What Country Music Can Learn from the New Star Wars Movie Reel
It seems to be the destiny of man to make the same mistakes over and over, even when we have insurmountable evidence of the fallacy of our actions right in front of us. Country music might be one of the greatest examples of this as it cycles from being obsessed with pop and contemporary sounds, and then gets reeled back in towards its traditional heart during the tug and push of its sometimes tumultuous history. These are the cycles country music almost seems to be predisposed to, regardless of how fans, artists, and the industry try to smooth them out.
But what would be even more dangerous for country music and its roller coaster destiny is what would happen if eventually it was not allowed to be reeled back in when it goes too far in the pop direction, just like how it could be smothered if it is not allowed to evolve at least somewhat.
Over this last weekend, geeks and freaks from around the world gathered in San Diego, California for the annual Comic-Con convention. As part of the festivities, the latest teaser for the upcoming Star Wars movie was unveiled, with lots of behind-the-scenes footage of the sets, characters, and landscapes where the the film takes place. Some are asking why filmmakers would give such a revealing view of the movie’s inner workings before the film has even been released. But for many fans of the legendary sci-fi franchise, such a glimpse was absolutely necessary.
Why?
To rebuild the confidence lost in many viewers after the second series of movies was made and relied too much on technology, too much on CGI, with entire scenes created on computers to where the soul and the substance of the films couldn’t hold up against the test of time like its predecessors did. The story was overlooked in an over-reliance on technological eye candy.
Now with the new movies, the trailer shows us that they are using real sets, real actors, real puppets and models to remake the Star Wars world that enchanted generations of audiences with its authenticity. Sure, the second series of movies with their CGI-enhanced scenes made lots of money and still hold sway with some viewers, but it was a short-lived sugar high that over time left a bad taste in the mouths of many of the franchise’s most fervent supporters. That’s why the 3rd generation of movies not only had to be created more organically, but they had to be out ahead of the movie explaining this to rebuild confidence in the minds of many viewers.
“Real sets. Practical effects. You’ve been here, but you don’t know this story. Nothing’s changed really. I mean everything’s changed, but nothing’s changed,” says Mark Hamill, the original Luke Skywalker, who along with the rest of the original cast from the 70’s has been rehired in the new series. “That’s the way you want it to be really. To see the way technology has evolved, and yet keeping one foot in the pre-digital world.”
“J.J. [Abrams] is trying to make sure these movies have a physicality to them,” says one of the behind-the-scenes crew members. “We truly are out in a desert. A real desert.”
Compare this to the quotes about a recent recording session on Gary Allan’s latest single “Hangover Tonight.”
“I remember my daughter walking in and going, ‘I’ve never ever been in the room when you’re writing and there wasn’t instruments everywhere.’” Gary later talks about recording the song in the studio and says, “At one point, I had like over 100 inputs, and we crashed the board a couple of times.” Then the author Tom Roland chimes in with, “The original intent was to use the human tracks exclusively, but as Droman (the producer) started combing through the material during mixing, some of the programmed parts were irresistible.”
Now read some other quotes from the new Star Wars movie trailer:
“It’s always just an important part of everyone’s history.”
“I was in the same room with all of these legends, and with all of these new people who I’m sure want to be legends themselves.”
When Eddie Van Halen—one of the most revered guitar players of all time—decided to start messing around with synthesizers on the album 1984, the exercise felt revolutionary and groundbreaking. But it didn’t take very long for much of the synthesized and drum machine-based music material of the 80’s to feel uninspired, and bereft of soul and mojo. It was lacking that beautiful imperfection that the human element brings to all great music and art.
Now think about a song like “The Ride” made famous by David Allan Coe, and the chills one felt when he sings out “The whole world called me Hank!” It’s that powerful link to the past, and all the history behind it that gets brought to the forefront in a single awe-inspiring moment.
And it’s not just name dropping, it is putting the inertia of many years of country music history, and many people’s personal narratives that are interwoven with those songs and artists behind new music. That is what inspires awe and chills as you recall all the great memories an art form bestowed to you in the past while new memories are being formed right before your very eyes. Look at other genres of music with Leon Bridges, Mark Ronson, and Meghan Trainor. Nostalgia and vintage sounds are being used to tie the music to the past left and right.
