robertoart Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 How do board members relate to the term Americana. For instance - is it something you think of as a variation on Country music - or a wider term dealing with a broader part of American Culture overall. Indeed, is it a term that is recognisable in America? - or is it something that outsiders use more to describe a certain aspect of American culture? wikipedia gives two definitions - one an Alt. Country music meaning My link and another a cultural one, My link Interestingly, the cultural one - uses this point re- Jazz. "The AMA considers Americana, as a genre, to be any music that "honors and is derived from the traditions of American roots music." According to them, the music is nostalgic and sympathetic to American culture traditions which incorporates classical man-made sounds. Like jazz, it is said to span from Miles Davis to Harry Connick to the Preservation Hall.[19][17]' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I think it's a word used in attempts to monetize the culture, so I don't let it mean anything to me, nor do I allow myself to use it myself except in moments of weakness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted October 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I think it's a word used in attempts to monetize the culture, so I don't let it mean anything to me, nor do I allow myself to use it myself except in moments of weakness. Moments of weakness JSngry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 Yeah, like when trying to be social with some oatie-doatie Nice White Guy who's really into it, I'll allow a limited quantity of "Americana" before excusing myself. That's weakness, not kindness. Kindness would be simply smiling and never making eye contact and just keep going. Because you tell me - when is that word EVER used when it doesn't lead directly to a trail of money-wanting? They call it "monetizing the culture". I call it new (maybe) owners, new pawns, same bullshit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I call it Neil Young's beautifully sloppy album from earlier this year.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted O'Reilly Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I call it Neil Young's beautifully sloppy album from earlier this year.... But, but, but....he's Canadian. (Or was.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I call it Neil Young's beautifully sloppy album from earlier this year.... But, but, but....he's Canadian. (Or was.) So he's American - all you lot on the other side of the Atlantic are American, whether you're from Argentina, the Antilles or Alaska. The problem US citizens have is that your ancestors didn't pick a proper name for your country. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I see the word used, so I guess it means something to the users. I can honestly say that I've never used it myself, so it doesn't carry any meaning for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted O'Reilly Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 The problem US citizens have is that your ancestors didn't pick a proper name for your country. MG True, that: it's a description rather than a name, but we Canadians DO have a name, so we don't mind our southern neighbours usurping the general as a specific. You can call us "american" if you wish, it's like being British even if you're Welsh or English or a Scot. But I'm still not sure just what "Americana" is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 I call it Neil Young's beautifully sloppy album from earlier this year.... I thought it was an old one by The Offspring... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertoart Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 (edited) The problem US citizens have is that your ancestors didn't pick a proper name for your country. MG True, that: it's a description rather than a name, but we Canadians DO have a name, so we don't mind our southern neighbours usurping the general as a specific. You can call us "american" if you wish, it's like being British even if you're Welsh or English or a Scot. But I'm still not sure just what "Americana" is... I understood Americana to be a term for a kind of American Aesthetic that I thought started with films like Paris Texas. But I see in some film discussions people talk about movies like Five Easy Pieces. Later filmmakers like David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch are often mentioned. I recently saw the movie The Last Picture Show which was Americana to me. In music Tom Waits is seen as the king of the aesthetic. But I guess the Sixties country songwriters that had counter-culture cred like Kris Kristofferson and Gram Parsons, The Band etc. seem to belong to the same tradition. In the Visual Arts, I think of someone like Ed Ruscha. Captain Beefheart seems kinda Americana. But from afar, aside from dumbed down pop culture expressions, it is possibly the most significant American cultural/stylistic influence on Artists living outside the country. It's like the exotic of America. The town I grew up in, Melbourne, had a big artistic community that cultivated the Americana feel. Though that has probably lessened over time with the change brought about by the digital age. I was just wondering whether it was something as identifiable to Americans as much as it was to people overseas. Jazz seemed to never have a place in it. Though Blues sorta did. Edited October 18, 2012 by freelancer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Whistler's mother. Tom Mix. Superman. Cadillacs. Chuck Berry. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Edward Hopper High Noon JFK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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