Ask Geir Hongro

geir, who's better: george martin or nigel godrich?

Will you marry me?

be careful what you wish for

Which is worse: 2 tone or 12 tone?

Did John Lennon's more "avant-garde" compositions (the ones without clear harmonic and melodic movement) indirectly affect the early stages of global warming and/or peak oil production?

"A Day in the Life of (Osama bin Laden)"

Too bad about "The Long and Winding Pipeline" being a McCartney tune.

He did write "Well Well Well" however

geir, who's better: george martin or nigel godrich?

Mitchell Froom. :)

Which is worse: 2 tone or 12 tone?

I hate 12 tone music and love a lot of 2 Tone stuff. Does that answer your question? :)

Did John Lennon's more "avant-garde" compositions (the ones without clear harmonic and melodic movement) indirectly affect the early stages of global warming and/or peak oil production?

I guess the production of those vinyl albums led to some CO2 being unneccessarily wasted, not to mention all the trees that were wasted on the sleeves. So the answer is yes.

Are there any major Britpop bands you don't like, or even loathe, Geir?

Are there any major Britpop bands you don't like, or even loathe, Geir?

I wouldn't say I loathe them, but I am certainly no fan of Stereophonics, Cast nor Starsailor.

Why you so crazy, baby?

So what is it that you don't like about his music/influence?
> Minimalism, repetitiveness, way too few chords, way too little melody.

how many chords should a song have?
The more the better, as long as they keep it tonal.

-- Geir Hongro, Monday, 30 April 2007 23:14 (4 months ago) Link

Well, I take it you're not much of a Spacemen 3 fan...

What's your favourite mode, Geir?

Herr Hongro, can you tell us about your favorite concert that you ever attended…

Herr Hongro, can you tell us about your favorite concert that you ever attended…

Not really. I am not into live music.

geir hongro = patrick bateman?

Only if he's able to write a heartfelt two-page defence of the merits of 'Sports' by Huey Lewis & The News.

Huey Lewis and The News were more fun than most Britpop acts, I guess.

"I am not into live music."

With respect, Mr. Hongro, I would like to suggest that that is rather odd. Would you be interested in saying why you do not like live music?

As you know, until early in the last century, music was something that (generally speaking) people experienced in a social atmosphere. Is it that live music is less of a controlled and more of a spontaneous activity? Is there a sense in which you feel live music is unfinished? Or do you (and I admit the following is a query of a personal nature, which you may not like) not particularly like being around other people while experiencing music? Does social interaction via live music not interest you?

Thanks…

Which is worse: 2 tone or 12 tone?

I hate 12 tone music and love a lot of 2 Tone stuff. Does that answer your question? :)

What is this 2 tone?

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/146/PP0162~Ska-Posters.jpg

Ah, I see what you did there.

Geir - TS: California Love vs Horst Wessel Lied?

Would you be interested in saying why you do not like live music?

Because I prefer music as something absolutely perfect that is recorded once and for all in the definite and undisputable original version, that should benefit a lot from perfect production with no mistakes, and as little so-called "soul" as possible. And I see music not as a social activity, but rather as a brain thing. Something you use a perfect artistic mind to create, preferrably all of your own if possible.

More precicely: In the days of classical music, music was notated, with every single note strictly notated into notes that should be followed completely without any kind of interpretation. And I see studio recorded music the same way.

I take it you don't like jazz then?

music was notated, with every single note strictly notated into notes that should be followed completely without any kind of interpretation.

Er, this is an "in your opinion" thing again, as opposed to "the composers' opinion", right?

Apart from that, I pretty much agree with the vague classical:pop::score:recording analogy as to what constitutes the ahem Platonic-type ideal identity of the work.

I take it you don't like jazz then?

With jazz, I dislike the supposed improvisasion part, while I like the entire intellectuality, the advanced harmonies, the way-above-average musicianship and the entire "head music" thinking of it all.

(or, more precicly, I dislike the folksy roots of jazz while I like its flirtation with classical music ideals)

More precicely: In the days of classical music, music was notated, with every single note strictly notated into notes that should be followed completely without any kind of interpretation. And I see studio recorded music the same way.

That's totally false.

And I see music not as a social activity, but rather as a brain thing

This is also a howler. Music is always already a social activity. Read 'Noise' by Jacques Attali.

does music make you lose control, lose control, lose control?

that's very interesting, Mr. Hongro. However, it still seems improbable that you cannot cite one concert that achieved or came close to the ideals stated above. Genesis or Crowded House, for instance, seem to be artists that try or even achieve rather scrupulous fidelity to the source recordings when playing live.

So, in what I assume is thirty-plus years of loving music very much, can you not cite a single example of a time where artists, onstage, played music in a manner pleasurable to you? maybe when you were younger, when your aesthetic was not quite as developed as it is now?

Yo, why is Jadakiss as hard as it gets
Why is the industry designed to keep the artist in debt
And why them dudes ain't ridin' if there part of your set
And why they never get it poppin' but they party to death
Yea, and why they gon give you life for a murder
Turn around only give you eight months for a burner, it's goin down
Why they sellin' niggaz CD's for under a dime
If it's all love daddy why you come wit your nine
Why my niggaz ain't get that cake
Why is a brother up North better than Jordan
That ain't get that break
Why you ain't stackin' instead of tryin' to be fly
Why is rattin' at an all time high
Why are you even alive
Why they kill Tupac n' Chris
Why at the bar you ain't take straight shots instead of poppin' Criss
Why them bullets have to hit that door
Why did Kobe have to hit that raw
Why he kiss that whore
Why

That's totally false.

otm. bach and mozart wouldn't recognize their own work today if they heard it played by any contemporary symphony orchestra.

So, in what I assume is thirty-plus years of loving music very much, can you not cite a single example of a time where artists, onstage, played music in a manner pleasurable to you?

Obviously several cases. I have been to Dire Straits and Peter Gabriel gigs, for instance, where the sound was almost identical to the album versions. But then, I guess the point for those who like live music is gone. And I have the album versions to enjoy, they are superior after all.

Geir,

What are the chances of Manchester United retaining their title this season?

Also, what do you think is Norway's long-term economic strategy to cope with the inevitable rundown of its oil production?

thank you, mr Hongro!

who do you prefer as a bass player: John Illsley or Tony Levin?

What are the chances of Manchester United retaining their title this season?

Pretty good, particularly now that Chelsea has serious trouble and even lose points at home against mediocre Norwegian clubs in the Champions League. :)

Also, what do you think is Norway's long-term economic strategy to cope with the inevitable rundown of its oil production?

Well, there is a certain fund that is much discussed in Norwegian politics. :)

who do you prefer as a bass player: John Illsley or Tony Levin?

Who is Tony Levin?

Who is Tony Levin?

YO WTF?

Tony Levin has played, I believe, on every single Peter Gabriel record.

Gier,

During the Battle of Okinawa, do you think that General Buckner was correct to follow his strategy of attrition by frontal assault, or should he have taken the advice of General Geiger, and tried to outflank Ushijima by an amphibious assault on the southern beaches?

You mean a European or an African swallow?

Mr. Hongro…

I see on the Under pressure thread that you like a lot of David Bowie's music.

Do you dislike his songs "Boys Keep Swinging" and "Fashion," due to the rhythm sections dominating the tune's melodic qualities? And do you also dislike the guitar solos (played by Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp) since both are not in the song's tonalities?

No, I don't dislike those although they aren't among my favourite Bowie picks either. And as for Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp, I can tolerate guitar solos not being particularly tonal - they are just solos after all. I prefer the considerably more melodic guitar work of Steve Hackett though.