From: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org (basia-digest) To: basia-digest@smoe.org Subject: basia-digest V3 #182 Reply-To: basia@smoe.org Sender: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "basia-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. basia-digest Friday, August 28 1998 Volume 03 : Number 182 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: basia-digest V3 #181 [Larry Lipman ] SONY dumping Basia; idea posed by Phil [Stephen Ylvisaker ] MUSINGS: Breaking the mold and preserving it too... ["Ashoke S. Talukdar"] Re:From Epic!!!!!! ["Ashoke S. Talukdar" ] Re:From Epic!!!!!! [combee@techwood.org (Ben Combee)] Re: From Epic!!!!!! [Beverly Martin ] Re: From Epic!!!!!! [Rich Uchytil - IR Geek ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 07:07:31 -0500 From: Larry Lipman Subject: Re: basia-digest V3 #181 Just wanted to say... I've really been enjoying these recent posts and apologize for simply lurking, but I can't contribute right now. We are in the midst of registration, and I have two new faculty to train! Great news from Epic! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Larry Lipman - --------------------------------------------------------------- Division Coordinator; Recording Studio Manager - --------------------------------------------------------------- The University of Memphis Commercial Music Program Campus Box 526546 - 232 CFA Building Memphis, TN 38152-6546 (901) 678-2559 [w/voice mail] FAX: (901) 678-5118 E-Mail: Llipman@memphis.edu ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 05:28:07 -0700 From: Stephen Ylvisaker Subject: SONY dumping Basia; idea posed by Phil Hi, I want to refute Phil's suggestion that Sony dump Basia, so maybe she'll do some work. This idea falls in the realm of immediate gratification; "I want it now, I don't care if it's flawed" (BTW, that's why Windows, in all of it's incarnations, has trouble). I would rather see quality coming out the record companies, rather than mediocre, trashy quantity. Again quoting from "Singing Jazz", by Bruce Crowther and Mike Pinfold, the closing chapter, page 190: "If the music industry planned for the future with music rather than money in mind it would today nurture young ... singers and instrumentalists on a long-term basis and not cast them aside on the basis of poor initial sales. After all, if an artist was deemed good enough to sign in the first placethe least the company should do is have faith in its own judgement. such actions would not be contrary to a company's own long-term self interest." On the face of it, it would seem Epic Records/Sony Music is saying "Basia, we have faith in you. Yeah, you don't produce a lot, but you always give us quality. We're going to keep you." Now, whether they actually think that, we don't know, but the evidence seems to be that they aren't pushing her too hard, and, therefore, we might be thankful that we will eventually get the quality recording we've come to expect from Basia. Stephen Stephen Ylvisaker greyfell@iname.com "You can have everything you want in life, if you wil help enough other people get what they want." J. Paul Getty ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 06:55:40 -0700 From: Joel Cairo Subject: Re: SONY dumping Basia; idea posed by Phil Stephen Ylvisaker wrote: > On the face of it, it would seem Epic Records/Sony Music is saying "Basia, > we have faith in you. Yeah, you don't produce a lot, but you always give us > quality. We're going to keep you." Now, whether they actually think that, > we don't know, but the evidence seems to be that they aren't pushing her > too hard, and, therefore, we might be thankful that we will eventually get > the quality recording we've come to expect from Basia. > Well, in truth, even if Sony/Epic/550 were keen to dump her from their roster, they wouldn't be able to do it solely because she takes a long time to make a record-- as long as she could prove that progress was being made on the current album. The legal precedent for this was the long running battle between the band Boston and (who else!) Epic Records. When Epic attempted to drop them, citing a breach of contract, Tom Scholz and the band sucessfully sued the label for reinstatement. Epic ended up swallowing a lot of legal fees, and (I think) some amount of damages. So I doubt we'll be seeing *that* scenario anytime soon... - -Kevin (Who nonetheless *would* like to hear what some of the new material sounds like...) