@MBTC
the value of tickets, how much they sell, along with sales records and all of that can hardly constitute any argument as to what's good and what's not. we're living very different times now, there's a lot more people doing music so the crowds are more distributed among artists and few of them get out-of-this-world kind of audiences.
but even if this was the case, you'll have a hard time finding any artist living today who's more busy then Skrillex, as far as gigs go. the guy simply doesn't stop to rest, he's played everywhere and on all major avenues and all over the world. he's also featured heavily all over the radio and other distribution medium - and that's why some people today regard him as a poster guy. he manages to make some music while touring with just a laptop and a headphones set. this is something that's produced to a very high standard of quality, that translates well in the best sound systems available today, such as Funktion One.
it kind of surprises me to read your opinions, dude. you do enjoy electronic instruments, synthesizers and all of that. taste aside, I really can't see how his level of proficiency in music is debatable at all. he's got a very good sense of composition, he knows how to play with the crowd's expectations, contrasting mellow melodic parts with very intensive and aggressive ones and he never fails to deliver on all accounts: be it drum sounds and patterns, even the sound design of them is amazing; the sound design in all the instrumentation involved, the level of skills involved in the production, so forth and so on. how come is this even debatable, without walking into the highly subjective and ambiguous dimensions of taste and personal preferences?
are you really engaging in the old is better then new kind of argument? 'cause that's a very old one and it's happened to the artists you mention as well, back in the day. I think access to instruments and technology in general has enabled much more people to express themselves and that's a good thing. as I've said previously, on that level - and by this I mean, when you get to play to big crowds and manage a big gig schedule - there's hardly anyone lacking knowledge of music theory, composition, production techniques or whatever you can think off.
besides, electronic music is not just about listening, certainly not just about notes and scales and harmonies to. it's also about sound textures, rhythm, bass frequencies that collide with your chest, that you can feel as much as you listen - and that's what makes the crowds move together in unison, that's the driving force behind all this "bass music" thing. if you pick synthesizer sound design alone, you'd have a hard time explaining to me (or anyone) how Skrillex would fall short compared to any - AND I MEAN ANY - act available today or in the past. This isn't true just for Skrillex, it's true for a lot of people.
>I'm just contributing to the debate<
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