I know what I like...
The Hat has been listening to The Radio. Not just
those wonderful blues night owls who hold our hand and guide us as we
pick our way through an avalanche of blues music, near blues music
and not quite blues music but I have been in the comfortable arms of
Auntie Beeb and the magnetic power of the spoken word. The Hat has
been listening to the fabulous Grayson Perry and being cracked around
the head by his current Reith Lectures.
Perry takes no prisoners in his ruthless quest to
rip asunder some of the veils surrounding 'Art'. He has donned what
he calls his 'Art Goggles' and in an amusing, highly entertaining and
forthright series of lectures peers right through a lot of the
nonsense, illusion and silly verbiage that has grown up around the
art world, its participants and its creations. I can heartily
recommend that you go and have a listen on replay somewhere just as
soon as you can.
One of the lectures reflects on 'beating the
boundaries' of art – by which he means having a look at what may or
may not mark the extent of 'what is art?' From almost the first
paragraph you are impelled towards a comparison with our world of
'The Blues', where that somewhat amorphous debate over 'what are the
blues' crops up all the time on the social media and in far too many
blues magazines where deadlines dictate a quick page filler. What was
defining about the lecture is that Perry bravely offered up some
'rules' as to how you make the judgement – and the musical
echoes are very alluring.
One is 'is it a borrowed version of something
else?' Oh dear. Where should we go with that one? Well, my
friends, I know that like me you can quickly fill a page with the
names of the guilty parties and we can fight about that later...and
The Hat doesn't even include that bete-noire of so many blues lovers
– the Tribute Band. Yes, you've seen Tilda Hilton in a glass box
once but do you want to see her again and again year in and year
out...for Tilda Hilton please substitute the appropriate blues
name....you're ahead of me again...
Then there is the question of a 'serious or
proper context'...for 'gallery'
insert live stage, festival, audience environment. Does hanging your
musician on a wall and charging for admission, by implication, make
it the Real Deal. Because they're 'on the bill' does this legitimize
their brilliance, originality or talent? The idea that most people
visit the Mona Lisa to 'tick it off' and have their photo taken
alongside it really tickles The Hat's sense of humour and immediately
brings to mind the squillion posted pics of 'me with my arm round
this famous bluesyperson'....(fine by me, if that rocks your boat).. Of course context may well be a hugely
important way of gaining access but The Hat knows that the tiny front
parlour blues festival might well turn out to be far more
authentically blues 'art' than sitting in row Z watching your artist
on a screen because they are too far away to see... Consider this.
The Grand Context might help but it doesn't necessarily make it Grand
Art. Of course this may be the only opportunity to see your Grand
Artist....but peering over the shoulders of those with more money
just to catch a glimpse may not be that rewarding?
I don't want to
spoil your potential enjoyment of Perry's excellent lectures, but I
couldn't resist one final smiley analogy...”Is there a
queue?”. That notion
immediately brings to mind the sellout concert or gallery exhibition.
Wearing an old and different hat, The Hat knows well that it is
possible to create a queue. The application of good pr, marketing and
applied common sense can conjure up a queue for anything. The
implication that there is a limited supply, (for that read 'limited
edition') is a good place to start and a good catch-phrase is sure to
help...(er..Brit Art...er...Brit Pop..er..suffering for your art..ad
nauseam). Once you give something that perpetuating imprimatur of
originality or brilliance it will run and run - and there will be
queues.
I'll stop now, as
I know all blues fans are much smarter than that. We have a broad church. We give everyone a fair crack of the whip. We all know when we
are being manipulated. We can spot a star. We know what we like. We know our art. Er....don't
we?
And now a small
'chapeau' or two. The first is to the wonderful on-line blues
community. I recently posted a small piece about the way bluesman Ron
Sayer had been treated by his supposed royalties company and the
potential losses involved. The Hat posted a piece about this and
within just 24 hours over 1500 people had read it and many passed it
on. Hopefully this will have a happy ending and much credit to the
power of the blues community.
Secondly, The Hat
who, as you know, is well battered and gnarled when it comes to the
blues, doesn't often do birthdays and doesn't often single out
individuals for a nod - is making an exception. So here is a nod to the lovely personable Paddy Maguire. With his own band but ceaselessly playing and working
on behalf of others, his contribution to our blues world is often
under the radar. Trust me. It is Substantial. Let's all hope he
celebrates in an appropriate fashion and long may he continue to make
that famous tasty and moreish Midnight Jam.
Pip Pip!
The Blues Man in
The Hat.