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:28:34 -0400 From: "Ashoke S. Talukdar" Subject: MUSINGS: Breaking the mold and preserving it too... Hi gang! Wow, I never realized I was opening a Pandora's box here. Wonderful posts everyone. This is great! I did very much want to thank Stephen Ylvisaker for taking the time to reprint the passages from the "Singing Jazz". I will have to check it out myself. Several poignant points were made there. I think the most important point that underlines this essay seems to be one of ability. It is indicated that there has been a certain lack of "training" and "skill" that seems to be the trend these days. I think this is, in a way, what Phil refers to as the "monotonous baritone". Yesterday, as I was driving home, I heard Fiona Apple's "Shadow Boxer". Tonally, the song made absolutely no impression on me whatsoever. However, it generated curiousity, was NOT unpleasant to listen to and the lyrics are surprisingly mature, coming from someone in her late teens. But can she "sing"? That is becoming an increasingly difficult question to answer. The die-hards will say, NO. Surely, measured by that yard stick, Lena Horne and Striesand can SING. But the question pervades deeper. When music is becoming such a contemporary part of our life and evolving into a method of expression rather than a celebration of a particular niche of talent, can the same definitions of music, by which the worth of Basia and Lena Horne is assessed, be applied to Fiona Apple. My gut feeling would be no. At the same time, I find it difficult to shake my somewhat traditional predisposition as to what a "song" should be. This dilemna becomes even more stark when pitted against a very parallel art - poetry. I say parallel because the contrast between Basia and Fiona is not dissimilar to that between, say, Keats and Cummings. But I find that lovers of poetry seem to have an easier time to situate this difference by simply preferring one genre while acknowledging, but otherwise ignoring, the other. Understandably, us music lovers have a much harder time. Absorption of poetry is usually a more conscious effort (we have to sit down and pay attention to the task of reading), which allows us to be more selective. Absorption of music, on the other hand, happens more easily, because music is EVERYWHERE and therefore we tend to be, willingly or not, exposed to and influenced by a wider spectrum of styles and expressions. I also wanted to address another point that came out of the various posts. Specifically, Becky writes: > >Also, Phil/Ashoke, when you refer to Joni wannabes.... any artists in >particular that you're referring to? Jewel perhaps... ;) > Definitely, Jewel. The Joni-esque trends are unmistakable. But I wouldn't refer to her as a wannabe. I do believe that Phil hit home when he stated: > > but Joni Mitchell set the standard for composing AND performing, > This is essentially true of all standards. I think every musical style known to us can be attributed to someone or some band. Hence, while I listen to Jewel expressing her pathos on "The Water is Wide", it actually thrills me to find someone carrying on the tradition of the likes of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez. But she can do other things too. IMO, the point to be noted here is that the human voice is a wonderful musical instrument but, perhaps, we don't always pay it the level of respect commensurate with what it can do. Take the case of Bonnie Rait. Certainly she did not invent the slide guitar but she can slide with the best of the legends. However, no one has ever referred to her as a wannabe, but rather revered her sliding skills, as indeed they should have. Why should it be any different for vocal styles? This also indirectly clarifies one of my earlier comments regarding female artists breaking the mold and addresses Becky's question about it. I think that artists like Sarah McLaclan best typify this entire discussion. In them you can feel the influences of the giants of the past and a desire to use some of those styles in their work. They also have what the article from "Jazz Singers" emphasises - training, skill and talent - which explains their incredibly strong and lasting presence in the industry and among a cultivated audience. They don't necessarily have a markedly distinct timbre