I had a few email conversations and unfortunately never met her. But how could someone like Laura Gavoor not leave a memorable and positive impression. A great beacon of integrity connecting the amazing and essential world of music with the necessary but utterly crummy world of the music business, and providing some needed sanity to the latter.
I join with those of you who knew Laura personally, this is a great loss and as we go forward let's not forget to honor others who like Laura respect and embrace the music, the people and life itself. Fred * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From: "laura gavoor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], 313@hyperreal.org Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2002 22:05:08 More appropriately a study of the RECURRING and cyclical pattern of de-evolution and propaganda with regard to Black American artists. The past is over and can never be repeated....or can it......?? What has been discussed has been due to the fact THAT THERE ARE NO black American DANCE artists of any number nowadays, sporting the same opportune major label distribution or recognition as their white counterparts...of whatever aspect of dance music they represent. If they are producing electronically driven dance music, are known and American...chances are they've got a pretty good situation with a major American label. What came before has set today's climate in this industry. There are NO BLACK Rock n'Roll artists today...FOR A VERY GOOD REASON. They were eliminated from the playing field a long time ago,but once upon a time the music was THEIRS alone born and bred. No one could tell me that all Black American rock n' roll musicians/bands...just disappeared. There are probably still black rock bands trying to get signed that will NEVER be afforded the opportunity in today's America. Why?? Because they aren't smart enough or talented enough? Please someone factually contradict this phenome with even the smallest example....Alan? The game is old...competition...dirty pool...whatever you wish to call it....but it/the past solidly outlines what is to come--if we let it. Okay, Carl Craig's with Caroline...King Britt has made it to radio...anybody else??? Anybody? Kool Keith??? He's frustrated as hell and gits no marketing support (or radio play) from his label and therefore will remain right where he is. Who else? Let's update this to present day and back up our discussion/argument with facts. My tirade was in response to lack of respect for those 313 trail-blazing artists, business peeps, record store owners and promoters that came before affording a way for the young and inexperienced types on this list to presume expertise about garnering success in this country. Most of you have no clue of what these artists/peeps have gone through or what they are faced with TODAY in order to sell product. I'll wager that, just within the dance music arena, that there are even LESS black artists with major label deals/ties TODAY then there were back in the "dusty" (according to Josh) days of Juan Atkins/Lil Louis. Just within electronic dance musics' major categories (House, Techno, Dn'B...) Let's keep this mainstream american labels/mainstream subs only, K? How is this relevant to the so-called underground?...again microcosm to the macroeconomics of the entertainment industry at large in this country. If artists like Blaze, (is this recent enuff?) once signed to Motown failed at getting exposure and radio play for their product even while housed in a major....what chance, then, do the independents have to facilitate/develop market base or penetration to sell their product to potential fans in America? Whether you accept this or not...that is their goal--SALES and market penetration...not just ot be coolly exclusive for y'all to selfishly consume. Answering that, begs further questioning...do some of you presume that their product WOULDN'T be taken to or enjoyed by said potential audience? Cuz the success that we independents have garnered (as well as this thread) have proven that a fallacy. Independent (mostly public and college) radio actively play our products which gives a little hope and exposure for new sales/market penetration. But again, opportunities afforded us are the result of 20 or 30 TIMES the work of our counter-parts and non-ethnic competition. Roll call....for dance music artists either signed to or with major label distribution....everyone submit/post those that you know. While I have preference for good music of any color..I'm rather certain this discussion will still break out skewed in favor of non-ethnic (politically correct enuff?) artists, both good..mostly bad, based in this country. Because of the severe lack of support and active dis-interest, our mission in establishing a base of potential buyers and fans has always been two-fold in educating people about 'who is Juan Atkins?..' (yes, we still need to do that Josh). Marketing against the machine/grain with unknown artists who happened to be highly celebrated elsewhere.......makes for a looooong day's work that most of you have GROSSLY taken for granted here. Moreover, here's a challenge to those listees who claim expertise having accomplished VERY little. When this 'dusty 'discussion was actually an everyday existence (even though it still is current), there were no second hand stories/books or american media coverage of these artists and this movement to substantiate any "interest". Since the early-mid 90's this has certainly turned around dramatically affording people like Dan Sicko, Simon Reynold's, Hobey Eichlin and Mike Rubin and various others the opportunity to cover or relate interesting stories and get paid. Most did so most graciously, (some not) respectfully listening and were true to a mission. Same with most of the club owners..promoters, etc. Face it, you're not unique, you're following a trend ESTABLISHED BY OTHERS and making a good living at it...so try to be a BIT gracious. Black promoters in Detroit are becoming a thing of the past forced out by more well-heeled, mostly white competition, as are the indie mom/pop record stores. Thank goodness for the Record Times, Vibes, Somewhere in Detroit and now fewer and fewer black and indie owned record stores in the city. Is there no audience interested in an in-depth study (of all that we've discussed here) and frank discussion with current black american artists (perhaps like Blaze) to see what the challenges are for independent artists and labels producing and trying to sell their product in America? Or are the American trade mags simply full of fluff and payola coverage for their major advertisers...much like U.S. radio?? Maybe I'm the only one(?) But it would appear that Lil Kim, Yoko Ono (talk about dusty...much less undeserving) and gigantic S&D rave-o-rama's and fashion dance are more important to Mixer's (a good example).....machine driven audience. Dollar for dollar, I'm still more interested in what Billboard's got to say in print than most of the other American trade mags put together because it is relevant to my business...not merely a reporting of who's hot and who's not or who's on tour. This loyalty stems from the very first Billboard disco conventions back in the 70's and they have always kept us abreast of SOME aspect of our business. I understand the need for fluff, but I also need veritable business information relevant to the cause of growth and progress in our business. We started the game and are increasingly under represented now it seems. Generally speaking..under-representation via communication vehicles means WAY more work. People...report the facts. We need to address this issue intelligently and soberly (apparently passion is only for those now fleeting dancefloor moments??) There are still huge barriers to overcome which can only be accomplished in communing and joining mental and informative forces. Please PROVE this to be incorrect!!! Most of you are too quick to criticize and hair-split semantics...where FACTual debating should occur. set it out.
