I just don't get a lot of this argument - I know the guy who put on the gig in question and he's a good guy. What's wrong with "ex pats" anyway? I lived in Amsterdam for two years and that put me in the "ex pat" box - it's not a word I'd consider in a negative fashion.
Of course there are many, many people in China who couldn't afford to go to the gig in question - there's plenty of people in Glasgow who can't afford to go the the Arches or enjoy the hedonistic club culture it embodies but......I don't remember it stopping you playing there Martin? I understand completely how deep your feelings are against the government in question but I just don't get any of the rest of the discussion. cheers Jason 2009/9/9 JT Stewart <etmach...@gmail.com>: > Well said Martin, I completely agree with your stance when framed this way. > > I didn't agree with the framing of the problem as something to do with > ex-pats and "rich" people, since you may play for those sorts in any > city. It seemed to be framing the issue as a problem with the > audience, or lack of an "authentic" audience. > > I have a few friends in China and I have a few customers (collectors > of rare 78rpm records) in China and Taiwan. I've got a few friends > that have traveled there extensively and a few who lived there for a > few years. There used to be a Chinese guy on the CBS forum. Repeatedly > mentioning whatever experience Surgeon had in a big club in Shanghai > is pretty inane. It's just one man's experience, and frankly it's no > surprise that playing in a big club in a big city for a big paycheck > could result in a crowd full of rich people and ex-pats. Nobody here > seems to have any real experience in China, so while it's fair to take > a principled stance against the gov't according to what you've learned > through various media, and to put some stock in what you've heard of > Surgeon's experience, it only goes "so far" in giving you an informed > opinion and conception. Not very far. > > I have as many problems with the Chinese gov't as you, and certainly > playing a high-profile gig for a random crowd (ie going there to do > business) could be construed as an endorsement or at least as a blind > eye. I don't play many of those shows in the first place. It's not > hard to imagine playing some off-the-radar party for a few fans and > genuinely interested people. That's mostly what I play anyway. > > JT > > On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 4:51 AM, Martin Dust <mar...@dustscience.com> wrote: >> >> On 8 Sep 2009, at 16:20, David Powers wrote: >> >>> I would argue that the USA and UK have regimes that are just as bad as >>> China. By your logic DJ's shouldn't play at all! >>> >>> ~David >> >> You could but I have even greater difficulty with the Chinese Government: >> >> 1. The lack of free speech and free thinking: >> http://www.hrichina.org/public/index >> >> 2. It's active use of apartheid systems. >> >> 3. It's treatment of Tibet. >> >> 4. It's human rights record. >> >> For myself, I just could not bring myself to support any of that in any way, >> shape or form. And where I can't avoid it (iPod/Laptop/TV) I give money to >> http://www.plan-uk.org/ and have done for 10yrs, we support a couple of >> people in China with a plan for people to work their way out of poverty - I >> even had problems with that at one stage because I was worried that it was >> patronising. I find their letters heart breaking and the fact that I have to >> watch what I'm saying or sending in my letters makes he even more angry. >> >> It's very difficult/complex and I don't think I explained myself well enough >> yesterday but I really and honestly don't want a cheap holiday in other >> peoples misery nor do I want to play only to the expats and elite who can >> afford it, in my heart of hearts I know that it's not right. >> >> m >> >
