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Re: Re: Its all good, Travis.

VERY well said, Tony.

You know what is surprising me here is why aren't all you accordion mavens bombarding Travis with questions about his Falcons, Pointe Noir and how they are tuned!?

Ha!

R!CK

From a mother

Ok Guys - you have all had your say and I know that this subject is rapidly growing stale. However.....as a mother, I feel compelled to add my to cents. (such as it is)

I don't think anyone here is trying to "attack" Travis in any way. What I hear (or read) is a discussion on traditional vs. nontraditional...risque vs. clean.

Music of any kind is an art form. Just like in paintings - many people will portray the same image in many different ways. No one would be presumptuous enough to tell an artist that he is expressing himself in the "wrong" way.

That being said - Travis's music is distinctly different. That is what makes some love it and some hate it. Whether you are revitalizing the great songs from our roots or creating new and distinct ones - to do it well takes talent. Both Chris and Travis are too very talented individuals expressing themselves in two very different ways. I can respect both of them for their talent and dedication.

Although I do favor traditional music and do not care for the lyrics (and ESPECIALLY not the cover art) of Travis's music- I cannot deny that he has talent and his music has a catchy beat.

But here is the problem and I think that I understand Ganey's and Chris's points. I have three children (6, 9 & 10) They are exposed to all sorts of disgusting images and words at all times. As a parent - I cannot shelter them from everything, but I can try to minimize it as much as possible. I can also let them know that I do not condone such things by not listening to it myself. This is how we teach moral values to our children in an immoral world. These are our values and I do not expect or try to get the world to adhere to them.

But as a child who grew up with cajun music - I do object to traditional "cajun" radio stations playing these songs. Why? Because cajun dance halls and cajun radio stations used to be our "one safe place" where we could bring our children or turn on the radio and NOT worry about the content. It was always a family atmosphere. We could even lower our guard enough to leave the room and feel relatively safe that they could listen unattended - without our fingers poised nervously on the "off" button in case something explicit came on. Not anymore.

It's my job as a parent to try to teach my children right from wrong. And its my job to monitor the images and music that they take in. So I will still listen to the stations that play this music and I will sit with my hand ready to hurry and change the dial - its my job and it's one I volunteered for. But I will still mourn the innocence lost and still regret that yet another one of our "safe places" is gone.


Megan

Re:My 2!

I am going to beat the horse a little more. While I am not a big fan anymore of Travis' music, he still has some really really good stuff. I love "Tickle my Fiddle" and some of the songs he did like Summer of 69 and such. My wife, however, loves Travis' stuff. She has put up with me learning the accordion (God bless her) and never got really interested until she heard Travis and Steve Riley. Even though her grandfather played all his life, she never got interested until these two fella's came to her attention. For this, I am thankful. BarBQ and Drink a few was an absolutely wonderful CD and I still listen to it all the time. If Travis can get a few kids my age interested in the music, I don't give a darn if he sings about shaking your ass or takin off your pantys. I have heard much worse. Tupac, Dre, or Snoop make this look like kiddy stuff. I used to listen to that, and still do on occasion. It is expressive music. But we have the choice of what we listen to. I may skip a few songs when listening to Travis' newer CD's, but if you listen to all the songs, some are really good. And no, they don't all sound like Vibrator. Travis, one request. No more panty songs!!!lol Be Good Boy

