I'm reading Real Punks Don't Wear Black (Frank Kogan) , trying to strain from it the key to being both a good writer, and discover what writers look for in good music- the ever important essence of music. The reason I'm enjoying it so much, is that Kogan has no better idea than I do, and cites Lester Bangs & Richard Meltzer in trying to clarify his points on "authenticity" and the real in music. I've been toying with the idea, that is supported by Kogan's musings that music is authentic as long as it speaks emphatically about power (emphatically not necessarily meaning genuinely).
"Great rock thrives on insecurity." Or so Kogan paraphrases, but it's really about one's insecurity about where one stands contextually to power. Do you have it? Do you want it? Do you hate it? Do you love it? James Brown was amazing in that he both conducted it, and directed us all to fight it, yet had the power to disguise struggle with funk. Likewise, punk music is powerful in its admittance to lack of power, and it refusal to acknowledge power's existence, yet is made up structurally of mostly power chords and jaring lyrics.
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