I really like
this post on the value of art as a shared experience . The blog
Flyover: Art from the American Outback makes the connection between the rewards of pop culture/water cooler talk and the rewards of talking about high art, using the example of a shared memory of an extraordinary performance of Shakespeare's
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Tony Wilson, from So It Goes
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On a related note, I received an email forward from a friend about the death of Tony Wilson . I knew there would be a collective *sigh* among the email recipients -- based on the realization that a man who witnessed, reported on, and championed so much beloved and seminal music has died.
His show So It Goes gave The Sex Pistols their first television appearance. His Manchester label Factory Records featured several important bands, including Joy Division and New Order .
The film 24 Hour Party People was also based on Wilson's life. Rent it over the weekend, or dive into the music collection as a way of tribute. Talk about it with your friends and co-workers. He deserves the collective recognition.
