I have received some letters off list about my original post so I thought I should clarify my stance and clear up any misconceptions - anyone wishing to write me, please read this all first.
I think with the Internet it is very easy to skim over something and react instantaneously without re-reading a text or taking it all in - I myself do this all the time, I am trying to restrain myself. I think it is a very serious, and frightening, problem with this volatile medium, that you can upset people without meaning to, or misunderstand them or be misunderstood. I hope I have not been guilty of this in any way. I was not in any way critiquing the concept of M+M, in fact I think it is a BRILLIANT, long over-due idea, and could develop into something very remarkable, and this is why I was keen to know more - the Web site is very good but not comprehensive (as yet). Nor was I in any way undermining Jeff Mills, whose endeavours - music, DJing, theories, writings - I have followed and supported and believed in, shared and been inspired by over the years. I think my posts convey that, if nothing else, and I have generated affirming media to that end. Nor was I insinuating anything about ANY of those involved in ANY way. But as much as, despite the lip service, it is verboten that females have viewpoints on techno, I have them. I was merely curious to see if Detroit was represented, if people from different parts of the world were represented, if there were any female participants - like Laura who is an example of a Detroit woman who has done a lot for this music and has many insights. Any female in this subculture is bound to be sensitive to issues of marginalisation or exclusion. Hence maybe my remarks about closed societies may have hurt some. I apologise. I hope you see where I am coming from. All I was doing was expressing my confusion about M+M's 'international' status and any claim to be representative on that basis. Now 'international' *could* mean that it has members dawn from international backgrounds, which changes things, or it *could* mean 'global', meaning that it would be representative of different scenes across the world. This is what I was trying to ascertain. At the same time M+M could be in transition, with the latter the ultimate aim. OK, I was dying to know. To me, it looks like an extension of Tresor, which is fine, and so therefore German-centric. Tresor occupies a very important place in the history of techno, as does Germany and West Europe, evidently. Tresor has been very supportive of artists and has been a catalyst for innovation and artistic exchange. It now looks to me as if M+M has a trans-atlantic focus, which is fine, end of story, I understand. I was NOT saying that any Australian should have been there, so to get mail stating that we are irrelevant, that our DJs and producers are irrelevant, was startling to me and not just missing my point. Most Australians carry a deep feeling that they are mediocre - without culture, without new ideas, we don't need to be told that we haven't produced a unique music or unique DJs or writers, etc, etc, as that is a constant anxiety to us, we undermine ourselves. We are all desperately trying to move beyond that, prove something to ourselves and to others. That said, we do have gifted people - this regardless of congresses or anything - there are people here with visions and ideas and passion. But because of the tyranny of distance, because of the perception overseas that Australia is irrelevant, I can see why no one would know much about what happens here, or maybe even care. HMC *chose* to stay in Adelaide and do his thing instead of going down the Anthony Pappa route - his love of that city is like I imagine Mad Mike's is for Detroit. HMC did much to introduce Detroit techno to Australia, thus creating a market whereby international techno DJs could tour, and he remains passionate about Detroit and quality techno. He is making great tracks and has started his own labels. My point about Australia was merely that I could use that as one EXAMPLE of a strong scene that wasn't represented, if indeed M+M sought to be a GLOBAL entity as opposed to have international members - I hope that differentiation is now clear. Had I been in Japan I would have asked the same question, had I been in Singapore I would asked the same question, or Croatia or Poland or the Czech Republic or South America, had I been in Detroit I would have asked that. It's just that I can research Australia as an example, I can call up people locally and interstate without clocking up too much debt. I don't have access to a government phonecard (parochial joke for Australians), so I can't call people in those distant places. I do hope I didn't offend ANYONE. Thank you sincerely to EVERYONE who replied and gave me info, that's all I wanted. Best Cyclone
