My love of The Beatles' music doesn't come from "my white side dominating over my Hawaiian or Chinese part of me", I don't think like that. But their music moved me, and yes, the cultural aspect of their impact is very important to their history as well.

But if you don't like their music, that's completely fine. There's a lot of music I ignore too, but if I know just a little, I can admit to knowing that much.

I also think that once you find musical influences of various musicians, songwriters, and singers, you tend to find that many have a lot in common. It's too easy to say "The Beatles made it, but how come Eddie Bo didn't make it? Eddie Bo was on Capitol too", and in a better world, every piece of music you've listened to, I've listened to, every record ever bought would have had equal respect.

Was The Beatles success a "white thing"? Well, they were white, yes, but they also had everything going against them as well. That doesn't make them more valid, more of a rip-off, more of a sham. I also realize that many people feel the music pre-Beatles was far better, as they added a slightly more "corporate approach" to how music should be marketed. But like hip-hop, in many ways The Beatles were making it up as they went along, for some of their ideas and concepts had not existed. They borrowed from many sources, they acknowleged their influences, but were always thankful.



The music of The Beatles moved me, they made me not want to be like them, but to have the same creativity that they wanted not only in their music, but in themselves. John Coltrane seeked this as well, so did Miles Davis, so did Charles Mingus, so did Sun Ra. It's unfortunate that the stories and opinions aren't known until after their deaths, or that people do not think of their own views and philosophies as being of value. The myths and hype of various artists is interesting, but I also like to read about the real side, and sadly many of those views from people aren't known because they were never told. There was a great interview with Eddie Bo in "Wax Poetics", and he is worth countless books, yet he is not as huge as a Louid Armstrong or even Fats Domino. Yet Eddie Bo is an essential part of not only soul and funk in New Orleans, but his records inspired many in the world of hip-hop.


I would love to read an in-depth story of James Brown, and not have it capitalize on his troubles. At times it can be a good sidenote, but in the end, it's the feeling of the music that matters. Maybe in the end it's all useless facts, but I want to know.

Because I do know, I share, and perhaps those who read can go on their own paths in learning, and experiencing music with their own perspective, perhaps experience something new at the same time, towards hearing other music.





































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"I love how some hip-hop dudes think it's perfectly normal to rock huge diamonds and oversized pink clothing but "soft" if you eat a girl out." - discjockingmost
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