Re: From a mother

I won't retread any of the subjects I went over 10 times already but will say that I miss the part of the "safe haven" that is not here anymore and was here in the past?
The traditional band like Aldus Roger, Belton Richard, Nathan Abshire and Harry Choats were bands that were all HEAVY drinkers and played in night clubs and were not "daycare" material!? Trust me I've played with some of these bands and the musicians that have played with the bands and they are no different than the guys in my band.
Most of the older bands were huge drinkers and chased women (I am not saying it is the right thing nor am I saying ALL of the older bands) but most of them and I don't see where it was so holsom back in time?
I am sure someone could name bands that didn't fit that mold but you could do the same today?
Music is what it always has been and that is - full of change, full of past influence as with ALL music some will like it and some won't?
My beef since I started commenting on the forum was never defending what I play or saying someone SHOULD like what we do....it's always been about respecting other people's music and the old saying if you can't say something good then don't say anything at all?
But to bring the whole family values thing into music is a huge contradiction when you go back and look at the songs that have been recorded! If you take out every band that says one thing you wouldn't want your kids to hear, say or do then you couldn't listen to any song that mentioned drinking, any song that mentioned cheating, dancing in ALL forms whether it is Vibrating, twisting, shaking...what makes one decription any different than the other? I worked in the old field years ago and there were tools called Vibrators and there are sex toys called Vibrators and there are dances where girls vibrate their butt just as girls in the 50's did the twist and was considered BAD to the older generation of that era?
So, the whole family values thing is something personal that everyone has to do in their home with their own kids but the word "safe place" that isn't here anymore is grabbing for straws for the sake of having something to find negative about a style of music you don't care for?
Just my opinion?

Re: Re: From a mother

Eh. I'm not into the subject matter just 'cause I'm not into it. It doesn't offend me. I wouldn't care if my kids heard it. There's much worse stuff out there on every other station, as you're all noting. It just all bores me and I think it's stupid, but I'm snobby that way! Haha.

I think, Travis, if you recorded the same songs in French, no one would make a big deal out of the naughty lyrics. But then too many people would chalk you down on the same list of artists they won't listen to just 'cause they don't understand the lyrics.

However, while you are absolutely correct about the old bands (and the new ones, and the future ones, etc.), their habits weren't so public as your lyrics. You gotta admit that. At the same time, I said this in another post--there are LOTS of songs about getting drunk, songs with sexual innuendos, and so on, that are played on the same stations. "La Valse de Limonade", "Parlez-Nous a Boire", "Pointe aux Pins", and many more about drinking, "Sam's Big Rooster" talking about "my meat is hard, but that's what it takes to be the big **** in Sam's yard and make the little chickens jump up and down"...That's pretty raunchy stuff, but that's the kind of humor and subject matter MOST Cajuns love!

That's about all I've got to say about it.

Re: Re: Re: From a mother

Oh, and if you guys aren't going to let your kids know the lyrics to the songs in French, you'd better keep some great documentary movies away from them, too, where famous musicians are drunk, talking about women, and so forth. I'm sorry to say that this is a part of the culture, but it is.

Re: Re: Re: Re: From a mother

Ha, I agree! I've seen these documentaries as well and got some cool one's from Wilson and I love watching that stuff!
But I agree with you!

Re: Re: Re: From a mother

And then there's "Nonc Adam's Big Banana" and "Making Love in the Chicken Coop" among others with double entendre "naughty lyrics." Previous generations loved those songs just like this generation loves Booty Call and Vibrator.

I don't have kids, but if I did, it wouldn't bother me if they listened to Travis's songs.

Count Me In

I went on iTunes to see what all the fuss was about. I bought "Dis Ain'tcha Mommas Zodico." Love it, I'm a new fan.

Re: Count Me In

Make sure you listen to the tune "Zydehop" and how different it is from anything else on the disc -- it's a pinnacle tune in the budding genre of "zydehop."

R!CK

Re: Re: Count Me In

I would like to put in my two cents being that I'm a Cajun French hip-hop artist.

To put it plainly: You can't blame rap music for bad parenting.

Also, if I'm not mistaken, the album "Who Stole My Monkey" by Boozoo Chavis (1999) has a parental advisory label on it. Travis' albums do not.

---Roy---

Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

I am going to start playing Cajun Rap Music... My new name is going to be Cinquante sous!!(Not sure of spelling of cent, I just know that is how we say it when we beg for nickels for Mardi Gras)

Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

P Diddy Pommier
L L Cool Jo-El
MC Marceaux

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Sure, you're making fun, but don't forget that kids listen to hip-hop and they like it. Evolve or be left behind.



