT FACTS.
Howdy…well I have to agree with Andrea on this…music you don’t understand, but don’t like makes it your opinion. Just got back from an avant-garde jazz festival in NYC where thousands attended. The group I hang with with contains 3 lawyers, an architect, a psychologist, a physician, bio-medical researcher, 3 IT guys, 2 engineers, a social worker, and 2 high-level Human Resources pros. I started out not understanding the music either, but these worldly, highly educated people kept telling me the joys of the music are there, but I needed to keep listening and education myself. Trusting their learned opinions, I kept at it for over a year until I had the “light-bulb” moment they said might happen and it did! Now I’m an addict and find myself not being able to listen to those simple songs ever again…it is no longer music I prefer, but I take exception to your comments that it is crap stuff. It is merely music you don’t prefer, but it has value and life to many others who do prefer it.
Just like I tell my fellow jazzers to remember to hold their tongues and not say that the music you might enjoy is nothing more than sounds to soothe the simple-minded…those who do not wish to think too deeply about the art form and want to happily hum their favorite melody.
Marc
DEATH METAL IS AMAZING, YOU PUSSY. \m/
RAWRRRRRRRRR!
Thanks Marc:)
And Jessica, you’re right, Metal is AMAZING!
back off andrea and marc, or ill cut you good. NO ONE MESSES WITH JAMES.
“I’m not saying it is false but it is indeed not true.”
um james. how come the comments on your blog are so much more philosophical than the comments on mine? hmm?
I am firmly of the belief that death metal and experimental jazz are similar only in the sense that one can understand them and come to like them if one tries hard enough. like oysters. they are also similar in that I don’t want to.