pardon my observation, but what people listen to has very little to do with the charisma of the artist.
I know that a lot of people enjoy the anonymous aspect of electronic music. its nice to not recognize or be recognized sometimes imo of course ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cyclone Wehner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "313 Detroit" <313@hyperreal.org> Sent: Sunday, December 15, 2002 12:52 PM Subject: Re: (313) Moby > 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. > >> > >> > >>
