So ...I was at a small gathering last night of industry people that came to hear about Black Music: Past , Present & Future with Jimmy Starks & Hal Jackson speaking. Of course I would go!!! who would not want to hear these two HISTORICAL men speak about this music & their amazing lives.
Some of the things you are talking about were covered during Q&A at the end. Something I have always wondered, is why Does detroit techno ( a black music) always get over looked as such. Or maybe I am over looking things, but I dont think I see Vibe writing about the music or the aritist and their accomplishments... what about BET, or the black music departments in record labels, the black radio stations etc... I am kind of talking all over the place but, Jimmy also talked about sampling and how he hates that you can hear him more now than we he made records with James brown etc.. and he gets nothing for it, and people probably have no idea it is his guitar they sampled. He also feels very strong about live music, and everyone was talking about how live instruments are coming back. And the electronic music will die out soon. A&R development people were talking about how they are soon to have certain R&B/Hip-hop acts go on the road with live bands instead of a DJ etc... R&B produces are talking about working with live musicians from now on and creating more jobs in the community as well as building albums not hit cookie cutter singles. I do beleive there is a strong future for electronic music, I mean think about when you have kids, they will grow up with this music always listening to electronic music. Just think what the music they make will sound like!! When my generation grew up & before we had many influences, but there was know blueprint for detroit techno, the black music of the past present & future. again talking all over the place.sorry, bare with me.. Hal, talked of how he hates this eminem character getting all of these awards ... it really seemed to bother him because it is a black music, well DR> Dre does make his tracks right,I completely understand where he is coming from and have even heard the same comments about techno & how this scene is mostly white, and the white artist get all of the press, credit,deals etc..... I dont know where I am going with this , just thought I would share my night with ya'll.. I have lots more to say but will shut up as I know someone on here is going to rip me to shreds as always.(not that I care) best, nancy --- Otto Koppius <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Gary Girard in response to Mike Taylor: > > > A bit of generalising if ever I saw it! Now you're > getting into race issues (I > > would assume you're of black origin to make such > comments). I appreciate melodic > > tunes as much as anyone, but in a club on a big > soundsystem the Richie Hawtin > > style works well. > > > > Just remember - white men can funk! > > And [EMAIL PROTECTED]: > > > > It was sad, because Derrick's set was so much > better, and so completely over > > > their head. > > > > DAMN THOSE WHITE PEOPLE, THEY JUST DONT GET IT! > > > > keeping racial distinctions alive well into the > 21st century, > > Let's keep things in perspective, shall we? > Mike was making an observation of the behavior of > the white crowd at the > DEMF during Derrick May's set and Richie Hawtin's > set. Those who were > there can confirm that it was a pretty accurate > observation (and before > anyone asks, no, I wasn't there myself, I had to > leave DEMF before > Monday, but Mike's observation has been echoed by > many people that I > spoke to afterwards). > > Assuming that the majority of people were there to > simply party (nothing > wrong with that btw) and because Derrick's set was > one for the partiers > with a sense of musical history and broader musical > interests, it fell > flat on the ears of the prototypical white > 18-year-old who has never > heard of James Brown and couldn't care less. Richies > set was more > straightforward dance music and that's what they > came there for, so they > partied. Simple as that. Essentially it is the > age-old debate of should > the DJ give the audience what they want, or should > the audience want > what the DJ gives? (so let's not rehash that one) > > And while Mike's generalization to 'white audiences' > may step on a few > individual's toes, it is essentially correct. As > long as you realize > that it's a generalization! In other words, it is > *generally* > applicable, but not *universally*. For the majority > it holds, but there > are exceptions. The things that makes matters blurry > is that the white > people on this list tend to be such exceptions > (hence the strong > reactions). So yes Gary, white men can funk. But in > the broader world of > dance music in general, most of them can't. > > Why is that? If I may speculate a bit here, I think > it has to do with > musical upbringing and interest. Most people I know > from this list are > music freaks, in the positive sense of the word. > Their tastes usually > range quite far beyond Detroit techno, to include > other genres of dance > music, but also (and especially!) reference genres > like funk, soul, > disco, Krautrock, new wave, dub, etc. That gives > them an appreciation > for Detroit techno as music as well as a party tool. > (downside is that > they sometimes tend to be overly analytical about > music and forgetting > about the party bit...ahem). > > Since most of those reference genres are relatively > old, they probably > don't mean much to someone whose musical tastes were > shaped in the last > five years. In that case, it is much more party > music and then you don't > care about 'intricate rhythms' and 'complex > soundscapes' (cue Brian > Eno's quote about talking about music...), you want > a straightforward > kick and the obvious peak here and there for the > party mood. > > I'm not a musical theorist or sociologist, so I can > only speculate on > why certain music genres are considered white and > others are considered > black, but I do think it is a reinforcing situation: > if you're black you > tend to grow up on black music and if you're white, > you tend to grow up > on white music. (yes, this is a generalization, I'm > all too aware of > that since I'm an exception myself: I'm white, but > grew up on mainly > black music). This of course shapes your future > tastes. So if, like most > white kids these days, you didn't grow up on > funk-influenced music, you > probably don't appreciate the funk element that most > people on this list > would associate with Detroit techno. I'm not saying > it's right or wrong, > but I think it does explain what happened on Monday > night at DEMF. > > Otto > > PS As a general sidenote about racial distinctions: > IMO the main reason > why we continue to have debates like this is that > too many people deny > that there *are* racial distinctions. They smooth > them over, by saying > things like 'keep race out of this' and 'skin color > is irrelevant' etc. > Though well-meant and heartfelt, it is rather > superficial (and > considered by some people of non-white races to be > patronising), because > racial distinctions are there and as one look around > you will tell, they > *do* matter! They *should* not matter, but the fact > is, they do. It is > not until we explicitly recognize those differences > that we can move > beyond them. As much as I hate to speak in > soundbite-style, the phrase > 'all different, all equal' springs to mind. > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ===== ***saRu maNe***tm __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
