A Defining Moment: What Is Pop Zap?
Musicians are people. There I said it. I know, it’s hard to believe, what with all the media distortion, but I assure you it’s true. You see, I’ve been lucky enough to entertain the company of many musicians, and they do in fact think and act just like the rest of us. They eat, they breathe and they sleep. The odd thing is, with the way that they are treated by people (read: the media, labels and yes, even some fans) it is as though musicians are merely a byproduct of music, which is ironic because the last time I checked, it was the other way around.
Music is a beautiful art. It can invoke as many different feelings as there are colors in the rainbow. It can be whimsical, awe inspiring, thought provoking or just plain silly. The issue we face today is that musicians are no longer receiving the respect they deserve. Now don’t get me wrong, some of the trash that hits the airwaves today can hardly be considered music. I’m not talking about that drivel, I’m talking about the song that busted your repeat button, the CD that you’ve bought six times because you’re friends keep "borrowing" it, the artist who’s entire life story you can recite without taking a breath. Essentially, I’m referring to the music that helps make you, well, you. The strummers of the guitars, the beaters of the drums, the master lyricists, these are the people that deserve respect, and that is exactly what we plan on giving them.
We live in an age where quality becomes lost among numbers and statistics. Where we are slapped in the face by pompous reviews with size twenty-four font numeric values telling us the worth of an artist’s last three years’ blood, sweat and tears on a scale of one to ten. A glorified means to an end, where the end is not in fact to advise the reader, but to boost the reviewer’s own ego, to allow him to believe that he is somehow superior to the artist that he is slandering, all because he doesn’t understand the music he is hearing. We live in an age where an interview can consist of nothing more than a cookie-cutter question and answer, where the questions become so generic that most of the answers can be found on the artist’s own website, right under that big " BIO" heading.
Why is it so easy to forget that these musicians are people?
There will be no interviews, no reviews, no previews. Hell, there won’t be any views at all. We’re going back to basics. Conversations, thoughts, and inspiration – these are the ingredients that will culminate into the most delectable dish the avid music fan will ever taste; and the best part? You’re welcome to come back for seconds. Ranks, categories, genres – these have long been a thing of the past yet somehow the media of today has managed to miss the memo. I would love to hear someone explain just exactly what "funk-infused, latin-country, post-modern rock with hip-hop roots and a traditional jazz feel" means. Well all that nonsense filler text isn’t necessary around here. We’ve come up with a genre of our own. It might be a little overwhelming at first so please feel free to have a seat, take a deep breath, maybe even make yourself some tea. Ready? Our one and only genre… (drum roll) … greatness.
That’s right, PopZap!Music will only contain greatness. Conversations with great musicians, articles about great albums and comments by great readers. Sure, it may sound like an impossible accomplishment; so did four kids from Liverpool with a haircut matching the look of the very insect that their band was named after becoming the biggest household names since Superman. One accomplishes greatness by striving for greatness. It’s as simple as that.
Do you ever find yourself enjoying a new album so much that you can’t help but force-feed it to your friends and family? When I hear great music I just want to share it with the world. I want to drive around town with a megaphone, but instead of shouting the typical "end is near" banter, play magical melodies that remind everyone that this is just the beginning. Well I don’t have a megaphone, and I’m not exactly the Pied Piper, but I do have the information superhighway at my disposal, and so do you. Let’s use it for the good of mankind.
This is a place that few people know of, but soon the whole world will be talking about. This is a place for you to sit down, kick off your shoes, take off your coat and stay a while. Look around you. Soon this empty room will be full of some of the greatest minds in music today. Creative, inspired, romantic, intelligent people. Likeminded people. Do you know why they are coming here? Of course you do. They are coming to see you. They are interested in what you have to say. They want to crack open a cold one, or heat up the kettle, and talk with you. They want to sit down and chat. They want to have a conversation: a conversation with friends.
Listen closely do you hear that? Yes THAT! That is the sound of a crowded room, clamoring with creativity and individualism. That is the sound of people of all ages, races and tastes coming together to meet. That is the sound of music, and The Cat Empire said it best when they reminded us that "music is the language of us all."
Children of all ages, welcome to Pop Zap, we hope you will enjoy the show.
Tim L. Jones
Music Lover - Editor in Chief
