08 August 2006

Stephin Merritt Interview @ Pitchfork

Everything from Stephin Merritt is good; this includes the interview at Pitchfork, but not showtunes, because I said so. Particularly interviews wherein artificial lyric engines come up. . .

Pitchfork: You've spoken a lot about the importance of new technology in pushing music forward. Do you think that new technologies might actually revitalize song craft, by necessitating new techniques of writing and production?

Merritt: Well, I'm still waiting for the lyric generator.

Pitchfork: There are text machines, but they're not very well-oiled.

Merritt: The good lyric generator. I can imagine lyrics becoming better written by smart machines rather than stupid musicians. Songwriters generally have nothing to say. They may as well be replaced by machines.


Does he consider himself a songwriter with nothing to say? That would be odd. He also mentions "serious music," but just as something that isn't subway-headphone material. What's serious music? Is Magnetic Fields serious music? Interesting interview, anyway.

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