At 11:40 AM 2/20/2003 -0800, Kerry Chicoine wrote:
>This whole "artist = money" thing bugs me to no end. Personally, I'm writing
>the best music of my life right now; money has had NOTHING to do with my
>growth as an artist, and it never will. Money would be *nice*, but it's not
>essential to my creative process -- it doesn't drive me to come up with some
>weirdly dissonant melodic change; that inspiration comes from somewhere deep
>inside (see: soul). I'm certain that if I were homeless, I'd be working out
>weird arrangements on harmonica or trash cans or *anything*. Music is
>*inside*, having an element of spirituality and deep emotional resonance,
>and to place a dollar value on it is absurd. Absurd.

I think my perspective is spoiled on this whole argument by being a fan
(and latterly, a friend and to what extent I could, a patron) of R. Stevie
Moore.  Here's a guy who could have had a nice little life as a Nashville
session musician and Music Row song salesman (his dad, session king Bob
Moore, wanted him to follow in the family business), but instead, he's made
a life self-releasing cassettes, LPs and CDs of the music he wants to make.
Yes, that means he's broke most of the time, and it means he lives in a
little apartment in northern New Jersey instead of a McMansion in the
Nashville 'burbs, and that he's had a day job all his life.  But that
description applies to a *lot* of people, artists or not.  But R. Stevie
Moore is one of the only people I have ever met who has spent his life
***doing exactly what he's always wanted to do!!!***  To me, that's about
7329 times more important in life than being rich and/or famous.

As far as I can see, RSM is a realist.  Yeah, it bugs him that no major
label has ever been interested in his music, because he knows that he can
write some goddamn good songs.  (I defy anyone on this list or elsewhere to
write a song as good as "Play Myself Some Music.")  He's also quite aware
that no label larger than one run out the corner of an Albuquerque bedroom
is ever going to release a CD that includes one track that's nothing more
than the artist talking about when and where he was born while he's having
a piss. (see PHONOGRAPHY, track two, "Explanation of Artist")  The obvious
rejoinder here is "That's because no one should put that on a CD!" to which
the only possible answer is "Says who?"  If you've got artistic freedom,
you might as well use it!

Basically, it alls boils down to what's really important in your life, and
nobody can say anything about that except you.  If what you want is your
songs sung from every rooftop, well, good luck with that.  If *making* the
song is the important thing, and it doesn't particularly matter to you if
two people hear it or two million, then I don't see where concepts like
PROMOTION!!! and AIRPLAY!!! even enter into the equation.

I'm not a particular fan of Stephen King's books, but I remember something
he said in an interview years ago (paraphrased): nobody becomes an author
to become rich or famous.  They do it because they have to.  My own
experiences in the music industry are the same. I released an R. Stevie
Moore CD knowing full well that I would be lucky just to recoup costs, and
due to legal expenses related to me having to sue the pressing plant to get
them to finish the print job (which they did a lousy job of) and release
the discs, I'm still several thousand dollars in the hole, and it
bankrupted both me and my label in the process.  But you know what?  I see
that CD and I am *still* incredibly goddamn proud of it.  Call me a
romantic, call me a loser, call me whatever.  I helped create something
that brings me and others pleasure.  Anyone who doesn't understand why that
just might be enough is a soulless twit.

S

NP: AACM, GREAT BLACK MUSIC, REESE AND THE SMOOTH ONES -- Art Ensemble of
Chicago