Well said Martin, I completely agree with your stance when framed this way.
I didn't agree with the framing of the problem as something to do with ex-pats and "rich" people, since you may play for those sorts in any city. It seemed to be framing the issue as a problem with the audience, or lack of an "authentic" audience. I have a few friends in China and I have a few customers (collectors of rare 78rpm records) in China and Taiwan. I've got a few friends that have traveled there extensively and a few who lived there for a few years. There used to be a Chinese guy on the CBS forum. Repeatedly mentioning whatever experience Surgeon had in a big club in Shanghai is pretty inane. It's just one man's experience, and frankly it's no surprise that playing in a big club in a big city for a big paycheck could result in a crowd full of rich people and ex-pats. Nobody here seems to have any real experience in China, so while it's fair to take a principled stance against the gov't according to what you've learned through various media, and to put some stock in what you've heard of Surgeon's experience, it only goes "so far" in giving you an informed opinion and conception. Not very far. I have as many problems with the Chinese gov't as you, and certainly playing a high-profile gig for a random crowd (ie going there to do business) could be construed as an endorsement or at least as a blind eye. I don't play many of those shows in the first place. It's not hard to imagine playing some off-the-radar party for a few fans and genuinely interested people. That's mostly what I play anyway. JT On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 4:51 AM, Martin Dust <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 8 Sep 2009, at 16:20, David Powers wrote: > >> I would argue that the USA and UK have regimes that are just as bad as >> China. By your logic DJ's shouldn't play at all! >> >> ~David > > You could but I have even greater difficulty with the Chinese Government: > > 1. The lack of free speech and free thinking: > http://www.hrichina.org/public/index > > 2. It's active use of apartheid systems. > > 3. It's treatment of Tibet. > > 4. It's human rights record. > > For myself, I just could not bring myself to support any of that in any way, > shape or form. And where I can't avoid it (iPod/Laptop/TV) I give money to > http://www.plan-uk.org/ and have done for 10yrs, we support a couple of > people in China with a plan for people to work their way out of poverty - I > even had problems with that at one stage because I was worried that it was > patronising. I find their letters heart breaking and the fact that I have to > watch what I'm saying or sending in my letters makes he even more angry. > > It's very difficult/complex and I don't think I explained myself well enough > yesterday but I really and honestly don't want a cheap holiday in other > peoples misery nor do I want to play only to the expats and elite who can > afford it, in my heart of hearts I know that it's not right. > > m >
