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From Michael Bennett <mrhonorama@ameritech.net>
Subject Re: Decisions, decisions
Date Thu, 14 Jul 2005 12:47:36 -0700 (PDT)

[Part 1 text/plain iso-8859-1 (2.6 kilobytes)] (View Text in a separate window)

I don't know Doug Powell personally, though he was
kind enough to send me a note or two in response to my
reviews of his discs at Fufkin.  But here's a guy who
started at a major and soldiered on with some fine
independent labels, making elaborate pop music infused
with a great deal of meaning.  He wrote, produced and
played pretty much everything and did so with a great
deal of passion (and, it should be noted, his
Christian beliefs are definitely expressed in some of
his tunes -- it's clearly an important part of his
life, that he expressed with great intelligence).  To
continue to do so to fairly small response cannot be
heartening.

Think about how John Fogerty wouldn't perform for
years, due to his dealings with Saul Zaentz?  He
couldn't play a note, thinking it would end up in
Zaentz's bank account. Likewise, I think that a
committed artist might get tired of banging his head
against the wall.  I'm certain that Powell appreciates
each and every fan of his music - probably moreso than
most.  But if there is something you love and it's
causing you more anguish than you can get pleasure
from it, then it's certainly justified to sit down and
take a break.  It's pretty healthy, if you ask me.

I think Bobby noted that he thought Doug would
probably make music again.  I agree -- he's too
talented, so I'd imagine the bug would bite him again.
 But when he does, it will hopefully be on terms where
the act of creating is mostly positive.

Mike Bennett

NP:  The Explosion -- Black Tape

--- jim@groovedisques.com wrote:

> Bob wrote:
> > 
> > ...I am finding it difficult to comprehend the
> wailing 
> > and gnashing of teeth over his decision to do
> something > else for a living.  (1)  I thought
> virtually all indie
> > power-poppers had "day-jobs"...
> 
> Bravo for sharing a few words that I've also had on
> my mind since this came about. I can understand why
> people who are investing their lives in labels are
> more apt to feel this way, but in this day and age,
> almost any half-decent, self-motivated person can
> figure out a way to make time for creating some
> music and getting it out to a few people who care.
> That doesn't change the way any one person feels
> about his or her situation, of course.
> 
> Satan (?) wrote:
> > 
> > (and FWIW, I find God/religion/giving yourself to
> God 
> > *offensive*...and incredibly sad)
> 
> Come on, now.
> 
> Jim
> 
> 


Chicago Pop Show Report on Yahoo Groups: http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/chicagopopshowreport/?yguid=162827291

Music reviews:  http://www.fufkin.com

My Space blog:  http://blog.myspace.com/mrhonorama

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