Over at the Language Log blog, there’s a discussion about the use of taboo words in music, particularly rock and rap. It’s an interesting look at the topic, without the usual wailing and b****t-beating (it’s a joke, son, a joke.) of most writers taking a turn on the subject. Read it yourself here.

There’s a followup to this article here.

I’ve run across this piece of animation a few times before; it’s such fun to watch, even though it’s a couple of years old. Here’s the link:Pipe Dreams Take a look.

Most of the articles run in Louisville Music News in 2001 are now available on the website. To find them, click on the “Louisville Music News” button, then scroll down until you find “Prior Issues” at the bottom of the left column Table of Contents. Click that, then pick a month for a list from that month.

If you should find an error or broken link, please send me an email at editor@louisvillemusic.net, so I can fix it. I wrote ‘most’ because I omitted all of the “Upcoming Music” articles, as they were time-limited. As soon as I find another batch of free time, I’ll write a better site search function.

Like most industries, the music business has its occupational lingo, but lately it seems that the business has also decided to disregard a couple of grammatical conventions for reasons that are not clear but which may be related to the lack of education among musicians and those who assist/exploit them. I write of the incorrect verb number used when writing about bands and the incorrect use of the transitive verb ‘release.’ Since most folks have forgotten all that grammar stuff, let me remind you of the previous rule: nouns that describe groups take single verbs: the Army is, the team has, the set was. Somewhere in the music business (probably among the PR staff), band names recently became plural: Audio Adrenaline are, Hootie and the Blowfish were. Even more suddenly, that has spread everywhere and nearly every publicist has taken up this evil habit.

I most have missed the memo on that.

The ‘release’ usage (used when referring to when a record is made available for sale) is more curious. Release is a transitive verb and takes a direct object, e.g. ‘please release me,’ ‘release the dogs.’ Now, however, the recording industry has decreed that ‘release’ is intransitive and can be used in this sort of ugly construction: ‘Some-and-so’s record releases next week.’ The obvious question among native English speakers is: what does the record release? Of course, I understand that this is the ‘occupational imperative’: certain words used within any given industry acquire specialized meanings, but this usage is not limited to people within the industry but is used in publicity releases, intended for a general population.

Of course, given that English is an extremely loosely structured language, we understand what children and foreigners are saying when they mangle the language but we also encourage them to correct their errors. For children and those learning English as a second language, we can hope that they will make the corrections in time.

For the folks in the music business, I fear all hope is lost.

The British Broadcasting Company has this story on the effects of music on the healing of hospital patients. It really helps. Just add that to what you already knew music was good for.

Aside from those band names that were generated on a random-name site, most names come from an experience or an idea or a book that a member of the band had. Here’s a site that compiled the “how it happened” for a long list of famous groups.

The problem of Unidentified Compact Discs (UCDs) is a real one in this office (and, I suspect, any other media office): what to do about CDs that have been removed from their case for playing and now cannot be matched to their original jewel cases?

What? You’d like to have that problem with new CDs? Wrongo, Bucky, at least not from the view of the various acts and artists who send their oh-so-carefully designed projects out to reap some reviews. They sabotage themselves, often as not.

Okay, there are lots of complaints from anybody in any medium that publishes CD reviews: the music sucks; there’s no info arriving with the package; the g-d case can’t be opened without a chainsaw for the plastic wrap. I’ve confronted them all at one time or another. The unlabeled CD is a persistent problem, however, and often as not associated with very professional acts.

The pros like to put elegant/cutting edge/cute/etc art on the CD proper, no doubt because they are still trying to produce packages to rival the best of the LP era, even with the severely limited space available on a CD and case. Art lives! Until, that is, the CD, along with three or four others, gets into the changer, while the case is casually tossed into the pile of other CDs waiting for review. Some time later, perhaps hours, perhaps days, that CD is removed from the changer to be put back with the case and related packaging, perhaps even to be reviewed.

But which case? Who released the CD? The art, while colorful and interesting, contains no clues. Not one. No name. No song list. Not even a title. I’ve taken magnifying glasses to them, trying to figure out whose it is.

Ah, say the artists, just listen to that great music and you’ll know who it is.

No, I won’t, not unless I’m already familiar with the band. All the stuff that arrives at the LMN office is new material, often by new acts. Unfamiliar acts playing unfamiliar [ invariably unique, by their description ] music. No help there.

You can see (or rather, can’t see) what the problem is. My suggestion to all those aspiring (and professional) performers out there: label that CD, if only around the outside or inside edge. It might save that CD.

If you think otherwise, watch me while I drop several UCDs in the round file. And, oh, yes, thanks for the extra jewel cases.

Linguists should have a word for everything, so when you mishear a set of lyrics, of course there’s a word for that: “mondegreen,” which is itself derived from a misheard line of a folk song.
For a complete explanation, go here. The author has also four collections of mondegreens, including the first, Cuse Me While I Kiss This Guy and Other Misheard Lyrics. It makes great bathroom reading.

And if you’re really interested in a daily, well-written blog on linguistics, check this out The Language Log

The BBC is reporting that Syd Barrett, 60, of Pink Floyd, died a couple of days ago. The story is here.

Neil Young said that he couldn’t find any young protest singers, so he stepped up and wrote Living With War, his recent anti-war, anti-Bush project. Writing in the current issue of the Progressive magazine, Arab-American songwriter Stephan Smith-Said claims that Neil was wrong, that there are lots of protests in the music business, but radio and music television stations aren’t allowed to add them to their playlist. Read his article about corporate censorship of musicians here.