or style (at least not to the extent that artists like Basia and Sade do), although Sarah, over the last few years seems to have been developing one. And the world of style-makers (Joni) and performers (Jewel) are themselves not mutually exclusive either. There are several examples of the latter crossing over into the realms of the former, skill and dedication being the essential components for this transition. K.D. Lang is a good example. > >And just for fun, are there any female artists out there now that you feel >will last for the long haul? Artists of significance? > Of the contempraries and the "newbies", I would HOPE Paula Cole. Actually, considering her rather traditional and cookie-cutter background, I would dare say that she is already on her way to breaking the mold. Peace, Ashoke. ________________________________________________________________ Ashoke S. Talukdar | When the darkness takes you talukdar@morph.ebme.cwru.edu | with her hand across your face Home : 216-381-5872 | Don't give in too quickly Imaging Lab : 216-368-8812 | Find the things she's erased MetroHealth : 216-778-8987 | Find the line, find the face Pager : 216-670-5872 | Through the grain... Cellular : 216-317-7079 | Fax : 216-368-4969 | Suzanne Vega ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:32:23 -0400 From: "Ashoke S. Talukdar" Subject: Re:From Epic!!!!!! >At 12:00 AM 8/27/98 +0100, Jan wrote: > > >Beverly - I emailed Epic as you suggested to enquire as to the progress of >Basia's new album (I mean if she's in the studio she must be doing >SOMETHING, right?) and here's the reply I got!! > >From: Epic_Records@sonymusic.com >X-Lotus-FromDomain: SONY_MUSIC@WORLDCOM >To: jan@cuniculus.demon.co.uk >Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 15:50:06 -0700 >Subject: Re: Basia > >You have a long time to wait. That album won't be out until the end of >1999. Sorry about the wait, but it'll be worth it. > THANK YOU!!! I think I will do my joy dance now. Now that I think about it, wasn't it four years between LWNY and TSI? Well, it will be 4 years between BOB and TLANA (The Long Awaited New Album). She did admit that she is lazy... Maybe she will do a concert on the last midnight of the millenium. Wanna bet that I will be there? :-) Ashoke. ________________________________________________________________ Ashoke S. Talukdar | When the darkness takes you talukdar@morph.ebme.cwru.edu | with her hand across your face Home : 216-381-5872 | Don't give in too quickly Imaging Lab : 216-368-8812 | Find the things she's erased MetroHealth : 216-778-8987 | Find the line, find the face Pager : 216-670-5872 | Through the grain... Cellular : 216-317-7079 | Fax : 216-368-4969 | Suzanne Vega ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 20:05:37 GMT From: combee@techwood.org (Ben Combee) Subject: Re:From Epic!!!!!! Jan, thanks for forwarding that message... I've updated BasiaWeb with the new information. - -- Benjamin L. Combee (combee@techwood.org) PS: <53706f6f6e21> 48 /Helvetica findfont scalefont setfont show showpage ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 17:49:43 -0500 From: Beverly Martin Subject: Re: From Epic!!!!!! Jan Johnson wrote: > >I'm thinking we should all start emailing Epic and ask the question - get > >the juices going on the promotion people or something!! > > Beverly - I emailed Epic as you suggested to enquire as to the progress of > Basia's new album (I mean if she's in the studio she must be doing > SOMETHING, right?) and here's the reply I got!! > > From: Epic_Records@sonymusic.com > X-Lotus-FromDomain: SONY_MUSIC@WORLDCOM > To: jan@cuniculus.demon.co.uk > Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 15:50:06 -0700 > Subject: Re: Basia > > You have a long time to wait. That album won't be out until the end of > 1999. Sorry about the wait, but it'll be worth it. > > YES!!! OH YES!!!!!!!!!!!! INDEEDY!!! Jan, Ashoke, I too will be doin' the happy dance for NEW BASIA album!!!! Tour!!! Me seeing her live (finally!) on stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Instead of us all bombarding them now, maybe everyone should set a day aside every month to email Epic, that way we spread out and increase our show of support and anticipation for Basia's new album....!!! -- Beverly Martin Happy Happy Basiamaniac!!!!!!!!!!!! - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Now the internet has all these people who