On Tue, 3 Feb 2004, Thomas D. Cox, Jr. wrote:
> ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- > > i dont think it has anything to do with the guy being white. i > like all those artists you mentioned. i just dont dig matt dear's > records almost at all. > that first spectral 12" i think it was was > alright, other than that i havent liked anything else. and its not > just me: we got one copy of his LP in at the record shop i work at > and it hasnt sold. we sell lots of "soulful" dance music made by > both white and black people (as well as asian and hispanic) but > not a soul (pun intended) has found something interesting enough > in his album to buy it. no one who buys the recloose or the > titonton or the alton miller records that we stock has been > motivated to buy it. i feel like theres a pretty good amount of > undeserved hype behind this guy, and i think that alot of people > can see through that. who cares how many stars rolling stone gave > him? all i know is that amp fiddler's music is not in any way > groundbreaking but we cant keep a single 12" with his name on it > in stock. people who are into hiphop and r+b have been buying his > records as well as all the techno and house heads who have known > about him for a little while now. matt dear's record will probably > sit there for months, if not forever. its too bad because i do > like alot of what ghostly does (like 75% or so, the other 25% is > kinda trying to hard maybe) but i feel like they picked the wrong > artist to get all hyped up about. the midwest product and dabrye > stuff is so much better on pretty much every level. i guess this is getting closer to the root of what is ultimatly annoying me about this whole thread. why is it that just because a publication, in which you even said who cares what they think, gives a favorable review to a record that you dont like, so therefore said artist is undeserving of the hype? why does it have to be bad hype in the first place? ever thought that maybe, just maybe, it some music that you, as well as the people in the shop you work at, are just not ready for? and theres nothing wrong with that either, mind you. theres tons of stuff that just goes over peoples heads at first. take baby ford's "headphone easy rider"... when it came out, i think theres only like 5 people in detroit that were into it. 2 years later, everyone wanted it and we couldnt get it. and to me, thats one of the best (if not THE best) proper techno LP ever! the same can be said for perlon and ifach records. up until superlongevity for perlon, and technoir for ifach, alot people just didnt "get" it. isolee's "rest" LP is another great example. hell, i didnt like jaguar untill about a year after it came out. now, i love it, but if i hear it one more time...... dont get me wrong, i fully share your argument that things in mainstream media get alot of attention based on a hype machine, but i just dont think matthews stuff fits in that argument. i, as well as MANY other people who do in fact think outside the box when it comes to music in general, think that matthews music is truly some next level sh*t. > as for why it happens to be a white guy who gets the props from > mainstream music mags for his great "techno" record while other > people who make great records who are black dont get the props, > thats something that might need to be examined. a quick glance at > my little sister's one recent rolling stone mag revealed reviews > of these artists: crystal method (is it 1997 again?), LCD > soundsystem, michael mayer, and lfo. reguardless of your opinions > of them, isnt it a little strange that theyre all stark white? i guess when you look at it from that perspective, maybe it is a little odd. but once again, i have to ask why do you care? its rolling stone! derek.
