'Nationalism'!

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If for some mad alternate-universe reason, you had to spend the rest of your life listening to music from only one country, which country's music would you choose? (Just to make it more difficult, eliminate the USA.) Assume you'd have access to everything recorded from there.

― dave q, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think I'd go for either Indonesia (I really like a lot of stuff from there) or Madagascar (curiosity, developed on an odd path)

― dave q, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britain (source of about half my favourite records even if current standards are very low).

Germany (bit of everything, some great records, lots of cheesy pop, solid techno-producing nation, fine rock-experimental tradition which might flower again).

Mali (like everything I've heard from there, good opportunity to start from - roughly - scratch in figuring out a country's musical traditions and current paths etc.)

― Tom, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Why does eliminating USA make things more difficult? If you'd asked, "which country's music would you miss least if it had never existed?", USA would be top of the list.

Anyway, France. Maybe Japan or Brazil if I wasn't allowed to choose a European nation.

― Jeff, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I just assumed that a cross-section of posters would have more familiarity already with American music, not because of 'exceptionalism' or anything

― dave q, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Either Germany (for reasons Tom already pointed out, although I don't really share his viewpoint their experimental rock tradition), Japan or Senegal. A close approximation of hell would be Colombia.

― Alacrán, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

France or Germany.

― Omar, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Germany (wot Tom said)/Japan (wot Kodanshi will say)/India (cos I want to learn more abt ragas etc.)

― Andrew L, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

England.

Is this some kind of trick question? It's way too easy.

― the pinefox, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

India. Huge country with many peoples and traditions and bollywood-film-schlock is very pleasant and relaxing.

― Sterling Clover, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Germany. Maybe Sweden. Most likely Germany.

― Jeff, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Germany for sure

Brazil or England in a tie for second place.

― Brock, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i would die without american music.

― ethan, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britan and Canada are nobrainers but otherwise Indonnesia as long as enough of the USA existed for Smithsonian Folkways to pump out their music from that area of the world.

― Mr Noodles, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That's easy. Bulgaria. Cheesy Bulgarian dance-pop, for the rest of my life.

― Andy, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

would have to be England, then Japan

― g, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Holland, I'm sure I'm neglecting them.

― Ally, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Get Ramon to hook you up with some Rotterdam gabba, Ally. You'll love it :)

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Norway, without question. Canada is probably number 2.

― Kris, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Germany too for all the electronic pop. Then Spain (Siesta and Elefant records), there would be a neverending stream of happy clappy pop. After that Sweden (the A-teens and more indie pop, and Benno)...then Iceland (Sigour Ros) and Switzerland (Sportsguitar). It would be really hard to choose!! But really, I agree with Ethan.

― james, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think you would really have to exclude England as well, in order to eliminate the countries most posters here seem to be most familiar with. Hmmm. I was thinking that if England were included, it would be the obvious choice, but now I'm not so sure. I would really miss Egyptian music, perhaps more than English music in the long run. But then, I would also really miss not being able to salsa, which means that, say, Puerto Rico would be tempting. I know it's hip to prefer Cuban music to Puerto Rican music, but from what I've heard, I tend to prefer Puerto Rico for salsa. Then again, I might be tempted to pick Cuba because there's so much there that I haven't heard and I suspect I'd like some of it. I guess it would depend on whether there was anyone to dance with in that alternative universe. . . Maybe Puerto Rico can't be included anyway because it's a U.S. territory? If it were strictly a matter of listening and not dancing, I'd say Egypt, followed by England, I guess.

It's interesting to me that so many people listed Indonesia. I like some of the traditional music there a lot, especially gamelan music, but I have virtually nothing on CD. Despite liking it, it stills feels very foreign to me in a way that Arabic music does not. Definitely not India. I don't really like Indian classical music, though I would guess that there is a fair amount of folk and devotional music there that I would like. I'm saving China for my retirement years.

― DeRayMi, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Damn! Brazil! For variety, dance-factor, passing familiarity, and coolness.

― Sterling Clover, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Holland?! Ally, please don't. Remember we gave the world the Vengaboys....

― Alacrán, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, dude. Sweden. Dude...

― JM, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Kraftwerk, Neu!, Basic Channel/Chain Reaction, Can, the Mego label, Cluster, lots of great classical music (traditional and 20th century), etc., etc. -- the choice is clear! ;-)

Also, of course, England and Japan.

― Clarke B., Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Japan,England,Brazil or France,maybe Ireland or Scotland
I was thinking Momus could be considered under 3 of those countruies what do we do in a case like that . And canada is shit aside from some folk .

― anthony, Friday, 16 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ireland, oh yeah, JJ72 and U2 all the way. And Aslan, and Thin Lizzy and Ash and The Revs and Brando, and Ely and the Jonahs and Skindive, and christ I wish I knew some good Irish bands, I must be ignorant, cos our whole scene can't be just shit. I suppose MBV are kinda Irish. Planxty were good, in a way. Er....wasn't there some good early 90s or late 80s Irish indie bands? I have distant memories.

― Ronan, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What about the showbands? Country'n'Irish?

― dave q, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ronan, i saw the ultimate irish album in borders last night. should i buy it?

― jess, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Second to r'n'b/rockunroll-derived anglo-saxon music, whether from the US or the UK/Aussie/Canadian traditions - I would go for France of course, but it seems too natural as French is my first language. So, Brazil. Pour la samba, comme Pierre Barouh...

― Simon, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

B*Witched=best irish band EVAH!

― gareth, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Jess I was going to buy you that for Christmas, you've ruined it now.

― Ronan, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Germany. Life would be poorer 4 me w/o Popol Vuh & Propaganda's "A Secret Wish"

― Norman Phay, Saturday, 17 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Finland.

If for no other reason than Sahko records.

― Michael Taylor, Tuesday, 20 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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