Uh-uh, I inadvertently started this by posting that MTV story. I thought it was interesting Moby is calling an end to Area 1/2 more as I saw it as a possible economic/cultural indicator. Is it because 18 hasn't sold as well as Play? Or because corporations are nervous of supporting such events in the current economic climate? Or something to do with the clampdown on 'rave' culture in the US?
I think we've discussed Moby a lot in the past on 313 and it hasn't ever got us anywhere - and, he he, I'm not his biggest fan. Anyway 18 didn't live up to Play in terms of sales and ironically I think that Eminem diss was very damaging indeed. This is probably less of a salient issue than it was in the middle of the Play phenom. I think things are changing. There is very, very innovative electronic music made by 'pop' black musicians right now, it's just not called 'techno' as such, but it is techno, if you know what I mean. There's the Neptunes - NERD - and Chad Hugo knows his techno and house and it's evidently an influence. Timbaland. And if Missy's Work It ain't a techno/electro record, I don't know what is?? That new Snoop single From Tha Chuuuch To Da Palace has a techno feel. I think Jeff Mills is very charismatic - and therefore marketable - within a certain culture (I'm talking international, not just US market). I'm a little biased but he is way more charismatic than most of the superstar DJs, actually all the Detroit DJs have charisma. Not to be mean, but John Digweed has no charisma at all and yet he is a big name in the US dance culture! Anyway, you can't always use record sales as a baromoter since not every one who would go to - and enjoy - a Mills DJ gig would buy a record of his..... I think this is something the wider music industry has yet to come to terms with, other ways to measure success. How many people per year would hear Mills DJ? Not sure if any of that made sense. > "can you imagine a black man with Moby's electronica, techno celebrity > status? The American music industry wouldn't allow for something like that to > happen, the irony is Moby rips off black music." > > > Are there any black techno people out that there make crappy rocktronica for the > masses and possess marketable qualities at the same time? > > I think it has more to do with marketability than with the color of ones skin. > Just look at Will Smith. Made crappy rap for the masses, a crappy tv sitcom for > the masses, crappy movies for the masses. Presto, a 20 million a picture, > platinum record selling, oscar nominated superstar that makes Moby and Eminem > look small in comparison. > > Will Smith is black, but at the same time he is extremely marketable to a > majority of people. > > Lets face it, Jeff Mills is brilliant but he is not marketable. If he stopped > making quality techno and started making crappy rocktronica he would still have > to jump the hurdle of marketable personality. > > There are reasons why the people/work we like are not products for mass > consumption. Either there will be a huge shift in the rabble(possible but > highly improbable) or there will be a shift in the people/work we like(possible > but highly questionable). > > Sometimes contributing something meaningful and pure means more than being on > the cover of rolling stone and making millions of dollars. If Jeff Mills or > Carl Craig want to chase superstardom, fine, but they are not going to succeed > at it by doing the stuff that only appealed to a niche audience/market(ie all of > us). > > > > > > > > > techno wrote: > >>It's almost surreal always seeing him in the headlines, it makes me think >>back to 1991 watching him performing at a rave in front of 500 people >>standing behind his SY 77 keyboard. >>Now he's making Millions of dollars in album sales, tv commercials >>endorsements (Microsoft). >> >>Can you imagine a black man with Moby's electronica, techno celebrity >>status? >>The American music industry wouldn't allow for something like that to >>happen, the irony is Moby rips off black music. >>Out of curiosity I was listing to one of his live performances from his last >>album and he was trying to sound like a black Baptist preacher, I feaaal it, >>I feeeeaaaal it, yeaaah... in a shaky, black tone of voice. >>I guess he was trying to sound gospel, making holy spirit and jesus >>refrences, I remember thinking how uncomfortable it would have been to >>actually attend that concert, like going to a >>Christian rock concert. >>The we are made of stars song he perfromed on SNL sounds a little more >>endurable, back to his rock n'roll roots I geuss. >>To make this a little more on topic I remember when Moby dissed Jeff Mills >>for still playing dominator back in 92-93. >>This was when Moby was getting tied of the techno genre. >> >> >>