That is what country music is missing right now. That is what they are overlooking as they “evolve” in a direction where the human element is unceremoniously scrubbed out of the music to where the ties to the past are being eradicated, instead of being used to enhance the new material. Yes, technology and evolving sounds can still play a part, and probably should still play a part, just like Mark Hamill said. But so should the legends, and the history of the music to embellish the experience and have it bridge generational lines instead of defining them.
Think about the magic evoked when you first saw the Millennium Falcon again, or the faces of Han Solo and Chewbacca. That’s the same wonder many people feel when they see Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard walk out on a stage, when they hear the voice of Alan Jackson, Marty Stuart, and Don Williams coming out of their speakers. That magic is irreplaceable by technology or anything else, because it has the power of generations of memories behind it.
Right now, country music is in the Star Wars 2.0 stage. It’s in the 80’s synth and pop era, regardless of what anyone says about “evolution.” And though it’s finding a wide audience for the moment, what will all this music sound like 15 years from now? Will it still be going strong like the original Star Wars saga, or will the next generation be making teaser videos trying to explain what it’s not like, and why you should regain your trust in the country music franchise?
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“Nothing’s changed really. I mean everything’s changed, but nothing’s changed. That’s the way you want it to be really.”
Cooper
July 13, 2015 @ 10:06 am
I have to say, as a fanatic of both Star Wars and country music, I thoroughly enjoyed this post. Well done, Trigger.
Bear
July 13, 2015 @ 10:19 am
I agree and and thankfully the prequels are prequels so in the viewing of the films you can just skip the prequels and go straight here. And maybe in the future we can just skip bro-country and go eat a insalata caprese!
Steffan May
July 13, 2015 @ 7:02 pm
Agreed. Great comparison that I never would have come up with myself, but works perfectly. Hard to find any true Star Wars fans that will take Episodes 1-3 over 4-6. Hard to find any true country fans that would take the precision of a drum machine over the real kick and snare. Jar Jar Binks and EDM country can both go back into the virtual holes they crawled out of and never come out. In twenty years we’ll just pretend it never happened. And those of us who still know how to play the wood and wire will seem like Jedis with our light sabers. Old fashioned? Yep. Necessary to preserve the balance of the force in the universe? Yep. Great article, Trig. Keep fighting the good fight.
Eduardo Vargas
July 13, 2015 @ 7:17 pm
“Hard to find any true Star Wars fans that will take Episodes 1-3 over 4-6”
This is why Star Wars fandom is such a horrible place to be in. To prove you wrong, check out these sites:
http://boards.theforce.net/threads/a-thread-for-prequel-fans-to-discuss-new-star-wars-content-spoiler-tags-required.50029595/
http://nilbogsstorybookland.blogspot.com/2012/05/in-order-to-call-yourself-star-wars-fan.html
http://thestarwarsheresies.blogspot.com/2012/07/night-of-mindless-lucas-slaves.html
http://acertainpointofview.net/?p=905
https://lazypadawansholocron.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/star-wars-has-always-been-controversial/#comments
Steffan May
July 13, 2015 @ 7:54 pm
Fair enough Eduardo. If you polled people who are fans of both country music and Star Wars, I wonder if there would be a correlation between favorite episodes of Star Wars and the type of country music you like? Do fans of Jar Jar Binks also tend to love Luke Bryan? Does anyone know any sociology grad students looking for a masters thesis topic? 🙂
Bear
July 13, 2015 @ 10:17 am
The could have easily called this film Star Wars: A New Hope and they wouldn’t have been lying.
Greg B
July 13, 2015 @ 10:30 am
Hi, interesting to note that some filming of Star Wars took place in the UK, and that is where a lot of the new shooting will be based yet this is definitely an American film.
Anyway my point is the UK played a small part in this American movie icon but I have a question relating to the possible small part to be played by UK based songwriters in helping to recreate American country music :
If a UK writer wrote an excellent country song to be performed by an American artist would it be dismissed as fake or accepted on its lyrical and musical merits, after all it is still “three chords and the truth” and that is universal? For the record we are not talking songs about rodeos but songs with universal themes.
