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[Viitalahde]

I've been thinking about this for a few days.

The music I work on varies wildly, as do the ideologies behind it. I have no problems with it, and I can go from black metal to church choirs without blinking. Every kind of religious or philosophical aspect gets treated with respect here. Hip hop has the usual drug theme, various metal genres are all about violence. Not a problem to me at all.

But do you draw a line somewhere?

For me, it would probably be anything to do with neo-nazis or other similar boneheads. So far I haven't been even close getting their stuff in.

[Greg Reierson]

There's a large white supremacy label across town. I've always wondered who does their work. I guess I'd have to draw the line there, but it hasn't been an issue yet.

[Laarsø]

I don't mind violins... on tv.   

For Rap, it's not the drug allusions that offend us; it's the misogyny and homonoia that are deal-breakers.  We have an anti-hater policy...  No b's and h's and no F_gs or P___sies.  Otherwise, complain all you want.   Seriously, I won't cut smut.   Not because I'm holier, but because I got into music to escape the idiots - not to play with them...

(;


Laarsø

[jdg]

i think i'm more offended by poorly played and recorded songs then lyrical content ...

that said, i rarely listen to what is being sung.

[adamgonsa]

I try not to really focus lyrical content, partly because it has absolutely nothing to do with my job, but also because I don't always have the benefit of context when hearing something for the first time.  Plus there's the matter of perspective; when Straight Outta Compton came it out it was deemed unforgivably profane by alot of people.  Same kind of thing with Patti Smith's Easter.  It's happening again now with Odd Future, and probably tons of other band, both mainstream and independent. 

There was that hullabaloo with Nachtmystium a few years ago.  They were even thrown off bill of the Scion Rock Festival.  Then they were totally and completely vindicated, and everyone that overreacted at the phantom controversy looked pretty silly.  Their record was mastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room; what would have happened if he focused on all that and passed on the job?  He would have missed out on mastering what many people consider to be a new heavy metal classic. 

My point is without the benefit of context and perspective some things that are challenging, or just misunderstood, can appear morally wrong. 

I probably do have a line...I guess it would be something that just seemed irredeemably evil to me.  That has never come up though.  Pretty low likelihood that a nazi record label will seek me out, so that's one less thing to worry about   

[PBM]

I've been thinking about this for a few days.

The music I work on varies wildly, as do the ideologies behind it. I have no problems with it, and I can go from black metal to church choirs without blinking. Every kind of religious or philosophical aspect gets treated with respect here. Hip hop has the usual drug theme, various metal genres are all about violence. Not a problem to me at all.

But do you draw a line somewhere?

For me, it would probably be anything to do with neo-nazis or other similar boneheads. So far I haven't been even close getting their stuff in.

I did a re-mastering of a live performance Parsifal a couple of years ago: absolutely sublime music, quite stunning, with dreadful F***-off humanity included via the libretto. I took the money with a clear (Catholic) conscience because we are, after all, nothing if not complex beings.

Cheers,

Eric

[Laarsø]

I did a re-mastering of a live performance Parsifal a couple of years ago: absolutely sublime music, quite stunning, with dreadful F***-off humanity included via the libretto. I took the money with a clear (Catholic) conscience because we are, after all, nothing if not complex beings.

Cheers,

Eric

Sid's swastica t-shirt notwithstanding, I can get down with most of the harsh lyrics of the Sex Pistols, and I could get down with someone singing, "F. Off,"  if directed at humanity, or evil, or something Catholic (as in, Universally applicable);   (No offense to the Roman Catholic Church, btw...   Protestants recite the Apostle's Creed giving obeisance to the Holy Catholic Church, which is more inclusive...).   

What I don't want to hear on my Lipinskisounds or going in my Neumann is someone yelling that someone was a B___h, since I love female dogs and can't see the beauty in singling out hatred against a cosy canine - or the scary vitriol against wymyn that it typically implies.   I also don't want to hear someone other than a Queen using the word F__g.   It's grade-school.   But wanting the whole universe to implode due to a Rabbinical sort of grief, on the other hand, I find nearly a blameless emotion. (:


Laarsø

[Gold]

I can't think of very much I would refuse on moral grounds with the possible exception of Barbara Streisand. I don't need the moral high ground to refuse work. Since I am cranky and capricious it is self regulating. I support the ACLU.

[lowland]

In the 80s I worked at a studio which also did rehearsals. After one band practice the owner found a lyric sheet with, among other things

If they're red, kick 'em in the head,
If they're black, send 'em back.

whereupon that particular combo were not allowed to return.

In mastering the question hasn't so far arisen here. The sorts of things I would struggle with have already been mentioned, but as has also been said caution is needed: my experience is that often those who do the most extreme music and look the most unusual are some of the easiest to get along with. With some obvious and limited exceptions, I don't have a problem with them getting their devils out in that way.

[Viitalahde]

my experience is that often those who do the most extreme music and look the most unusual are some of the easiest to get along with

Absolutely agreed. The most difficult people I've encountered have always appeared as normal looking middle-aged men.

[24-96 Mastering]

Very interesting topic!

I have pondered this a few times before and have decided for myself that where possible, I want to favour free expression, even if public (and my own) opinion doesn't agree with the content.

I say "where possible" because
A. In Germany, there are actually laws directly banning saying certain things.
B. I'm sure there are limits to what I could manage to sit through, even if content isn't directly illegal. Following sctrict rules on what to accept will hardly be possible.


I have in the past worked on recordings of groups both on the far left and far right of the ideological spectrum. In my limited experience, they have all been nice and nice to work with (indeed I've had more trouble with well repected religious companies in the past). In tendency, those on the far right in Germany are more careful with their lyrics, knowing that they are being under close watch. So their lyrics on CD tend to be remarkably harmless. There's actually some humour in that contrast: tough guys singing about rainbows and puppy dogs

[SafeandSoundMastering]

No racism, extreme/fanatic religious lyrics or homophobic, this is the opposite vibe of my outlooks and hopes for the future of human life and so it makes sense to me to not deal with such stuff.

[lowland]

OT: Robin, congrats on Iceland getting through the the Eurovision final, here's to Cyprus achieving the same thing in the 2nd semi :-)

[Jerry Tubb]

No.

Most of the time songs with "challenging" lyrics are viewed as fiction, not actual reality.

Much like a horror movie, and not taken too seriously.

Don't remember turning any job down due to lyric content.

Although I've had a few, that were pretty weird over the years!

JT

p.s. Fortunately they don't pop up too often.

[24-96 Mastering]

OT: Robin, congrats on Iceland getting through the the Eurovision final, here's to Cyprus achieving the same thing in the 2nd semi :-)

OT: Thanks! Of course they had to make them the last winner to be anounced I had already abandoned hope...
Good luck to your entry, I'll be watching the show with interest and hope Cyprus progresses to the final!