Recently, Quincy Jones was interviewed by the The National as he won an award in the United Arab Emerites. They discussed his career and everything to do with the music industry. They brought up the discussion of the current talent in the music industry and that is where the interview became industry. He went on to say how it is just a business to sell product and that “God walks out of the room” when you are all about money. He specifically mentions Skrillex as just selling product because he gets paid absorbant amounts of money to do shows all over the world. What do you think? Here is part of the interview below.
What’s your take on the current talent in the music industry today?
Music has gone so far down lately because everyone is going after the money. People are making songs to sell all sorts of things such as tyres, clothes and alcohol. When you go after the money, God walks out of the room, trust me. I never went out after the fame and money. I was just doing what I loved and the money came. You gotta do what you love and really believe in it because that is your truth. I plan to stay like that.
Can you give examples of music that you feel is product-driven?
I don’t like techno at all. That’s just noise. I can try it because there is nothing to it but I just don’t think there is anything to learn from it. Now all these DJs are making more money than rock groups. They don’t even need bands anymore. People such as Skrillex and those guys get half a million to a million dollars a show all over the world from Las Vegas to Brazil. As a musician it is extremely frustrating. Because that’s just music to sell products.
Here is the full interview if you’re interested.
[…] note: On April 9th, I posted a story about the legend, Quincy Jones and his dislike for electronic dance music. This left a bitter taste in my mouth because not only do I respect Quincy Jones, but he is a vital […]