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Drone Magazine: No pressure, just passion.

The minds behind Drone share an irrational passion for music falling into psychedelic, shoegaze, noise, dream pop, space rock, garage, no-wave, new-wave, proto-punk, post-punk, drone and quality alternative genres.

It's a homage to these sounds as well as to the vast cultural and historical landscape allowing and inspiring the creation of psychedelic-infused music.

But it's gonna change.

We've been talking quite a lot to Beth recently. We've got e mail threads that are about 2 miles long about music. We share the same tastes & have a similar passion. We also have similar issues too. It's ok, we're not mad. We're just trying to do the same thing in a totally different way & because of that, I feel there is a bond between us - just separated by 10 000 miles or so.

I spend hours constructing a couple of sentences. I really try to say something about the music I'm talking about, without actually trying to describe it. Opinions are worthless when it comes to music, it's all about the individual. So I try not to give my opinion when I'm giving my opinion. Something like that. I just want you to listen.

I wonder about what we should post. I could just churn out post after post after post about what's been released, who's doing what. But I don't want to be the OK magazine version of this style of music.

I can see Beth is the same. I can see some reviews take days, maybe weeks of listening. But when she writes it, she nails it. Superbly. Like this one...

http://www.dronemagazine.com/2010/03/review-brmc-beat-devils-tattoo.html

Like I said, Drone Magazine is about to change. & I'll let Beth explain why. This is what she said on the 18th May.

"I am hindered by a bipolar energy when it comes to writing: moments of passion-infused motivation followed by episodes of a confused, apathetic lethargy. There’s a question that keeps returning whenever I begin to contemplate focusing on Drone again – it’s simple and it’s insidious: What is the point? When I started this site, I threw myself into a new world – with the hope that I’d be able to write about something I loved and meet new people who shared the same passion as me. I was ambitious, ultimately a tad bit arrogant, but I had a great time – encountering people spanning across hemispheres who became kindred spirits, exposing my ears to a whole bunch of amazing music.

Around about a year ago I began experiencing an identity crisis. Setting up Drone had given me a lot, but I felt myself changing, desirous of being able say something more solid, more developed. I have struggled with that ambition ever since.

I used to have passion for ‘music writing’ – but looking back over old material, I’d hardly call my content worthy of such a title. Now I’m not sure what role my voice has to play in the wider cultural landscape. Music is important, but my opinions are just an unnoticeable blip on a very crowded radar.

What is the point?

Despite battling the cynical view that music writing is an indulgent and irrelevant pursuit, a large part of me still believes in the power the form has in terms of historical documentation and cultural representation. But I’m tired and apathetic towards the standard review/interview/news-style beat of the music blog. This is the point at which I consistently keep finding myself, and I keep finding myself at a loss as to how I can move past it… and evolve.

The music we listen to – and that I try to represent on Drone – is amazing. And as such, it’s worthy of a type of analysis that extends beyond trite pop pieces that relay the same old, well-trodden information. There are so many avenues today from which to get your music information – I guess what I’m struggling with is what sets Drone apart. Going back into academia this year has strengthened my analytical skills and opened up an entirely new belief in my perspective. Ultimately this site began as an outlet for one person; over time it has welcomed a lot of different, wonderful voices into its fold. That’s where I’d like the point of difference to lie – a place where genuine expression is valued over timeliness or trendiness; a living documentation of passion and pursuit that grows, changes, evolves as its creators do. It’s not perfect, but it seems more real than presenting a replication of an already heavily replicated formula.

The new mantra for Drone Magazine will be: ‘No pressure, just passion’. What is the point? I think I’ve just defined it."

That resonates with me & I totally understand it. I'm excited about what comes next, when it comes. In my mind I can see where Beth wants to go but what's in my mind doesn't necessarily come out of my gob. Something like a documentary in words maybe. We may be going somewhat deeper than the rest.

Whatever it is, it's gonna be good.

For all this & more we say to Drone Magazine, we salute you...

http://www.dronemagazine.com/

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