“The most important thing in art is The Frame. For painting: literally; for other arts: figuratively - because, without this humble appliance, you can't know where The Art stops and The Real World begins. You have to put a 'box' around it because otherwise, what is that shit on the wall?
If John Cage, for instance, says, "I'm putting a contact microphone on my throat, and I'm going to drink carrot juice, and that's my composition," then his gurgling qualifies as his composition because he put a frame around it and said so. "Take it or leave it, I now will this to be music." After that it's a matter of taste. Without the frame-as-announced, it's a guy swallowing carrot juice.”
― The Real Frank Zappa Book
If John Cage, for instance, says, "I'm putting a contact microphone on my throat, and I'm going to drink carrot juice, and that's my composition," then his gurgling qualifies as his composition because he put a frame around it and said so. "Take it or leave it, I now will this to be music." After that it's a matter of taste. Without the frame-as-announced, it's a guy swallowing carrot juice.”
― The Real Frank Zappa Book
“The outsider is everywhere in music history”
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“Robert Mokry: What is the best thing I can do to improve my guitar playing?
Pat Metheny: Be the worst musician in whatever band you're in.”
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Pat Metheny: Be the worst musician in whatever band you're in.”
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“I don't think every moment needs to have music playing in the background. You're hanging out with firends - we don't need to have music in the back. If there is music in the back, it doesn't have to be loud, could be very low. Could be background music. Sometimes I get in the car with someone they're blasting music that doesn't fit the moment at all and it's loud. I don't need music all the time, sometimes I just want to listen to the music in my head, or I just want to listen to my thoughts, or I just don't wanna listen to anything other than the sound of nature - the sound of wind, the sound of crickets. There is music in nature and you have to seek it out sometimes, there is music in everything - so when you put music to music it clashes. So take it easy on the music”
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Stefan’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Stefan’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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