IDM Mailing Archive

some country-line-raving! how about that? or better yet, a techno show on MTV hosted by ERIC from the grind... actually i had heard that MTV was on the verge of exploiting the underground dance scene by putting it into the box so millions of people will be able to "rave" during their family dinner time. is this true? is this media attention really what the dance scene needs? manish

On Thu, 10 Feb 1994, Skye Merlin Poier wrote:

quoted 13 lines And verily GOD WITHIN doth spake unto thee:

> And verily GOD WITHIN doth spake unto thee: > > actually i had heard that MTV was on the verge of exploiting the underground > > dance scene by putting it into the box so millions of people will be able to > > "rave" during their family dinner time. is this true? is this media attention > > really what the dance scene needs? > > Whatever MTV do, they wont be able to exploit the "underground" dance scene > since 99.99% of all the tunes have no videos (unless MTV wants to run test > pattern and play the songs) so I don't think we have to worry about that. I'm > sure that all the big commercial promoters are looking for something new to > destroy now that grunge is totally meaningless, and I wouldn't be suprised if > they were looking this way. I don't really think this scene is ever really > going to "break" tho...

Well there are more commercial "techno" tunes with videos (and some not-so-commercial, as in Future Sound of London and Aphex Twin)... MTV Europe airs them quite a bit, from what I've seen on this list... I have a feeling that MTV will break "rave" in the states with stuff like Rick Rubin's importing of Digital Orgasm et al, the more commercial stuff with pretty popstar faces. However, I don't think this will make a difference, as most scenes have progressed past the point where exploitation will kill them. Maybe even some smaller, rural scenes will benefit. But most of the urban scenes are pretty well-developed and could weather that sort of thing. Unless, of course, they decide to steal what's going on in SF... Peace, Matt <(hcy)>

quoted 7 lines Whatever MTV do, they wont be able to exploit the "underground" dance scene

>Whatever MTV do, they wont be able to exploit the "underground" dance scene >since 99.99% of all the tunes have no videos (unless MTV wants to run test >pattern and play the songs) so I don't think we have to worry about that. I'm >sure that all the big commercial promoters are looking for something new to >destroy now that grunge is totally meaningless, and I wouldn't be suprised if >they were looking this way. I don't really think this scene is ever really >going to "break" tho...

I agree. What MTV relies on is that the music has to be able to translate to a visual medium (to a reasonable extent). And one of the major characteristics of the "underground" dance scene is that it is relatively faceless. I mean everyone knows the names of the good djs but you wouldn't recognise them in person if they came up to you in the street and spat in your face! Richard James is a case in point. Can you imagine him making a big impact on primetime MTV? Definately not, because he releases stuff under so many names and in so many styles. To be popular on MTV you need to put out a single simple signal that the main stream audience can identify with you all the time. eg:Madonna is (percieved to be) sexy with a lot of attitude, Bruce Springsteen is (percieved to be) "sincere" and really means what he says. He's "one of us" etc etc... Dance music just doesn't give off single simple signals like that and so will never get primetime MTV coverage, but I can't say that I care whether it does or not one way or another....

Daniel Bramhall writes (without discovering CR on his keyboard):

quoted 1 line person if they came up to you in the street and spat in your face! Richard James is a case

> person if they came up to you in the street and spat in your face! Richard James is a case in point. Can you imagine him making a big impact on primetime MTV? Definately not, because he releases stuff under so many names and in so many styles.

If Moby can have a hit, there's no doubt Aphex can have one as well. He's already been interviewed on MTV's prime time news. And they played "On" more times than I was able to count. Mind you, they've even played Underworld's "Rez" several times which must be one of the most unwatchable videos ever. - chris@minsk.docs.uu.se

Daniel Bramhall - 2nd <danielb@ccl.umist.ac.uk> writes:

quoted 5 lines I agree. What MTV relies on is that the music has to be able to translate to

> I agree. What MTV relies on is that the music has to be able to translate to > visual medium (to a reasonable extent). And one of the major characteristics > of the "underground" dance scene is that it is relatively faceless. I mean > everyone knows the names of the good djs but you wouldn't recognise them in > person if they came up to you in the street and spat in your face! Richard

of course, RJ never actually changes his _face_, just the names he releases under.. and who says the whole goal of MTV will have to remain promoting popularity? In ten years, MTV's gonna have to compete with a *countless* number of music channels. It will no longer be that only pop (as in 'popular') music is shown. just wait, there'll probably be not only a techno channel, but an IDM channel, an ambient channel, a NY-hardcore channel, etc. of course, it may very well reach a point where there's things like 'the orb channel' ('tune in, light up, chill out') or hell, even the 'aphex/polygon/2001 flushes god of strange named richard james' channel, where you can of course see rj creating his live tracks in his studio (move over c-span!). but i digress..

quoted 3 lines eg:Madonna is (percieved to be) sexy with a lot of attitude, Bruce Springstee

> eg:Madonna is (percieved to be) sexy with a lot of attitude, Bruce Springstee > is (percieved to be) "sincere" and really means what he says. He's "one of > us"

