Experimental music, by its very nature, is something that can either be a "hit or miss" affair. While I do generally enjoy this type of music, there are instances when the experiments fail, and nothing short of "crappy music" results.

So let's have it: what musical experiments do you feel have utterly failed?

I have a few to list, but I'll start w/ this example:

Artist: ABCS

-- ABCS is a horrendous band consisting of Accordian, Sax, & Drums. They play around w/ the structure of the 'rock unit' while paying homage to modern compositional greats, adhering to a certain chaotic spirit. Unfortunately, they really just sound bad. Their compositions are overly repetative and uninteresting; their instruments are poorly played; they sound as if each member is recording in a seperate room without really hearing what the other members are playing. They come across like a group of 5 year olds who found some instruments in the garage and decided to try and play some music by Philip Glass. Basically, it's crap...avoid them at all costs...

...any other examples?

I don't want to shit on anyone's efforts, but check out 'American Blinker' a few threads down...

... *utterly* failed sounds like a verdict with such finality... I'd be hesitant to say anybody *utterly* failed unless maybe they played a really crappy first gig and then got hit by a UPS truck while walking home... ...and even then...

... I'd say failure might have more to do with lack of persistence, commitment, aesthetic clarity of vision, willingness to practice and get better... Just because somebody has an off-night doesn't mean they're a failure... Just because they release a crappy CD or two doesn't mean they're a failure... maybe they just haven't gotten into their groove yet...


I know... I know... You're probably saying you meant: Does their MUSIC fail? well, that's pretty much a question of taste... one man's trash, another man's treasure... that sorta thing... plus, to say something "fails" is pretty vague... perhaps you should clarify... as, when it fails, it fails to do WHAT? ... (i.e. that John Cage guy sure failed when he wrote that piece 4'33 ... What was that guy thinking?!! I mean, this was origianlly supposed to be a piano piece... where was the lyricism... the lush arpeggios and ornamentation... where's the challenge for the pianist?! My blind grandma could play that piece...)

--- drsquid

Squid Quote of the moment:
To illiterate people, alphabet soup is probably a very ironic dish.
.

Bon Jovi...

yeah... er, Weasel Diesel...

--- drsquid

Squid Quote of the moment:
Did you ever decide to procrastinate but then never got around to it?

Exactly...I'm looking for your opinion of music that you consider to be of the "experimental" variety that doesn't succeed on whatever level you feel like mentioning...this is a discussion and we're going to have differences of opinion on things; this is just an open thread for people to post their examples of "experimental" music that has failed in their mind...

you mean something that sounds good on paper, but does not sound good from a pair of speakers?

oh oh, check this out while we are talking about experimental music...
http://www.dualplover.com/justice.htm

...ok, Seba, I'll bite...

Arnold Schoeberg and 12 tone composition or "serialism" as well as total serialism (ala Boulez) .... WAY overrated... Ok, it's also kind of past history but Schoenberg, Webern and Berg were GODs in the 60's ... also Schoenberg himself is not as interesting of a composer to me as his disciples Berg and Webern... also, someone else who studied with Schoeberg a few years later, John Cage... was much *MUCH* more interesting than his teacher...

Ok, I know you were probably wanting to talk about *living* composers and performers (bands) ... but HEY maybe I like flogging dead horses...

--- drsquid

Squid Quote of the moment:
If it weren't for electricity we'd probably still all be watching television by candlelight!

Bloody Australians.....

Anthony Braxton's - he has put out close to a 100+ good to killer recordings, but the few times he bombs it's not merely a fission explosion. It's a Hyrdogen fusion bomb.


Composition No. 174: For Ten Percussionists, Slide Projections, Constructed Environment - umm I can tell you it involves building a ski resort, skiing, and it's effect on the environment. There is also a play that is not peformed.


For Four Orchestras - the liner notes mention at that time future pieces that will be played by three orchestra's on 3 planets (in 1988) and another that is played in several galaxies in (2000). He is a bit behind schedule as you can tell on these two projects.


I recall reading something about some project that involves 50 orchestra's.

Which reminds me of the supposed 100 CD John Zorn box set that was supposed to have been released sometime in 1997. It was going to be a limited release of 1000 sets. With each CD of different lengths and some with as little as a second of music. It was later pushed back to 2000. Could be a while before we see this one.