Thanks
Jim Bob
July 13, 2015 @ 10:41 am
Personally, I couldn’t care less where the songwriter’s from. Hell, they could even be the one singing it for all I care. Good music’s good music, period.
For example, Roo Arcus (Australia) immediately came to mind reading your post-in no way is he american, but in no way could I care less about that. The man makes good country music and in the end that’s the only thing that matters.
Enjoy Every Sandwich
July 13, 2015 @ 11:49 am
Likewise, I think the UK band The Toy Hearts puts out some mighty fine music.
Trigger
July 13, 2015 @ 11:55 am
I have covered multiple UK-based and European-based songwriters over the years, and I certainly think they can been an authentic country song if it’s in the right context. It always helps to be born into and be surrounded by it like many in the US are, but it’s not essential. What is essential is a universal sentiment, and that can cross lines of country, age, and even language.
Part of the problem with technology is that it is not universal. Using technology in music can result in unnecessarily dating it where wood and wire and a real bass drum will never go out of style. The CGI of the second round of Star Wars movies was a product of its time, outmoded before the movies hit DVD. But the organic nature of real people in sets will always be relevant. Some of the sets from the original Star Wars are totally cheesy. But they’re real.
Greg B
July 14, 2015 @ 5:37 am
Thanks for the replies.
My thoughts are that most kids will quite happily dance to a dripping tap, if you then put a beer in their hand then that constitutes a good night out.
Having said that all is not lost, I do think that kids will buy classic country if it is indeed made from classic songs.
I hope a great neo-traditional band comes along ala Dwight Yoakham or Clint Black and country could also do with its own version of Michael Buble, I have to add I appreciate Buble for what he is, which is a great singer, I dont own any of his records or listen to him but he has taken classic easy listing and has sold it across all age groups.
wailingjennings
July 15, 2015 @ 8:20 am
A bit tangential, but have you seen the dramatic film “Broken Circle Breakdown?” Some excellent country music by Belgians.
Loved this post.
Acca Dacca
July 13, 2015 @ 11:48 am
Too bad they didn’t have this mindset with Jurassic World, a film that for all its nostalgia rang false in regards to the spirit of the previous three films (even the much-maligned third one). JW was enjoyable, but ultimately hollow. Such is the nature of the Star Wars prequels and poppy modern country music. Most of it is relatively painless, but isn’t nutritional in any way whatsoever. Even more ironic, a cursory listen to some ’80s country shows that many artists were using the synthesizers and keyboards of the time, so we’ve only regressed hard to where we were.
In other news, this is why you’re the most underrated country music writer out there, Trigger. It’s not just that you offer a critical eye to the machinations of the mainstream, it’s that you have an uncanny ability to not just look at the big picture but the WHOLE picture, and draw connections to various corners of the world at large. I can honestly say I never would have thought I’d see anything related to STAR WARS around here. Forget Hootie and his anti-country blog comments. At least our spokesman puts thought into it.
Trigger
July 13, 2015 @ 11:49 am
Thanks Acca Dacca.
Clint
July 14, 2015 @ 7:47 am
I second that. Who would’ve thought to make that comparison?
I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say he’s the most underrated creative writer in America.
dukes
July 13, 2015 @ 1:10 pm
Can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen people CHEER when I sing that line, “The whole world called me Hank!” on stage covering DAC. It’s awesome. People LONG for that… and the mainstream won’t serve it up, save for a few.
Mo.
Give me Mo.
Lil Dale
July 14, 2015 @ 6:48 am
cool story bro.
Sleeping dogs
July 13, 2015 @ 1:39 pm
I think I read here, months ago, the musicians like Chris Knight Bingahm Cody Hubbard Isbell Robison Lucero and so on, should be labeled red dirt music. Have their on award show, if you go to any bro kountry “artiste” face book page, his fans will write country music has changed, and “I” just better accept it. I could give two flying &ucks, if good music is called Southern, alternative country, or punk bluegrass. Read and heard many times, the wonderful quote, Hank Williams, could Not make it today in Nashville. I tell friends and coworkers of good new bands, I buy their tee’s and see them live, all I can do. I just think country music is never going back to “country” music, younger fans just don’t care, Cheers all!