---Roy---

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Vanilla Glace would work, too

Roy, I like some Rap. Hell, I like music. There isn't much that I don't listen to. I have a playlist for my truck with Keith Frank, the Stones, Kenny Chesney, Steve Riley, Travis Matte, Led Zep, Dr. Dre, and many more. My wife finds it hard to decide how to classify my lists b/c I am all over the place. lol

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Let not forget the forerunners in the Cajun rap genre -- Cypress City. "A Cajun is a man, that likes to have fun, he's got an accent that far from none..." Oh brutha. I still get requests for "The Cajun Rap Song" and "Hot Boudin" on my radio show for that after these years. I just can't bring myself to play those -- they are way to goofy. But "La Brise du Bayou" sounds like a band I can definitely appreciate. Very cool indeed -- thanks for the clue! Keep on innovatin'!

R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Thanks!

Check out the girl in the gold dress in this video from 1965. You could definately say that she was shaking that thing like a vibrator way back then in the not-so-innocent 60's.

She's a vibrator.

---Roy---

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Dude that's outrageously groovy -- I'd tap that Man they're all vibrators -- I think I need a smoke after watching that! Thanks Roy!

R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Gentlemen, let us compose ourselves as there are ladies reading this...

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

My sincere apologies.

~R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

then again, if it's about doing your own thing, why concern ourselves with who may be reading it; and if we are doing are own thing, the target audience should be of no concern; sorta like Maz and Sarah have hit on, but taking it one example further. Musicians and artists (which I have neither the gift nor talent to be, so I content myself to the role of spectator and audience), do communicate -- so i'm told -- about what is going on with and and about society in that time frame. Myself, I don't know how people can look at paintings from a particular era and form conclusions about what was happening in that society at the time, but i believe it to be true nonetheless, and that Travis, as a musician, if fulfilling a role and making a record or tape that people in the future will be able to examine and form certain conclusions about society -- either as whole or as to a niche, maybe teens, young adults, whatever.

I thought an apt and current analogy that might capture, in my own words, what both Sarah and Maz have communicated, is that: To those of us who tend to feel about cajun music along the lines that Sarah does, the history, age, past, and like what we consider to be the purity of the sound, be it the vocals, the instruments, or the sense of it speaking to us of a time in the past, vs. those who thrive on the Franks, Mattes, et cet., to say that the new stuff is still "cajun" is would be akin to saying that Debbie does Dallas belongs in the same genre of film as Gone with the Wind. They're both movies, they both have actors and actresses, but I think it's safe to say that they should not be up for the same awards. I agree with Sarah and don't like people haphazardly associating everything with 'cajun music' just because it's cool or may sell the label. Matte is cool and definitely talented, more than I'll ever dream of being, but an accordion in a piece of music, sung by a cajun, doesn't qualify it to be a cajun song. Maybe a rap song sung by a cajun. Then again, i've never been one to enjoy the mindless repitition of lyrics or riffs, regardless of the music genre, and i tend to detest 95% of the rap out there because it seems that the requirement to enjoy it is that one not have a brain or no thoughts higher than getting drunk or laid

Like most contributors to this thread, i have listened to, and have cd's of bluegrass, gospel, country, rock, pop, celtic, spanish, mexicana, new age, jazz, et cet. Growing up in S. Louisiana where I was and in my environment, I only heard cajun music on saturdays, and on Fridays when i could gain entry to the VFW.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

The horse is still breathing... hand me that rifle.

Points well taken with maximum respect to you, Matt.

What do you think of these recorded tunes by Travis Matte & The Zydeco Kingpins:

Going Up the Country
Lacassine Special
Kaplan Mix
Dear Rosa
Reno Waltz
Summer of 69
Blue Monday
Your Daddy Don't Want Me Around
Shoulda Coulda
Without You I'm Not Me
Tickle My Fiddle
I'm Happy Being Me
A Night To Remember
Tuesday's Gone


R!CK

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

I think I have that playlist...lol

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Count Me In

Exactly!!! Well put, Matt.

Who changed the spelling of your last name?



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