Blog Ten -- Remix a Remix

This remix (Johnny Cash w/ Cypress Hill) is one of my favorite and latest remixes that I've found (specifically the guy rocking out on the bass violin). The fact that Cypress Hill's Insane in the Brain works flawlessly with such an old song is amazing. Remixes have always had a signature feel to them because the user is getting two different genres of music combined into a product that works. I'm not even a big fan of either band but this song encourages me to want to listen to more of both. This a section of our culture where we simply consume. As Lawrence Lessig stated, "There's a part of culture that we simply consume. We listen to music. We watch a movie. We read a book. With each, we're not expected to do much more than simply consume." (Lessig 36)  We consume for the fact that we constantly want more of what we like. We a hear a great band, we want to listen to the next one like it. We see an awesome movie and cross our fingers that there is a sequel next year. Consume, consume, consume. Regarding that last sentence, I would say that we aren't expected to do more than consume, but I would say we are encouraged. Encouraged to make something, like a Johnny Cash song and put a refreshing twist on it (like this remix).

Another link I saw between this remix and Lessig's points was how remixing items, like a song, can have as much effect as diversifying a culture. He states, "As the cost of inventory drops, the mix of inventory increases -- the lesson of the Long Tail...As the mix increases, the diversity of culture that can flourish in the digital age grows." (Lessig 42) Johnny Cash and Cypress Hill are two very different bands in term of music genre. Yet I imagine that both supporters enjoy this remix, which in turn diversifies and combines the two different types of music. Under the comments on YouTube, people from both generations were giving it praise and agreed it was a quality piece of work.

The final link I found between my remix and Lessig was first, realizing the true significance of a remix and second, realizing its potential positive impact on a community. On page 76 of Remix, Lessig states, "Whether text or beyond text, remix is collage; it comes from combining elements of RO culture; it succeeds by leveraging the meaning created by the reference to build something new." (Lessig 76) Relating to my last quote from Remix, I think that new creations, like this remix, is always a product of a community and a culture. Bring a community of people together will usually result in positive gains for the group. For example, Johnny Cash fans along with Cypress Hill fans could have seen this remix and exchange other significant artists' songs to each other that they wouldn't have heard before. Combining these elements of an RO culture could uncover various interests in someone's Long Tail.