4ad-l Mail for 05-11-1996

Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 22:32:39 -0500

From: Steven Venn ([email protected])

Subject: Why I don't care what other lists say.

What is the mandate of this list. Sure the FAQ makes
reference to what we're about but that's not carved in
stone I don't think.

I don't think we can talk about Miki Berenyi's hair or Vaughan
Oliver's design or Ivo and his pursuits, 24-7. Face it people this
is a small independent music label and the news is not  always
going to be happening by the minute. I think that discussion of
seemingly trivial things shows how dedicated listies are to
anything of even remote relevance or interest. I would like to know why
these other lists are saying things like that as we don't discuss
them and their activities. Sure I like the X-Files, I like Friends,
I like Star Trek too but I don't knock when those people get
trivial about things. Star trek people can get viscious when it comes
to trivia I know I've been to a convention, man. Its a music list for music
of, by, for or in a related vein to 4AD. That includes Projekt, Creation,
Dewdrops, Bedazzled, One Little Indian, Gyroscope, etc etc.
4AD people are not always going to agree nor have the
same lifestyles or concerns, but the combinations of people and the
common factor of liking 4AD as a musical genre, makes the
list interesting. I think that I have got exposure to a few
bands through this list that commercial crap radio CFNY
102.1 in Toronto would never have even touched. Its ironic that they
are sponsoring Stereolab as they probably never played
even one of their songs, Cornershop? never heard them
on that station. Hell even Tortoise is not "cool" enough in
Alan Cross' eyes (the guy who thinks Tori Amos is the
end all and be all). When advertisers own the airwaves
and radio stations must kiss corporate butt, then bands
like Tortoise and Stereolab rely on word of mouth. As
in a trivial mention of them on a related music list.

I think our mandate should be to keep good music in
the ears and minds of open-minded people tired of
the Billboard-fed diet of marketing crap. It took 4AD
a long time to join Warners and Reprise, but it was one
their terms and remains so. Independent music will
always prevail in the shadow of some corporate hacks,
it has to, otherwise music is a joke and not music (art
per se) at all, but a by-product of some bottom-line.

My $.02 regarding whether this list is important.

Steve

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