-----Original Message-----
From: hans kaufmann [mailto:Hansolo_sf@excite.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 2:25 PM
To: Diana Potts; johbus@allmusic.com; idm@hyperreal.org;
313@hyperreal.org
Subject: Re: (313) NY Times Electronic Article
It's almost annoying to see so many posts on a lame ass NY Times article.
We all have noticed how utterly retarted the "Rave" scene has become (or
always was in my opinion). But Techno (and all ther sub-genres because I
refuse to use that god forsaken Electronica word) in general is now an
officially established ass sucking mainstream phenomenom and it has been
progressing that way for years. And if you'll take a short look back into
history you'll see what occurs whenever any music based "Scene" become a
mainstream chunk of popular culture (punk, Disco, even late 80's Hair
metal). YOU GET SHIT AND IT DIES OFF INTO OBSCURITY! The desperation and
the heart are lost from the music and all the bandwagon hoppers make it
annoying for the "old schoolers" to go out to hear what they love. Money
and record labels have forced it's way into it and it's impossible for any
of us to go see if say Jeff Mills still has it or if he sucks now (I'm
curious) but his goddamn fees are too much, so I doubt I'll ever know. Who
the fuck cares if so and so get's the recognition they deserve, they are
artists and the fact that there is this list devoted to knowing what color
every Detroit Dj's shoe's were at such and such show should let you know
that they get true recognition from those who know. FUCK the Mainstream
Media-it's all lies anyway. Fuck the suck ass Dj's and Producer's who get
huge off a name or a cheesy MTV track (or showing some tit like DJ Rap).
I'm gettin annoyed as fuck by hearing a shitty jungle track on every car
commercial or Pantene Pro V's House tracks. But hey it's ultra popular and
the quality is dying for the sake of quantity and you'll keep gettin more
and more nostalgic. I could go on bitching forever but won't cause I have
to work. So in Closing Fuck the New York Times. Instead of bitching on
this list why don't we go write the truth and spread it. Otherwise just sit
back and watch it all suck worse and worse until you wake up one day telling
you kids what is was like to be a Raver in the 90's (like your friends Hippy
mom did about the 60's)
Hans
<snip>
I'm sure I'm not the first to weigh in on this one, but I had to reply to
the mail below and all the other denouncements of the Times piece - I really
don't understand why you're so bitterly opposed to this one, beyond a simple
knee-jerk reaction to the NY Times name and the commercial/mainstream
implications it carries.
Aside from all that, I know the writer (Bill Werde, also works at CMJ) and
he's one of most well-versed journalists out there as far as electronic
music goes and wrote the piece with nothing but good intentions in mind.
He's one of the "old-schoolers" you mention, not some mainstream moron who
just hopped on last week's electronica bandwagon! It's *intended* to be a
very basic intro - that's why some of the artists spotlighted are people
like Basement Jaxx and Plastikman, whose CD's might actually be available in
your average record store, as opposed to some of the more obscure artists
that perhaps you'd prefer to be mentioned.
Not exactly sure what would've made you happy, but the piece works for the
publication it was written for - and with any luck it'll turn some people on
to new forms of music they might not have previously been exposed to.
That's the first step in making this whole scene solvent, so that labels and
artists and mags can actually make enough money to subsidize their own
interests and expose the music we all love to a larger audience. Sorry,
just get frustrated at these elitist outbursts that don't seem to do
anything other than create more static and negativity on this list and
within the scene as a whole. Do something positive for a change...Brock
______________
Brock Phillips
Motormouthmedia
2525 Hyperion Ave.
Suite One
Los Angeles, CA 90027
fon 323.662.3865
fax 323.662.3844