Posted by Daryl on August 29, 2003 at 22:49:38:
In Reply to: MTV has done it now... posted by Matt G on August 29, 2003 at 07:59:50:
I understand where we're all coming from, but this is kind of a tempest in a teapot - tuba is not, never has been, nor ever will be a "marquee" instrument in the way that a guitar or a saxophone is. That's the fact that we have to deal with. However, what's the result of that marquee status? Lots and lots and lots of criminally mediocre (or worse) guitar and saxophone players that got into it for the wrong reasons, not to mention a ton of unused instruments laying around in closets and attics. When was the last time you've heard someone say that they have an old tuba they used to play in high school in their garage? On the other hand, people that play the "weird" instruments do so because they love music - not because they have any illusions about girls(or guys) being hot for bassoonists or whatever. If I had a dollar for every poor deluded sap with a Fender Strat that thought they were the next Stevie Ray Vaughan.....sigh.....
However, the lack of "sexometer"ness has not prevented the growth of the tuba as an viable solo medium. And to be fair, there are tons of great artists working in the medium of pop music too. Let's not exacerbate the situation by making a crisis out of a stupid sight gag. Let the the folks that let MTV do their thinking for them have their fun now - they'll be bagging your groceries soon enough.
Daryl