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Post by Richard on Jul 25, 2014 8:06:55 GMT
Hello Susie!  The comments on YouTube are all favourable, so I think the controversy was stirred up by Classic FM. Having watched the video again, my opinion is now very similar to yours, so I've changed the last line of my previous post.  Richard  |
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on Jul 25, 2014 12:34:21 GMT
Hello folks! It's caused some controversy Richard . It's about time someone did something to rock the boat a little bit. I love it. It's a reflection of Laura's personality, individuality and her interests. I'm entertained and love that she took a risk -- the video clip and the track together is spectacular. It's a track that I can imagined being used on TV shows or even over sporting highlights/packages. There's some rather boring and predictable pearl clutching going on in the Classic FM comments section, but whatever *yawn* |
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Post by martindn on Jul 25, 2014 20:04:34 GMT
Well, I didn't like it, and my opinion of Laura has taken a nosedive as a result. It is all about sex. It is not about music. I thought she was better than that.
Martin D
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Post by susieverity on Jul 25, 2014 21:10:26 GMT
Sorry martin but I think you have missed the point as have the others commenting on the classic FM post that compared her to mylie cyurs, in the video people are doing sports and there is no sex in the video, this is great exercise music which is what I use it for, it's really motivating and inspirational for that which I think is the main idea behind it.
Susie
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on Jul 25, 2014 23:25:24 GMT
Well, I didn't like it, and my opinion of Laura has taken a nosedive as a result. It is all about sex. It is not about music. I thought she was better than that. Martin D Yeah but so much of Classical Crossover isn't even about music -- it's about regurgitating the same cynical packaged material over and over again. Sometimes I think the genre and the record labels commit worse crimes than in pop music. I'm also not sure what's so wrong about something being sexy. Classical Crossover is very much aimed at adults who are all capable of choosing what they like and don't like. In my opinion, something being sexy is only an issue when it's directed at people too young to understand it (which often does happen in pop music) -- but which certainly is never going to be the case in Classical Crossover. Laura's an adult and so are all of her fans -- everyone's capable of taking it or leaving it with no harm done. Sure, it's not everyone's cup of tea and that's fine -- that's actually the best part because that means it's something different. |
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Post by martindn on Jul 25, 2014 23:31:27 GMT
All those straps and bondage stuff? Come on. At the very best it is ambiguous. I'm sure they knew what they were doing. Exactly what Hayley refused to do. I hate that sort of stuff, it has nothing to do with music. I have heard Laura sing live and she is good. So I am disappointed she is not prepared to rely on her music. Videos anyway are not necessary for any true musician whose business is about sound.
Martin D
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Post by martindn on Jul 25, 2014 23:37:27 GMT
Jillian,
There is nothing wrong with being sexy. There is everything wrong with using sex to sell music. In popular music too many people buy music because the artist is sexy. It says nothing about the music. If you want pornography there is plenty out there. But just don't confuse it with music.
Martin D
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on Jul 25, 2014 23:44:34 GMT
Coming off the back of Hayley releasing Hushabye, personally I'm not prepared to criticise any CC artist for trying to do anything to set themselves apart. In my opinion, Hushabye was a bigger crime against music and artistry than any sexy music video. It's like Laura and Hayley went into two different directions. Hayley flung herself so far down the road of the musically conservative and mundane as to make herself unrecognisable as the fun, creative 26 year old she was. On the other hand, Laura's trying to shake things up by going sexy. At least Laura's trying.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Jul 26, 2014 2:27:16 GMT
Well this kind of stuff has been done before in classical crossover, years ago - by Bond to name but one. Yes it's a sexy video but it's not pornography (so there I disagree with Martin D), just as Hushabye isn't a crime against music (so there I disagree with Jillian, I like Hushabye!).
I think Laura has gone further with this one than Bond or Vanessa Mae for example ever did, it may be exercise music but it sure ain't an exercise video, much as Decca might want to try and persuade us that it is! But it doesn't offend me, it just saddens me a bit. And if this one sells, what next? Twerking to Tchaikowsky? So I think this is more about the image and imagery than the music, like most pop music is. Otherwise, we'd have been discussing the musical performance not the video images, and that is a pity as far as I am concerned.
Cheers, Dave
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Post by Richard on Jul 26, 2014 8:33:36 GMT
I missed this second video where Laura explains the first one. Susie, you were spot on.  Richard |
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Post by susieverity on Jul 26, 2014 9:30:13 GMT
while I liked Hushabye, I have to agree with Jillian that it is much more detrimental to classical crossover to just produce album after album of covers with unimaginative arrangements and all artists with the same conservative image and all long dresses and things. And to defend the 'bondage' she is wearing, I see that as a stylised gymnastics costume, I used to dance and do gymnastics a lot and some of the things I wore for that you might have thought were sexual, but I saw it as an extension of the sport and art that I was doing and as Laura says in the video Richard posed above it is about strength, sport and music. I think we will just have to disagree on this one. Also I don't think Laura is just doing this for the sake of it, I think she wants to show the body and there is nothing wrong with that, but she is showing athleticism and so the intention of what she is doing is different and so not pornography. Obviously the record company may see this as a chance to use sex to sell the records, but that does not mean that Laura sees it the same way.
Susie
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Jul 26, 2014 10:16:56 GMT
What many people, including some forum members, are not aware of is the fact that Laura is an extreme athlete and has been for a long time. She excels at athletics, rugby and hockey and has represented the latter at county level. She has also run the London Marathon twice to my knowledge and goes to the gym most days hence the athletic physique.
There is therefore nothing wrong in being proud of one's body and using it for promotional reasons providing it is done tastefully which, in my opinion, has been done here.
Martin
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Post by susieverity on Jul 26, 2014 10:23:01 GMT
Yes Martin, I could not agree more, the video is tasteful in my opinion and Laura should be proud of all she does and has achieved
Susie
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Post by martindn on Jul 26, 2014 10:54:39 GMT
But it doesn't offend me, it just saddens me a bit. And if this one sells, what next? Twerking to Tchaikowsky? So I think this is more about the image and imagery than the music, like most pop music is. Otherwise, we'd have been discussing the musical performance not the video images, and that is a pity as far as I am concerned. Cheers, Dave Yes, I agree Dave, that's what concerns me. Artists often resort to imagery to sell their music when they don't think the music or the performance is good enough to stand on its own. This is not the case with Laura; as I said, she is better than that. In my case it makes me less likely to buy the music, since I don't want to encourage that trend. Martin D |
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Post by comet on Jul 26, 2014 11:59:00 GMT
would I be Wright in saying Laura probably had very little input or control over this video which is a Vevo production financed by the record label. I would say it was a case of "Do as directed" We the record company are making a video to promote you and this is what we want you to do, ehum ! It's in your contract, ehum,, you do want to keep your recording contract with us, don't you Laura ?
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