It's been interesting reading the opinions on Joni and the MOA incident
along with the Boston 83 walkout. I've been lucky to have been at a few
hundred live gigs ( only one Joni though). During the 60's Merseybeat period
( my first concert was in '63) it never applied, as due to the screaming,
you couldn't hear anything anyway. In my folkie period during the late 60's
I think the nature of the music and the often intimate venue's meant that
the sound of silence prevailed.
Since the 70's, could it be larger venues and the advent of festivals, I
never fail to be amazed by the a**holes who turn up late usually in a group,
inevitably pissed, and push their way to the front or shout continuously
between songs for their favourite tune (it's probably the only song title
they know). We've all been there.
Also listening to the many live tapes I've got, on many of them people can
be heard chatting whilst songs are being played. Reading the posts, I've
puzzled over it, and wondered what I'd do if I were in the performers shoes.
Whilst I can accept Kate Bennet's, performers view, that the show must go
on. I imagine for some performers that to stand alone in front of an
audience and be shouted down can be the ultimate put down. It brought to
mind the famous Joni incident at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 when she
"lost the place" for probably the first time.
Here's a transcript of Joni's rant.
During constant heckling, no doubt from males awaiting their electric rock
heroes, a solo acoustic Joni snapped, and with a voice trembling with
emotion shouted into the microphone
" Will you listen a minute......Now listen......A lot of people
who get up here and sing....
I know it's fun, you know, it's a lot of fun, it's fun for me. I get my
feelings off through my music
(more heckling in the background).....but listen, it's like, last Sunday I
went to a Hopi ceremonial
dance in the desert and there were a lot of people there and there were
tourists....and there were tourists who were acting like indians and there
were indians who were getting into it like tourists.....
and....and....I think you're acting like tourists man........GIVE US SOME
RESPECT" Joni then played a fevered Big Yellow Taxi ,that, given the
reception at the end won over quite a few tourists.
Last night I mistakenly taped a TV show on performance art ( it was meant to
be Radiohead live)
and during the introduction, quotes were displayed over an artistic
background. One of them summed up what I feel may be the answer to Joni's
feelings.
" A Painter paints pictures on canvas,
but Musicians paint their music on silence"......Leopole
Stokowski
Food for thought, perhaps ?............Steve.........the impossible dreamer
PS. As always offers of Joni's Isle of Wight tape to those who ask.