Jim Bob
July 13, 2015 @ 3:20 pm
Yeah, we can only do so much. I think the travesty of it all is that the few people truly helping country music to “evolve” have a wider base of potential fans than a lot of people realize.
For examples, my brother hates everything country from hank williams up thru now. But he’s a massive Sturgill fan. My wife hates virtually everything country after Travis Tritt, but made a point to ask who the hell I was listening to when playing Stapleton. I don’t know how many random thumbs ups or “hell yeah!”s I’ve had playing jp harris or Michael goodman with the windows down.
Point is, lots of people are making country music that sounds nothing like Hank, the outlaws, the 90s, or anything mainstream today-and everyone loves it, they just don’t ever know about it in the first place. That’s why I love this site-I get to hear about everyone I’d otherwise never know about!
Big Cat
July 13, 2015 @ 6:56 pm
Bingo
Tunesmiff
July 13, 2015 @ 7:33 pm
10-4, Jim Bob~ I get the same reaction in traffic and on the job~
“Who’s that you’re listening to?”
“Who’s that on the CD?”
“Never hear of ’em…,but I’m sure as shooting gonna check ’em out!”
One convert at time… slow, but that’s how “evolution” works~ (too fast and it’s called “mutation”).
🙂
Sleeping dogs
July 13, 2015 @ 3:40 pm
Two thumbs up Mr.Bob my two favorite bands right “now” are Whiskey Myers and Chris Knight and Ryan Bigham and Black berry smoke,, oh wait, that’s four, still somewhat sober, Cheers! and Lucero 🙂
Jordan Kirk
July 13, 2015 @ 3:55 pm
I absolutely could not agree more. Just shaking my head in agreement the whole time
RichK
July 13, 2015 @ 5:16 pm
With Star Wars, you are talking about nostalgia for a past time/work of art. Nostalgia is often about comfort.
Progress is important too: to extend this sci fi movie metaphor, consider Ex Machina. Progress is about being challenging (see: Sturgill Simpson).
Technology only lacks soul if the person using it lacks soul (see: Blake Shelton).
Eduardo Vargas
July 13, 2015 @ 7:03 pm
I’m sorry Trigger, but not only do I not agree with you, I feel like if the two situations aren’t even comparable.
For starters, I am among a significant group of Star Wars fans who feel absolutely disgusted at the way Lucasfilm and Disney have been marketing this movie, not only because it’s a slap in the face at George Lucas, it’s a slap in the face at the fans whom appreciate the mythological and storytelling depth of ENTIRE Star Wars Saga. It’s an ignorant straw man argument too, because THEY PERFECTLY KNOW that each Prequel film had more practical effects than THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL TRILOGY. You simply need to look at the trailers to realize that this whole marketing ploy is a bunch of crap and that the films will have plenty of CGI in them. More than one middle aged fanboy who hasn’t liked anything Star Wars related since 1983 (or worse 1980) is going to feel betrayed once they realize this.
JJ Abrams should actually learn from the genius that is George Lucas, whom knows how to change things, throw curveballs and such while at the same time keeping it Star Wars.
I have no interest whatsoever in watching a movie that is draped in nostalgia and being a rehash of what we saw previously ( I can pop up my Bluray and watch A New Hope if I want to in that case). Nor do I have an interest of seeing a movie that is catered to a bunch of self-centered jackass haters who should have known better and should have packed their bags a long time ago instead of insulting George Lucas and saying horrendous insults about their childhood being raped, and calling those who grew up with those movies and loved them “motherfuckers”.
Country music needs to stay relevant and keep changing in a sense, but it also needs to stay authentic and true to itself, neither staying mired in the past nor becoming a fusion mono genre. Star Wars should do the same.
Big Cat
July 13, 2015 @ 7:09 pm
Trigger loved it but disagree somewhat. To your history point, I heard these same arguments about country crossing into pop in the 70s, 80s and 90s. There was terrible ‘country’ music on the radio all those years that was crossover. This is nothing new. HOWEVER, thanks to the brilliant work of guys like Dave Cobb and others, I actually think RIGHT NOW there the largest grass roots movement in our history. I think this is why your seeing companies like Elekra align with guys like Cobb. I think Isbell, Simpson, Stapelton, JJ and many others are getting the attention of the big boys because of fans like us seeking out real music.
