On Thu, 1 May 1997, Chris Fahey <chris@wanderlust.com> wrote:
quoted 5 lines You seem to resent AP for only focusing on mainstream electronic acts,>You seem to resent AP for only focusing on mainstream electronic acts,
>but how big is too big for you? What good would it do AP to give props
>to electronica acts which are smaller than Boymerang and Witchman? Hell,
>I've never heard either of them. As far as Gus Gus goes, they're a good
>band and probably haven't even sold ten thousand records yet.
no - no - no. that's not what i'm saying at all!
_Alternative Press_ DOES give props to Boymerang and Witchman in their
electronica feature. both are excellent, deserving, and (for now) definitely
obscure 'underground' artists. (both now have UK major-label affiliations, too)
but the way AP went about it, tossing these underground artists in with the same
stuff you see covered in any other glossy-print magazine, is symptomatic of
everything AP does wrong. i wrote for AP - i've learned more than i'd have liked
to about how they think. they have extremely talented writers, but the magazine
has unfortunately enslaved itself to the mainstream. it wasn't always like
that... things were different even just a few years ago.
the process began when 'alternative' developed a second definition as 'modern
rock'. . . AP saw that the real money was in that crowd and, while the people
behind the magazine truly despise that music and must force themselves to
(barely) control/sugarcoat their distaste, they do pander to their audience in
the name of the Almighty Dollar. AP probably makes money hand over fist right
now... AP did the programs for last year's Lollapalooza! i don't really know
when everything shifted - one of my first approved-ed assignments was Alec
Empire's first "Destroyer" 12" on Riot Beats! go figure THAT one out...
quoted 3 lines Do you think that AP should only focus on unsigned electronic acts>Do you think that AP should only focus on unsigned electronic acts
>without labels or without any press clippings? This is a very noble
>concept, but nobody would buy the magazine.
again, no. that's the furthest thing from what i'm suggesting. NO print-format
magazine could survive on such a concept. though it's a great idea. maybe
someone could start up a webzine like this?
quoted 8 lines I'm tired of people knocking the media/press for trying to be "cool" and>I'm tired of people knocking the media/press for trying to be "cool" and
>falling a little short. If they are really trying to present a sample of
>electronica to newbies, then it looks to me like they picked a good
>sampling of the biggies and some lesser-known acts. Most of their
>readers probably haven't even heard the orb before. If these guys really
>do RESENT electronica (as many rawk-heads do), then it's their loss. But
>you can't knock them solely because they don't pick obscure enough acts
>to write about.
again you're misreading. what i said.
here's the score: you have the latest TripHop compilation on Moonshine and you
have the latest Nonplace Urban Field record. which do you think AP covers -
although they have received review copies of BOTH? you couldn't even begin to
imagine what a wrestling-match it is to get a non-promoed title into the
magazine (i was able to sneak in two worthy records, Spring Heel Jack's _68
Million..._, pre-US release and Quoit's _Lounge)... but it was an uphill climb
for either. not to mention the zillions of other titles for which they wouldn't
even bat an eyelash. like i said, i TRIED. but it just led to hostility. about
those NUF records? they agreed, i gave 'em the reviews, and then they spitefully
killed them before publication. you can't win.
it just burns me to see AP, a magazine with the resources and influence to be so
much more than just another _Spin_ or _Rolling Stone_, play the same tired old
cards to an audience which can handle more. including a sentence about Rephlex
and a list of 'cool' labels doesn't do anything to further the readers'
education. but giving review space and feature space to titles/artists which
AREN'T being covered everywhere else does. and AP, for the most part, does not
do this.
quoted 7 lines Besides, one thing about electronic music we must remember is that many>Besides, one thing about electronic music we must remember is that many
>of these artists do not perform *live* much until AFTER they are famous,
>and even when they do perform they are usually too fucking boring for
>concert-goer types. So while unsigned rawk acts can generate a buzz by
>playing live for years, by opening for larger rawk acts, etc, electronic
>acts usually have to wait until they have a record before anyone in the
>press will get a chance to hear it.
electronica shouldn't play by Rock's rules. it can't! that's one of AP's biggest
misjudgings. shaping electronic music to conform to the guidelines of Rock/Indie
Rock is merely condescending to their audience. but i think that's the only way
AP feels that it can cover the music which its' writers/editors truly love.
look, i know these people; their tastes are not exactly represented in the
'zine's covers and feature stories. it's all money talking, definitely not an
interest in furthering the cause of the music. their 'definitive' electronica
feature was just a slick attempt to reshuffle the deck, deal out the same cards
as all the other magazines - but in a slightly trickier way, and be seen as the
most informed/informative 'zine on the scene.
and if you don't believe that money speaks loudly at AP, check out the
'classified' ads they accept in each issue. 1-900 sex lines!!!
quoted 7 lines This is especially true in America, where there are still practically>This is especially true in America, where there are still practically
>zero electronic acts, signed or unsigned. Out of all the bands mentioned
>in the article, and all the bands spoken of on the IDM list, almost all
>of them are Brits (the rest are other euros). This makes it difficult
>for an American magazine to get too excited about the "scene" when they
>can't really even be a part of the scene. So that's their reason for not
>being cool enough.
it's not about being cool! for gods sake...
it's about AP trying to have its cake and eat it too. wanting to be
'alternative' press in both (TOTALLY contradictory!) senses of the word. and the
result is that it places them right where Details and Spin are. there's no
difference. and with AP's raw materials, there really SHOULD be.
GuerillaG2-G4/ gg