----- Original Message ----- From: "Matthew MacQueen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "::)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 11:58 PM Subject: RE: (313) plastikman live
> I can respect the artist who takes that position. You can't re-create a special one-time environment and sound system and performance and a feeling w/ a live CD or MP3 file. The performance is more than just sum of the notes played through the equipment. It's a whole "thing" that exists for that moment in space and time, and is the sum of a zillion other factors, (the crowd, the weather, the smell of the warehouse, your drive there and home, the lights, your feelings at that time, etc. etc. ) then it's gone when it's done. There is something more special and visceral about it that way, I think for both performer AND audience... FWIW. > > "we play liiive, we don't play off tape" - FUSE, Logikal Nonsense They've been taking this position for ages as well. It seems Hawtin is quite anti-archivist. More power too them, I say. It's their material ultimately, although I disagree 100% personally and find myself looking to archives perpetually. It's not that I don't see where the anti-archivists are coming from, I just don't see any reason to be so strict, and ultimately stifle the interests of their fans. Clearly it ain't the same as being there - but I think everyone knows that, it doesn't mean it isn't a valuable record of the experience, and ultimately even more valuable as a record of the event to the thousands who couldn't experience it at all, like our unfortunate friends in remote places, or our friends in Detroit who never get to see Mills, for instance. I mean, surely I'm not going to hear [313] cry out in unison that they don't want to ever hear another recording of Mills. Come on. I think Stewart Walker is the best counter-example to this, someone who was quite hesitant to put a live set online (or on CD) until he had one that he thought did him justice, and has since archived a bunch of performances, and does so regularly. I think it speaks to his mastery of performance more than a shift of attitude, but I could be wrong, and I wouldn't try to speak for him on that point. In general, I don't think being so particular about it is fair to a global audience, and I think that sharing what you've got will only assist everyone in understanding your artistic purpose. I mean, primarilly we're artists, and we want to communicate our art as broadly as possible, without sacrificing that integrity, right? The question becomes if it is a sacrifice of integirty to broadcast a live show, and I think anyone who has watched Depeche Mode's 101, or [insert favorite tour footage here], can agree that it ain't the same, but is an immensely valuable service to fans, especially when someone like Stewart innovates every set. You want to hear every last performance, and I think that rather than keeping each one a secret to those in attendance, you ought to provide as many shining examples as possible to your fanbase, because they still love it, they still buy your records, and they want to attend your shows even more. If you are trying to build a career as a peformer, you need to promote as a performer. Besides that, I think you need to give the recorded-audience some credibility for their powers of abstraction. It may not be the same, but it *is* meaningful. Who cares if it's the same meaning? It never is the same meaning for everyone anyway. Again, I mean no disrespect to those that are anti-archivist, because I understand the impulse, very similar to Matt's explanantion - I just don't think it's ultimately the right choice. From my perspective, I see everything the opposite of the Minus camp, and have for a long time. I think performances should be archived freely, and source material should be paid for, but ultimately you can understand why each camp wants to protect something, so that artistry can remain lucrative enough to sustain full-time artistic committment. Regardless of which side you support, I think it's essential to maintain artist support, and I doubt hashing this out in a public forum will reveal anything anymore decisive than previous attempts have. Besides that, I think we need to look at it all from a somewhat anarchic perspective. Look at the bootlegging, sampling and live recording that goes on w/o permission. It's all illegal, and is almost never busted. Just goes to show that we're all accountable more to our own moral compass than law or popular opinion when it comes to recording/copying ethics in the electronic music world. More important than any of this, just look at what so many of us have learned from pages like deephousepage.com I mean, that really speaks for itself. How many times have we wished out loud for a Wizard/Mojo online archive? Most importantly it can educate those of us that were too young to enjoy it the first time, and there is nothing wrong with that. If anyone here is a trance-hating anti-archivist, I challenge you to exmine what choice you're giving kids to find the real deal. Tristan ======= Text/Mixes: http://phonopsia.tripod.com Music: http://www.mp313.com Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] New Mix in mp3, 'Live in Iowa City' available for a short time from http://phonopsia.isoprax.com
