Why It’s OK To Be Uncool: Life Lessons from Hank Shocklee
At the end of 2007, thanks to the kindness of Deb Suckling from QMusic, Musicadium was able to interview Hank Shocklee at the Art of Production Conference in Brisbane.
Hank is the production genius behind Public Enemy and one of the most respected minds in music worldwide.
We covered a lot during our chat but one of the coolest things Hank said was how important it was to discover music in your own time and on your own terms.
With all the hype and blog buzz that spins around the music world these days, keeping up to date is tiring and unsatisfactory. The second you’ve got your head around the latest new sound or hot new band, there’s another ‘best new thing’ zooming past you.
As Win Butler from The Arcade Fire says: “There’s never been more white noise - this deafening roar of opinion”.
This is the conundrum. If Pitchfork loves it, gorillavsbear loves it and it’s going gangbusters on Hype Machine - then logically I should love it too.
If I don’t, I sometimes get the feeling that there’s something wrong with me. That maybe I’m just not tuned in right. Or my ears aren’t hearing what they should. Or that somehow my musical tastes are languishing behind current trends.
But here’s the honest truth. In 2007, while everyone was raving about Battles, Animal Collective, Justice and No Age, I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Those bands still sound a mess to me.
And my biggest shameful admission? I don’t dig LCD Soundsystem.
In indie-nerd terms, LCD Soundsystem is probably the most revered musician in the world right now. Saying you don’t like LCD Soundsystem is positively sacrilegious. Every music blogger it seems can’t get enough. ‘Sound of Silver’ is at the top of every 2007 Best Of and ‘All My Friends’ is top ten on every end-of year singles list.
But for me, it’s an album I totally don’t get. And ‘All My Friends’, everyone’s favourite track, is just grating to me. Is it only me that thinks the into is about two minutes too long?
Anyway, the point is this: if I’d genuinely rather listen to John Mayer’s ‘Continuum’ than Animal Collective’s ‘Blackcurrant Jam’ then that’s OK.
Heck, Hank from Public Enemy even says so. As was always the case with Public Enemy (and one of their greatest strengths), it’s about doing it on your own terms.
If you don’t like certain bands, there’s no point feeling uncool and behind the times.
Music is about loving what you love. You can’t do a lot to change it.
