From: "Evan Rice" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <313@hyperreal.org>
Subject: [313] my 3 South African cents on the techno/race issue (and
that's less than half a US cent)
Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 14:40:30 +0200
I've followed this debate for the last couple of days with interest
(although I have to admit that I never intended on becoming embroiled in
such matters when I signed up to the list for reasons of musical interest),
because clearly it is a topic of integral importance to the techno
movement.
Coming from South Africa, a country with as racially divided a past as any,
I feel that I have a couple of points that may be worth a mention here.
Firstly, the issues that are raised in this debate are larger societal
problems not limited to techno or even music as a whole, but any forum that
provides an opportunity raise awareness should be used!
On the issue of people getting signed to major labels, the record industry
(major labels) has always been much more interested in money than in giving
due credit or financial reward to the people who are responsible for the
music in the first place. It's a capitalist game, and the reality of the
situation is that it is controlled by a few very wealthy white people. A
case in point is a local group Ladysmith Black Mambazo (definitely not
techno but a case in point for this example), who have sold hundreds of
thousands of copies of records worldwide over the last 25 years and have
seen virtually no reward for it.
The whole Napster issue highlighted that most of those artists who do get
signed to major labels don't get to see the proceeds of the work anyway. In
this consumer driven society that we find ourselves in, record companies
merely need to find one or two radio friendly "artists" to market to the
public to reap huge returns. Such a small minority benefit, and factors
such
as racism compound this problem, particularly in the choice of who gets
signed and marketed, but I would have to question whether, even given the
opportunity, may/mills/saunderson/any number of notable others would want
to be associated with that corporate money-grabbing anyway, as it would
essentially equate to being a lottery winner celebrating his windfall and
sudden rise from poverty as some kind of fundamental change for society as
a
whole! Still, that doesn't change the fact that it's inherently unfair and
is something that needs to be redressed!
And about artists not giving credit where it's due, (imho) RESPECT is just
about the most important thing in life, and those artists who don't pay the
necessary dues only serve to further alienate themselves from the rest of
the artistic community. If it's done with financial reward as the main
reason, even mores the pity! Everyone involved is entitled to make as much
of a stink as they like about them and, above all, it's their choice and
right not to support them. Not long ago (I was there for a year in 1999),
the vast majority of the US population regarded any form of electronic
music
as techno, and they are the ones who view Moby as the US techno saviour.
Those more educated and dedicated to the scene and to what it stands for DO
give credit where it is due be it black, white, whatever (Hardfloor's
Respect as an example), and are committed to keeping moving forward. And we
shouldn't forget to focus on the positives too as examples of what should
be
done!
My personal thanks and respect goes out to the founding gurus of this music
that gives me and plenty others so much joy, and to everyone involved at
all
levels in keeping it moving forward! Everything you do makes a difference.
It all depends on how much of a difference you care to make!
And big up to everyone for raising the issues and encouraging discussion.
Education! It is only through history, sharing our ideas and debating
issues
that we are able to develop and reinforce our ideas on what is right and
wrong, and what needs to change and how it can be done. That's what
direction and focus are born out of!
My 3 SA cents
Krakhed
The world is your forum
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
