Author: Mark Bolton
Dear Carolynn... I stand conflicted! I'm both ashamed and accepting of what I should be ashamed of for not being ashamed. It's difficult for me to even get myself into the position of typing the words—but I must confess my sins to move forward and avoid the rath of the Devil.
It all began a couple of months ago...
Deaf and Grumpy
Allow me to pose a question to all you other music snobs. What if it was discovered that Beethoven’s music wasn’t his? He was, after all a deaf man who suffered a lifetime of ill health, yet wrote some of the most incredible music. What if Beethoven, during a severe fever driven hallucination met and signed a deal with the Devil, who in turn gave him the key to success? What if Beethoven, riddled with guilt met again with the Devil on March 25, 1827 and told him he was coming clean to the world? That his music was all done by AI.
What if in 1965, John Lennon, while tripping on acid met the Devil who offered him the same contract as that given to Beethoven? What if the albums Revolver, Sgt Peppers and the White Album were AI generated? What if a happy and settled John again met with the Devil on December 7, 1980 and told him he was coming clean to the world? That after 1966, all of The Beatles work was done by AI.
And what if during a cocaine ravaged night, Don Henley met with the Devil around 1976 and gave him the same deal as Beethoven and Lennon? What if The Eagles, Hotel California album was punched into a computer? What if the Devil saw the lyric ‘You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave‘ as a subtle coming clean to the world thus being seen as a breach in contract? What if the Devil turned Don Henley into the miserable man he is today as punishment?
Fortunately, none of these scenarios are true. At least, I don’t think they are. And therein lies the problem. How can we trust anymore? The Eagles have been caught out using voice correcting technology during live gigs, and the members of The Eagles are all fantastic musicians and singers. Or, at least (at best) they used to be.
But all of these guys are part of the analog era, not this AI era. AI could never have competed with them or other artists of those times.
Before I get to my shame, my question to anyone who cares about the artistry in music—from the lyrics, melodies, vocals, harmonies to the album artwork etc, what if you discovered AI is behind classic albums such as Revolver, Sgt Peppers, White Album, Dark Side of the Moon, Hotel California, Blood on the Tracks—or whatever you love? Would this change how you feel? Would you feel ripped off? Embarrassed? Would you feel that enjoying the AI generated product is somehow cheating on integrity? Or would you simply accept it—that no matter how it was made, it is all amazingly brilliant and changes nothing for you?
Tainted Love—My Shame
Other than maybe doing demo’s, I can’t abide by AI music becoming a product because it is killing real musicians, singers and writers. AI is destroying everything real about a human art form that was always honest. Okay, well Milli Vanilli and Boney M aside—but they were still human. At least I am pretty sure they were.
I can’t stand AI music. Or at least I thought so.
One Friday evening after a bit of an afternoon drinking session with my old mate, Mark, I came home with music on my mind. The Blues, man, The Blues. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and finally opened a link another friend of mine sent me a few weeks earlier… Playlist For Men Who Fear Nothing… a compilation of new Blues music.
I was about five songs in before the reality set in. I was listening to AI generated music. Not JUST music—BLUES music.
The Blues is about struggle, cheating on, and being cheated on, giving your all and still being beaten while fighting on. It is honesty. It is about being honest about being dishonest. It’s about love, loss, sex, addiction, redemption. Each song is a human documentary. It’s raw and comes from deep within a singer’s soul.
How then can AI duplicate Blues music so well that it is to be believable?
I feel like there needs to be a Blues song written about AI singing the Blues—and the listener feeling cheated, while cheating on the Blues. But what if it is written by AI? Grrrr!
Although I woke up quickly to what I was listening to… I was hooked. Now I have an AI Blues playlist. I’m a white, middle class Australian Robert Johnson. I reached the crossroads and signed a deal with the Devil.
But it didn’t stop at Blues. I also love Irish folk music. Another storytelling genre. AI technology covering well known songs being done as if they were Irish folk songs. They are so good.
Again, how can AI be so human? This is frightening!
How can I ever again watch Fil from Wings of Pegasus and not feel as though I’m letting him down? How can I click on Rick Beato‘s channel and not feel as though he is talking directly to me when he shares his frustration at the loss of the spirit of music?
If you don’t believe me, I share below a random selection of these AI generated songs.
It’s up to you if you want to join me at the crossroads.
If my mother is by my side when I near my final breath, will I hand her my YouTube account and say to her, ‘You were right, Ma, this is the Devil’s instrument.’
I Ain’t Fat, I’m Just Easier To See (Original? No idea)
Sounds of Silence (Originally Simon and Garfunkle)
The Boxer (Also originally Simon and Garfunkle but reworked)
Fields of Gold (Originally Sting and reworked)
I Ain’t Drunk, I just Walk Like This (No idea? Based on Jimmy Liggins?)
Leave a Reply