This is all a very tired debate...we covered this shit in one form on this list back in 1998, and I'm old school here enough to know.
If you want to know more about marketing of this music and the retarded shit that goes along with it, read Dan Sicko's book 'Techno Rebels.' Myself and a few people have got more than a few quotes on the subject in there. I've been on this list for a long-ass time. Go check the archives. Some - I repeat, some - of you on this list speak without ever knowing shit about what you're talking about, never having worked at a label, not knowing anything about the machinations of the music biz. And while I don't look down on you because you haven't - I probably don't profess to know anything about your job - just because you have a keyboard and an internet connection doesn't make you an expert on music and the music business Nor does it truly validate your opinion. So read instead of type and maybe you'll learn something. Fight for and support good music. If you don't like cheesy trance and progressive house, say so with your wallet and presence and don't attend. Encourage people to write about, broadcast, and expose quality music of all genres. Don't support those who don't...or pay to play the game, as they say. Go buy records and CD's. Don't download them from AudioGalaxy or Napster or anywhere else. It's one thing to preview it online or download it to see if you like it, but if you like it, go buy it! The internet and online mail order allows one to buy almost any record you want if you can't find it or don't have time to get it in a local store. Record sales, believe it or not, play a large part in this whole game. Support your favorite artists by buying their records, that way they can build more leverage in this game and (hopefully) make some money in royalties as well. Laura's got some completely valid points and there are a lot of heavy hitters that are in the UK music industry that think that their talent is going to save the American dance scene. That's a crock of shit - even though I like my share of UK acts and artists - some of that talent has done nothing but made it hard on American and up-and-coming European talent alike, by creating a mentality where promoters don't want to take a chance on anything so they can be the big club in town and get written up in the US dance press to stroke their own egos. They'd rather go for the big money and fame rather than create a solid, core following of people who come out every week to hear great residents AND world-class talent. You've got to create a community - something that made places like MI, Sound Factory, Paradise Garage, Body & Soul truly special. The state of the record industry clearly demonstrates that somehow things have to change. What the golden answer for the way forward is, I don't know...but when people like Elton John are wanting to quit the music industry because of all the BS and politics, there's got to be another way or ways to push quality music forward, break long term career artists, rebuild catalog, and restore artistic integrity. Where we're at now obviously doesn't work. Radio sucks ass and until it becomes a little more about music and a little less about money and beer commercials, it's not going to change. That's a fact. one can only hope that satellite subscriber outlets like Sirius and XM can become popular and provide a true, tangible alternative format in the same way that FM did for AOR in the 1970's. It's up to all of us to fix it, industry from the inside, record buying public from the outside. Peter A. Wohelski Former Director of A&R, Astralwerks (Home to the Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Photek, QBurns Abstract Message, Innerzone Orchestra.) Former Label Manager, Planet E Communications (Home to Carl Craig, Recloose, Common Factor, etc.) Director of Label Relations, Green Galactic Media & Marketing (US marketing and press representatives for Soma, InTec, Whole9Yards, Classic, Statra, and other fine electronic music labels) --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
