Muse-sick

More about the book

In his seventh book, Ian Brennan presents a compelling examination of how mass production and commercialization have corrupted the arts. Structured around core points and action plans, this concise and affordable pocket primer serves as a follow-up to his previous works. Brennan argues that popular culture has infiltrated our lives, shaping our homes and influencing our psyche through pervasive imagery and catchy tunes. While justice often feels out of reach for the average person, Brennan suggests that pop music offers a neglected opportunity for meaningful change. By making conscious choices to reject commercialized and pre-packaged music, we can begin to restore balance in the world, one engaged listener at a time. Through fifty-nine clear points, he illustrates how corporate media has stifled local culture and creativity, resulting in a superficial notion of diversity. The narrative is enriched by Brennan’s ongoing field-recording experiences with diverse groups, including the Sheltered Workshop Singers. Accompanying photographs by Marilena Umuhoza Delli vividly bring these stories to life. As John Waters notes, Brennan's work challenges the notion that shocking insights about music are no longer possible.