Bruce Springsteen is a _raver_?? (g) couldn't resist.

quoted 1 line Dance music just doesn't give off single simple signals like that and so will

> Dance music just doesn't give off single simple signals like that and so will

Sure it does! It tells people to move. Visual stimulation can be very important in the dance music experience. I rarely just sit around and listen to records. Instead, I turn on a TV, turn the volume off, and flip channels to the beat :-) - Dan |=|=|=|=\=|=\=|=\=|=\=|=\=|=/=|=/=|=/=|=/=|=|=|=|-------------------------- The 8-BIt Collective - Transmission 23 - edrone dan nicholson, Clonor the Other - Finnish Techno Zyndicate 8bit@vlad.bowker.com -=>ICBM volume one available soon!<=- moddan@vlad.bowker.com "This message has been sent out - did you originate it?"

quoted 3 lines important in the dance music experience. I rarely just sit around and

> important in the dance music experience. I rarely just sit around and > listen to records. Instead, I turn on a TV, turn the volume off, and flip > channels to the beat :-)

Hey cool! I thought I was the only one who did this... it really bugs my roommate! *g* -- M. Skye Poier .... 40% zestier than yesterday Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty f(x) on CJSF 93.9 FM Cable with your host DJ Eli 2-4pm Mondays

quoted 11 lines important in the dance music experience. I rarely just sit around and

>> important in the dance music experience. I rarely just sit around and >> listen to records. Instead, I turn on a TV, turn the volume off, and flip >> channels to the beat :-) > >Hey cool! I thought I was the only one who did this... it really bugs my >roommate! *g* > >-- >M. Skye Poier .... 40% zestier than yesterday >Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty >f(x) on CJSF 93.9 FM Cable with your host DJ Eli 2-4pm Mondays

ever check out the inverted channels, or a show on A&E called 'earthsense' - takes you on a journey of our world through the eyes of animals-sped up, slowed down, skewed perspectives and whatnot..... Koyanisqatsi????(apparently philip glass has a 3rd installment in his -asqatsi series called 'animalisqatsi' or something to that effect , on public TV) back to *idm* anyone heard the 'gilgamesh' 12", its fairly recent. one side deep trance, flip is a strange ambient piece-a truly excellent record- any ideas as to who this is and if there's more _______________________________________q____________r_______i___s___/ qris blohm(kblohm@cln.etc.bc.ca) gotta plug the show->in Victoria? tune in 102fm sun3-6am for ambient hedonism on loungeworld {<\\=^} *************************************{{ojo}}*************** Kathleen Blohm ( O ) kblohm@cln.etc.bc.ca ..___<\=/>___.. Glenlyon-Norfolk School Library | V | phone (604) 592-2401 Fax (604) 592-3911 | | | | Community Learning Network |__| ^^^___/ | British Columbia, Canada ________\ \v\\\L_____/_______ (^^^\> \ JJJ\o \

quoted 4 lines actually i had heard that MTV was on the verge of exploiting the underground

> actually i had heard that MTV was on the verge of exploiting the underground > dance scene by putting it into the box so millions of people will be able to > "rave" during their family dinner time. is this true? is this media attention > really what the dance scene needs?

UK TV has been televising clubs for years. There used to be a programme hosted by Pete Warterman called The Hitman and Her, which was pretty crappy, where they just took there cameras allong to a (very commercial) nightclub for the evening. But more recently, there's BPM, which sees itself as a dance music magazine show. Lots of footage from various clubs (and raves), from hardcore to techno to house, and the odd interview with DJ's..... I think it's a good thing. Bringing the music to more people can only be good. Though the real underground events are unlikley to let TV crews in anyway... Cosmic

And verily GOD WITHIN doth spake unto thee:

quoted 3 lines actually i had heard that MTV was on the verge of exploiting the underground

> actually i had heard that MTV was on the verge of exploiting the underground > dance scene by putting it into the box so millions of people will be able to > "rave" during their family dinner time. is this true? is this media

attention

quoted 1 line really what the dance scene needs?

> really what the dance scene needs?

Whatever MTV do, they wont be able to exploit the "underground" dance scene since 99.99% of all the tunes have no videos (unless MTV wants to run test pattern and play the songs) so I don't think we have to worry about that. I'm sure that all the big commercial promoters are looking for something new to destroy now that grunge is totally meaningless, and I wouldn't be suprised if they were looking this way. I don't really think this scene is ever really going to "break" tho... imho -- M. Skye Poier .... 40% zestier than yesterday Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty f(x) on CJSF 93.9 FM Cable with your host DJ Eli 2-4pm Mondays So much for that argument being new Jeremy ---- Speak not, for I take my leave of thee -Romeo and Juliet Assistant Content Manager, Youth Action Online (http://www.youth.org) HTML Coder, Disney Online (http://www.family.com/) Master, EFNet #gayoasis, Online Peer Counselor and all around nice guy Student, Urban Academy High School, NYC (URL forthcoming) http://www.pobox.com/~softlord/ mailto:softlord@pobox.com