Eno On Originality

Here’s a great quote from an interview with Brian Eno, taken from The Book Of Changes by Kristine McKenna:

Why is the notion of originality so valued in the creative arena?

It’s a red herring, the originality thing. People are original all the time, and some people choose to regard it as important, while others dismiss it as an aberration. One of the things that’s interesting about nearly all ethnic music is that it doesn’t pivot on the idea of newness. In raggae, for instance, you hear the same riffs year after year in a shifting context. The idea there is to use a thing for as long as it still means something. The idea in the high culture of the west is to drop something as soon as you can no longer claim it as only yours. As soon as other people are onto it you have to drop it and go elsewhere, and that’s such a stupidly childish attitude.

I’m Not That Hot New Chick

I highly recommend getting a copy of the new Cat Power song being offered up on the Matador MP3 page. It’s got an awkward title, “He War”, but it’s a great little song in the vein of “Cross Bones Style” or “Nude As The News”, ie a full band electric arrangement, vaguely rocking. I especially like the piano, and the lead guitar bit just before the song ends. It sort of reminds me of some of the Barbara Manning songs that I like, specifically “Mark E. Smith and Brix” from Lately I Keep Scissors.