Frankly, I'd rather not see a lot of speculation about who is playing at DEMF and why appearing on this list. Those who know, know what the reasons are and have little to do with the speculation here. I carry around an old rule of thumb from my Deadhead days that helps in situations like this: believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear.
At the same time, I applaud AO for stepping up and putting out his perspective in the open, instead of veiling it behind insinuations or chatter. That cuts out a great deal of the "who said what about who" that drags everything down to the level of gossip and reprisal. The T-shirt on sale today said it best: "I play music, not politics." The politics is unavoidable but the music is what is real here. And AO is not the only renowned producer, composer and DJ who is not on the bill this time. May I point out someone equally known for moving the "abstract" sound forward is also not scheduled. The fact of the matter is, no schedule is perfect, and previous history, scheduling, marketing and many other factors play a role. Finally, let's lay to rest the notion that Detroit is defined by one kind of sound or has laid any of the valid ones to rest, whether it's proper bangin' techno or the Philly soul that echoes so strongly in what Theo Parrish is doing. Detroit is not "about" techno or any flavor thereof. It's not "about" hip hop. I will even venture to say -- check me if I'm wrong -- that it's not "about" juggalos. Detroit *is* about music. Isn't that enough? phred
