This guy is getting stepped on, and though I can understand where people are coming from with their angry responses as a knee jerk reaction, I cannot see this stance holding water after a sober read of his initial post. >The year 2004 has been an eye-opening one for myself and the obS/ EAR >collective. For 28 years of my life I have always looked outward when it >came to many aspects of my existence (my cultural identity, even >appreciation from others and my choices in music)... >... I have decided to make a >major change in the way EAR considers techno music from here on as an >individual organization and collective of artists. I have decided that I >am going to begin looking inward.
dunno how anyone can have an issue with this. the mans saying he had experiences that have led him personally to change the direction of focus when it comes to the music he most wants to support. matter of personal opinion really and more importantly, obviously worded to denote a personal change in views and not a call to arms as it's being interpreted. > This means that this collective of >artists will remain tied to the American scene and American DJs as it is >our artists who need the >assistance, the monetary funds and even the recognition that is deserved >and lacking. what i read here is a fella opting to use his available resources to help those he feels are most in need and deserving of it. I think this kind of consciousness regarding where your dollar falls is lacking in global spending in general (not just dj bookings and entertainment) and if more people even thought about spending where it counts, we'd be a lot better off (this especially applies to americans). so I applaud this statement. even if I didn't agree with his reasons, i'd never slag a man for backing his beliefs with his dollars. Plus, given the reality that euro talent is so much more lucrative here currently, he may have even lost money on this move. >I cannot sit by any longer and watch what was created here in >the States get redone and sold back to us at import prices. Yet, we have >made an exception with two artists: The Advent and Steve Rachmad as they >have shown their respect to the American sound and to the scenes in >Chicago and Detroit respectively, while also pioneering their own sounds >and even actually helping the American scene and its artists. the price issue is moot as everyone pays high dollar for imports. the fact that we geopoliticaly lay claim to the genesis of the genre doesn't justify higher import prices for some and not others. I disagree with Mani on this one. import prices are another conversation altogether(I've seen what US imports go for in london). His statement about sterac and Advent are proof to me that he is really only talking about those euro dj's that (in his opinion) do not support or show any respect to a scene that they recieve their living ( or a portion thereof) from. on the same note i would say that if european promoters are getting the same treatment from american talent, STOP BOOKING THEM! i don't care how many heads their name will pull through the door, if they're rude, undependable and expensive, don't bring them back. Basically, i feel that he's got limited resources and is giving american talent priority on hs roster because he feels we need it to keep techno here alive. he's ob! viously giving europeans that he feels deserving of it just as much a share of what he's got. Just because he can't fit in more artists WE feel deserve it more doesn't make it an ill maneuver. That just means maybe he hasn't met those guys and spent enough time with them to find out why he should support them. I still don't see the part where he's telling anyone to boycott all european talent. >Lastly, I depart with this. Why is that the USA is up in arms when >technology jobs are outsourced to India and China, yet not at all >DISGUSTED when the European magazines and scene come into our scenes >demanding huge fees and arriving with difficult attitudes, resulting to a >trend of the US getting InSourced...? How many US artists do you know >with day jobs, more talent than the the headliner flown in on business >class, yet that same cat plays his/her heart out for a few measly bucks >after working a full time work week and has to watch a premadonna global >talent get paid tens of thousands and refuse to play a minute longer than >the contract. It is not proper and I am personally making a stand with my >collective of artists... I suspect this is the part that has garnered the most replies. at least i think this is what most were referring to when speaking about the "tone" of the message. this is not the message. it's a statement that he made in conclusion. and i would wager a statement that has been made by many after having had shoddy experiences with overpaid, rude, unsupportive talent. I have many friends on many continents and everytime i go out with them to hear someone play, either a dj or a promoter is singing this song, and understandably so. I guess i just figure everyone can understand how this guy feels as i know more than a handful of electronic artists whether from america, europe, or wherever have made a name for themselves by not showing to gigs (juan), being rude, charging excessive fees, etc. i've also had plenty friends of mine decide not to buy tickets to shows featuring artists that have been known not to show. i feel that if someone has enough of a history of doing things this ! way then people have a right to decide against them in favor of more reliable and often equally talented choices (albeit independent of your country of origin) because it is not proper. Once again in the last sentence he explicitly stated that the stance he made was entirely personal and limited to how he will use his resources. Ripping on him isn't going to help the situation and i don't see his actions as being too detrimental to the dance music industry in europe so once again, I really don't understand where all the negative stuff is coming from (except for interpretations of that last paragraph). add to this the fact that it might help bring some much needed recognition and resources into the long neglected american stable of artists, and it's starting to look like an okay move. granted if every booking agency were to go this route, it'd be a shXt idea, but they're not. So once again: if the guy is describing someone who doesn't sound a bit like you, it's probably not ! you he's talking about. I'm sure most on this list and most of those w e support would make the "exclusion roster" based on dedication and support to techno/music in general. maybe his slogan should be "Saving America from bad manners". and for detroit relevance, Mad Mike thinks manners are important too. it's all tiesto's fault. Kamal K. Stoddard Turner Broadcasting Systems "Bebop was about change, about evolution. It wasn't about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating they have to be about change."
