Comments on: The Rest Is Silence http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:43:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: dick bentley http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-520 dick bentley Sun, 25 Feb 2007 17:57:30 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-520 People who dislike restaurant music -- let's organize! Individual acts of civil disobedience would be a good start. Go into restaurant. Order. Music too loud. Leave. Refuse to pay. We are in the same position as people who didn't like second hand smoke back in the 50's. Nobody complained enough back then, but as pressure grew eventually restaurants provided "no smoking" sections. They could certainly provide noise-free zones. They need to be convinced that having to listen to music you didn't ask for is like going into a restaurant and being forced to eat nothing but broccoli. People who dislike restaurant music — let’s organize!

Individual acts of civil disobedience would be a good start. Go into restaurant. Order. Music too loud. Leave. Refuse to pay.

We are in the same position as people who didn’t like second hand smoke back in the 50′s.
Nobody complained enough back then, but as pressure grew eventually restaurants provided “no smoking” sections. They could certainly provide noise-free zones.

They need to be convinced that having to listen to music you didn’t ask for is like going into a restaurant and being forced to eat nothing but broccoli.

]]> By: Todd Hamo http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-229 Todd Hamo Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:32:08 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-229 Out here in southern California, it is indeed rare for restaurant chains to provide dining sans music. Dame Gillian Weir has a very important commentary on Muzak on her website. Out here in southern California, it is indeed rare for restaurant chains to provide dining sans music.

Dame Gillian Weir has a very important commentary on Muzak on her website.

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-176 Fredric Koeppel Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:23:12 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-176 Whoa, TD, Maine sounds like the ideal place to eat out. Indeed, that's the way it should be. Thanks for the comment. Whoa, TD, Maine sounds like the ideal place to eat out. Indeed, that’s the way it should be. Thanks for the comment.

]]> By: TD http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-174 TD Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:28:02 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-174 Maybe it's a New York thing ... I haven't noticed it here in Maine where, by and large, restaurants mostly play very quiet ambient or instrumental music or none at all. Music with vocals or loud music is generlly done at pubs or places where drinks - not food -- is the focus. Here it seems the fancier the restaurant, the quieter the background music. But maybe that's just Maine. Maybe that's just the way it should be. Maybe it’s a New York thing … I haven’t noticed it here in Maine where, by and large, restaurants mostly play very quiet ambient or instrumental music or none at all. Music with vocals or loud music is generlly done at pubs or places where drinks – not food — is the focus. Here it seems the fancier the restaurant, the quieter the background music. But maybe that’s just Maine. Maybe that’s just the way it should be.

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-153 Fredric Koeppel Sat, 13 Jan 2007 16:36:59 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-153 well, that wouldn't be very helpful, would it...... well, that wouldn’t be very helpful, would it……

]]> By: Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home » Blog Archive » Weekend reading http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home » Blog Archive » Weekend reading Sat, 13 Jan 2007 12:48:28 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-152 [...] - How do you feel about music so loud you can’t order a beer? [...] [...] – How do you feel about music so loud you can’t order a beer? [...]

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-151 Fredric Koeppel Fri, 12 Jan 2007 00:39:40 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-151 .... though i can do without the mariachi bands, thank you. …. though i can do without the mariachi bands, thank you.

]]> By: tim http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-150 tim Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:42:25 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-150 All too true. And let's not forget the Mexican restaurants that play music that's not Mexican! All too true. And let’s not forget the Mexican restaurants that play music that’s not Mexican!

]]> By: Bruce http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-149 Bruce Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:41:29 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-149 I'm with you on this one. Music in restaurants may contribute to the ambiance, but it shouldn't intrude with dining and conversation. Conversely, I get just as peeved when I'm at a favorite jazz venue and the sounds of dining - noisy and loud table talk - interfere with the music. Noisy folks should just go to noisy restaurants. I mean, why pay the cover? Really. I’m with you on this one. Music in restaurants may contribute to the ambiance, but it shouldn’t intrude with dining and conversation.

Conversely, I get just as peeved when I’m at a favorite jazz venue and the sounds of dining – noisy and loud table talk – interfere with the music. Noisy folks should just go to noisy restaurants. I mean, why pay the cover? Really.

]]> By: Fredric Koeppel http://biggerthanyourhead.net/2007/01/04/the-rest-is-silence/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Fredric Koeppel Sun, 07 Jan 2007 17:23:24 +0000 http://biggerthanyourhead.net/?p=53#comment-134 Terry, old boy, are you sure those aren't the falsetto strains of "caught between the moon and New York City" echoing through your synapses? Hi, Emily, thanks for responding. And you're right, for all my disdain for restaurant playlists, I can think of one or two where the music is well-chosen and played unassertively for a nice mixture of music and conversation. That's pretty rare, though. Terry, old boy, are you sure those aren’t the falsetto strains of “caught between the moon and New York City” echoing through your synapses?

Hi, Emily, thanks for responding. And you’re right, for all my disdain for restaurant playlists, I can think of one or two where the music is well-chosen and played unassertively for a nice mixture of music and conversation. That’s pretty rare, though.

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