Rules Of The Game #6: The Boney Joan Rule

[koganbot]

Latest column, in which I explain why everything is everything else.

The Boney Joan Rule

Your own examples or refutations are welcome.

(I'm not back from vacation, but I did find my way to a computer, and maybe I'll succeed in doing so again soon; sorry to Dave, Nia, Kat, and Jessica for not getting a chance to respond to your most recent comments.)

EDIT: Links to my other Rules Of The Game columns

Comments

(haha do my homework 4 me part infinity)

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

is this what simonR means by "scenius" -- i always liked that idea, but have only skipped and dabbled thru "3n3rgy fl4sh", cz i was "never yet ready" to "apply my brane" to it (and as always w.SR fear it being a potentially strong idea followed up by his own immediate dumbing down and conventionalising of it)

Re: (haha do my homework 4 me part infinity)

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

(disclaimer: as i haven't read EF it shd be emphasised this is MY FEAR not simon's failing -- necessarily! -- tho my fear does have actual real roots in his real actual critical practice, albeit 45 million years ago when Phytopunkton Rooled the Arth)

Re: (haha do my homework 4 me part infinity)

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

No, "scenius" as I understand it is to do with the motor of innovation in music scenes. He contrasts it with "genius" - the auteur in the studio - whereas in scenius innovation is a collective process, & I *think* it's more to do with the DJ, and producers making records which will both fit in with and stand out in a mix, rather than stand-alone "sonic statements"

(pauses in explanation to save rabbits as heavens open outside)

i.e. "It's the vibe, man".

He struggles in Energy Flash w/ conflict between the wish to embrace this as the motor of the 'hardcore continuum' and the desire to list loads of good individual records, the latter (inevitably perhaps) wins more often.

The problem with genius/scenius as I understand it (which may be a poor understanding!) is that the pure forms of either basically don't exist, and also in order to privilege the "massive" in dance fandom he has to invent by implication an incredibly passive version of the non-dance consumer.