The pop country movement doesn’t bother me. If anything it scares me what would happen if the Nashville machine started ‘buying’ my favorite artist (yes they buy them). I commend guys like Sturgill who get the big deals they deserve requiring those contracts be on their terms with their artistic choices and producers.
Let the mainstream keep their shit up. Who cares about the labels.
Eric
July 13, 2015 @ 10:00 pm
“It”™s in the 80”™s synth and pop era”
This is a major insult to 80s music. The music of that era was full of soaring vocal and instrumental melodies, whereas modern country music contains very little melody at all. The synthesizers added tremendously to the feeling of instrumental diversity. Even the lyrics in 80s music were more serious than modern country, focusing on love instead of just flings.
Trigger
July 13, 2015 @ 10:30 pm
Eric,
You can’t fall into the trap of reading too much into generalities. I definitely think there was a segment of 80’s synth pop that was completely forgettable. That doesn’t mean that all of 80’s music, or even all of synth pop is forgettable. We’ve had discussions on this topic before. You have to look at the more broad point being made.
Eric
July 13, 2015 @ 10:40 pm
No doubt that a lot of 80s synth pop was forgettable, just as was the case with music from any period in time.
My point is that there is very little resemblance between modern country and 80s synth pop.
Dogit
July 14, 2015 @ 7:42 am
I am pretty sure Hon Solo is a Waylon Jennings fan. I am sure he has Waylon live on board the Millennium Falcon. Man Stapleton, Sturgill, and Whitey all I have been listening to lately. Trigger is absolutely right about magic missing from today’s music. It is still there when I listen to Jones, Strait, and Jackson. Stapleton, Sturgill, and Whitey help fill the void radio is ignoring.
Joecephus
July 14, 2015 @ 5:16 pm
As a country fan & Star Wars fan, this article was spot on.
Also, I get a chill every time I hear DAC say “The whole world called me Hank.”
SenorBB
July 15, 2015 @ 11:53 am
Great post! I think you nailed it! While we’re at it, how about a few less co-writers on one song. I think that waters down 1 or 2 people’s feelings/sentiments/experiences that are channeled into lyrics.
Albert
July 16, 2015 @ 10:57 am
“That is what country music is missing right now. That is what they are overlooking as they “evolve” in a direction where the human element is unceremoniously scrubbed out of the music to where the ties to the past are being eradicated, instead of being used to enhance the new material.”
In a word , the music is missing the most important element of ANY music …particularly country music – EMOTION . No honest emotional range through narrative or performance whatsoever from lyric , no dynamic emotional range from a wall of electric guitars unless you call degrees of white noise ” range” . No emotion from rock drum kits always set on ‘ stun’ …and no vocal emotion (unless you are named Carrie and that’s another issue altogether ) cuz of auto tune and untalented vocalists . The emotion delivered by non-fretted instruments ( steel guitar , dobro , fiddle , ) is non-existent . There’s a reason the sound of a steel guitar was dubbed ” electronic teardrops ” . The sound of a ” sweet” fiddle says it all . Its all missing . Its a one dimensional approach to music that has had its emotional AND dynamic range gutted to placate radio stations competing sonically with a loud , noisy , distracting and competitive environments ( traffic , work environments , screaming kids , cellphones etc.. ) .
Fuzzy Twoshirts
July 16, 2015 @ 11:03 am
the same can be said of any franchise. TRUE enthusiasts go for the classics. Planet of the Apes, RoboCop and True Grit all got remade, but ask true film enthusiasts and the originals are better because the actors weren’t using technology as a crutch. autotune, cgi, drum machines, greenscreens whatever, if your actors/singers can’t work without it then the product will suck, and probably make a lot of money. I honestly loved the prequel trilogy… but not because it was a cinematic masterwork; I loved the original trilogy because of character growth. Luke and Leia don’t transform as characters, by the third film every character feels stagnant. in the prequel trilogy, we grow up alongside all these characters and watch them develop and mature.