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An Interview with Pete Seeger, Folksinger Mike Ervin april 1986 q: How do you deWne folk music? pete seeger: The term was invented about 130 years ago in Europe, and it meant “the music of peasant classes, ancient and anonymous.” By that standard, of course, America has no folk music. But around the turn of the century, people in this country began collecting cowboy songs and Negro spirituals, and they said, “This is folk music, too.” Then along came people like Woody Guthrie. Until he met some folklorists, he had never heard the term folk music. They said, “Woody, you’re a true folk musician ,” and he said, “Am I?” He wrote a little magazine piece called “Ear Music,” where he wrote: “By this I don’t mean that you strum the guitar with your ear. I mean you learn it just by hearing it and other people learn it just by hearing you.” It was a beautiful description of folk music. q: You suggested once that Sing Out! magazine ought to change its name from “the magazine of folk music” to “the magazine of homemade music.” Why? seeger: It would be more accurate and more important, too. It would signify being more concerned with the kind of music people make, not the kind people listen to. I don’t want to ignore those who just sit and listen, but I’m really hipped on the subject that this world won’t survive unless people realize that it’s a lot of fun to do things yourself. q: Why not? seeger: Well, we live a much more comfortable life than our ancestors, who had to endure cold and heat and hunger and often an early death. But I don’t think we’re happier. Anthropologists tell us about tribes in far-o¤ places where life is less rushed and often full of laughter. We’ve forgotten what fun it is to lead a wellrounded life in which you do a little of this and a little of that. Our age of specialization makes for eªcient production, but not for happiness. q: Tell me about Clearwater [the group he helped found that tries to clean up the Hudson River]. Does your heavy involvement mean you believe environmental protection is the big issue? seeger: No. The key issues are those that are close to you, geographically as well as spiritually. If someone says, “I want to change the world. Where do I go?” I answer, “Stay right where you are. Don’t run away. Dig in.” q: But then who will work on such global issues as the arms race? 329 seeger: My guess is that a lot of people will work on those, but they can still work on local issues at the same time. The world needs a certain number of traveling salesmen and diplomats, but maybe they should just be traveling salesmen and diplomats for part of their lives. After you’ve done your job nationally or internationally , go back home. An Interview with Frank Zappa, Musician Batya Friedman and Steve Lyons november 1986 q: You have said that “art is dying in this country.” What do you mean? frank zappa: Much of the creative work I Wnd interesting and amusing has no basis in economic reality. Most decisions about what gets produced and distributed are made strictly on a bottom-line basis. Nobody makes a move without talking to an accountant Wrst. There will always be people who will take a chance, but their numbers are dwindling. The spirit of adventurousness at any level of American society has been pretty much legislated away. q: Do you think anything can be done to reverse the trend? zappa: Perhaps. It is no accident that the public schools in the United States are pure shit. It is no accident that masses of drugs are available and openly used at all levels of society. In a way, the real business of government is the business of controlling the labor force. Social pressure is placed on people to become a certain type of individual, and then rewards are heaped on people who conform to that stereotype. Take the pop-music business, for example. Look at the stereotypes held up by the media as examples of great accomplishment. You see guys who are making millions of dollars and selling millions of units. And because they are making and selling millions they are stamped with the seal of approval, and it is the millions...

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