The Future of Music:
Adventures in the Eye and Ear Trade
Words: Sandy Hunter
"The consumer wants more music, more easily available and portable, either for free or for little money," says Sony Music's Adam Owett, a senior creative VP. "At the other end of the spectrum, they seem to be showing more interest in visual components. My personal feeling is that ultimately consumers will want an interactive component because fans want proximity to the artist."
Pop fans, yes, but hard core music sophisticates are more likely to favor a creative, integrated package with visuals matched to tunes.
Steve Beckett, president of Warp Records, recently launched a film company and soon plans to release the electronic label's first DVD, Gantz Graf, featuring animation by Alex Rutterford combined with a composition by Autechre.
"I think access to the medium of film is getting easier and easier," says Beckett. "The technological revolution going on in film at the moment reminds me of the revolution that happened in music 10 years ago, in that people can now experiment in film very simply and at little cost due to the advances in digital technology."
And Warp Films is on the forefront of this revolution, currently producing two shorts: Dog Days, directed by Chris Morris, and Spectral Musicians, the latest film from heavily Warped director Chris Cunningham.
While the soundtracks for these shorts will no doubt make use of Warp's substantial electronic music arsenal, they digress from the pure concept of the visual album. At this point, the film-laced discs produced by Orbital, Norderstam and Super Furry Animals best embody a record for the eyes and the ears. What's more, this form presents young filmmakers, designers and animators with an opportunity to try their hands at musical cinema, albeit in a scaled down, not-for-broadcast format. But will it give record companies a chance to hold onto their profits by ensuring consumers will have to pay to own their favorite artists' complete package?
"I'm not really interested in survival, I'm interested in being involved with inspiring, creative projects and people," says Warp's Beckett when questioned along those lines. "Who gives a flying fuck about the future?"
