11mo ago

Musical Genius

35 comments

I continue to contend that Weird Al would put on the greatest Superbowl halftime show of all time.
- I'd be OK with a National Anthem with an accordion solo.
- But instead of hours of football, a break for music and commercials, then more hours of football, it should be hours of Weird Al concert, a break to let some jocks throw a ball around for a few mins while he takes a break to grab a drink, pee, etc, and then return for a couple more hours of Weird Al concert.
  
  Eh, you can have both.
  Have the Weird Al Concert be in the middle while the football match is happening, have balls and players swarm around the podium while Weird al is singing some parody of a sports song.
  I'm sure he can pull that off.
- I hate hockey but I'd tune in for that.
- I contend that you're correct, except that he would put it on for the Puppy Bowl instead (and incorporating the usual kittens into the act, of course).
- There's gotta be a way to make this happen
- Www.weird.ai

Hey I love this meme everytime I see it, but I want to point out that that point about growing up in "similar circumstances that nurture their skill' is contingent upon working musicians being able to afford to raise children. Children that will also need to work.
Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think there is a comparable proportion of the population that are working musicians, that earn enough money to support children, but not so much that the children don't have to learn a trade, as there were in "Enlightenment" Europe where if a person wanted to hear music they had to make it themselves, or pay someone to make it, and every rich asshole had a chamber orchestra following him around.
Also parents don't teach children their trades the way they used to, and they aren't expected to support their parent's businesses the way they used to. (I'm not lamenting this). There used to be a lot of pressure on children to contribute economically. Mozart, and his siblings probably faced what we'd consider child abuse if he didn't practice. He was certainly exploited.
Michael Jackson is a Mozart of the 20th century. He was put to work at a young age to support his parents and siblings, that were also working musicians.
As much as I love Weird Al (and I do) I don't think he was groomed and exploited the same way MJ/WM were. Kudos to his parents for that I guess.
- Yeah, F1 driver Max Verstappen is in a similar situation. Clearly insanely talented, but probably got there by having a childhood which was pretty fucked up (left at gas station by father in Italy if he lost a karting race, etc.).
  Maybe we miss out on a couple of savants without this kind of treatement, but it is a pretty good tradeoff, especially if you think about all the kids that did not make it to the top, and just had a abusive childhood without anything to show for it.
  
  all the kids that did not make it to the top, and just had a abusive childhood without anything to show for it.
  ... fuck.
  
  think about all the kids that did not make it to the top, and just had a abusive childhood without anything to show for it.
  (...Except trauma to teach to their kids)
  Exactly!
  
  Besides, I think we lose far more amazingly talented people to the grind of poverty more than overt child exploitation. They are one and the same problem, and everyone here speaks as if this stuff only happened in the past or in extreme examples...
  
  Can I be a savant if I was abused (sexually) but never trained? Also, who am I saving?
- Now I’m thinking about Weird Al’s parents and I’m sad.

The next genius was Frank Zappa obviously
- That he was and I think that Captain Beefheart was also a strong contender.
  
  If only he hadn't thrown a bottle of beer over Zappa's daughter and they hadn't fought about it, we would have had so many amazing collaborationa

For me it is Jacob Collier - https://youtu.be/cCl7_tXs80Y
He can play almost any instrument and is versed in many styles.
- Came here to say the same. He is brilliant. The MIT songwriting vid really highlights how brilliant he is.
  https://youtu.be/LdtK_oiyJAo?si=VH994dmGLsQmA2y8
  
  Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
  https://piped.video/LdtK_oiyJAo?si=VH994dmGLsQmA2y8
  Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
  I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.
- Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
  https://piped.video/cCl7_tXs80Y
  Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
  I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

The music teacher at my high school always said that Eminem is a musical genius.
- I mean he is whatever you say he is (if he isn't than why would he say he is?)
- Also: Timbaland
- Certainly a lyrical genius.

As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain

I think if you're from Asia and particular liking mando/canto pop, you might think someone like Eason Chan is up there.

For your consideration - Hans Zimmer.
- What? Sketching out a melody then managing your minions so that they orchestrate it before a deadline. Not comparable.
  I'd vote for Bret Mckenzie

Ok but will he catboy though?

Al song 1
Al song 2
- Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
  song 1
  song 2
  Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
  I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

35 comments