are sitting around typing one-handed, and they're illiterates! I mean: 'Fick me! Fick me!', 'Fondle my tots!'" --Bette Midler, "Diva Las Vegas" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 15:55:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Rich Uchytil - IR Geek Subject: Re: From Epic!!!!!! Is there any way we can get an email to Basia saying how much we are looking forward to her new album, and have all of our names on it? Anyone think she'd appreciate that? I am soooo pumped that I might actually get another CD! That is going to be great!!!! =========== "Let's Document it and call it a Feature!" ============ Richard Uchytil (rich@west.sun.com) Voice: (503) 520-7614 Sun Microsystems ... /| Fax: (503) 520-7722 Business Technologist >--|||===< | PEG Member #1998011401 (___) \| > From: Beverly Martin > X-Accept-Language: en > MIME-Version: 1.0 > To: basia@smoe.org > Subject: Re: From Epic!!!!!! > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "basia-request@smoe.org" > X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. > > > > > > > Jan Johnson wrote: > > > >I'm thinking we should all start emailing Epic and ask the question - get > > >the juices going on the promotion people or something!! > > > > Beverly - I emailed Epic as you suggested to enquire as to the progress of > > Basia's new album (I mean if she's in the studio she must be doing > > SOMETHING, right?) and here's the reply I got!! > > > > From: Epic_Records@sonymusic.com > > X-Lotus-FromDomain: SONY_MUSIC@WORLDCOM > > To: jan@cuniculus.demon.co.uk > > Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 15:50:06 -0700 > > Subject: Re: Basia > > > > You have a long time to wait. That album won't be out until the end of > > 1999. Sorry about the wait, but it'll be worth it. > > > > YES!!! > > OH YES!!!!!!!!!!!! INDEEDY!!! Jan, Ashoke, I too will be doin' the happy > dance for NEW BASIA album!!!! Tour!!! Me seeing her live (finally!) on > stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > > Instead of us all bombarding them now, maybe everyone should set a day aside > every month to email Epic, that way we spread out and increase our show of > support and anticipation for Basia's new album....!!! > > -- Beverly Martin > > Happy Happy Basiamaniac!!!!!!!!!!!! > - ------------------------------------------------------------------- - ----- > "Now the internet has all these people who are sitting > around typing one-handed, and they're illiterates! > I mean: 'Fick me! Fick me!', 'Fondle my tots!'" > > --Bette Midler, "Diva Las Vegas" > > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:37:49 -0600 From: tom Subject: All you nice people out there. Jan wrote: From: Epic_Records@sonymusic.com X-Lotus-FromDomain: SONY_MUSIC@WORLDCOM To: jan@cuniculus.demon.co.uk Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 15:50:06 -0700 Subject: Re: Basia You have a long time to wait. That album won't be out until the end of 1999. Sorry about the wait, but it'll be worth it. YES!!! Tom sez; Great news, Good job Bev & Jan! I really enjoy reading posts on this list about information that pertains to Basia and Basia music. Some of you folks really type up a storm! Also, Great Job, Kevin "The sound man". Heard the Aretha Franklin medley from your m3p or whatever it is. What a treat. I joined the "The the" list this week. (Matt johnsons' band "The the") in hopes to get Warne Livseys' email address. He produced The the's album called "Infected" from around 1986. Great record. This is a quote from the Hal Leonard Basia song book; Circa 1981 or 2 or 3 Basia;"So I went to do a demo tape and the engineer (Warne Livsey) turned out to be a bass player from Danny's band. (Bronze)" RF; What songs did you do on the demo? Basia; "One was "I try" by Angela Bofill, and the second was "Clouds" by Chaka Khan, I wanted to show off a bit, I wanted to record something that would impress people. The engineer did'nt tell me he was Danny's bass player, but when I finished he asked whether I would like to join their band. His name is Warne Livsey and he is the producer of Midnight Oil and Paul Young. Danny and Warne and two other boys worked in a band called Bronze. We worked together for a year and then split up because we did'nt get a record deal." BUMMER. So I'll let you know if I have any luck talking to this dude. Or if someone else knows how to get in touch with old Warne just let me know or maybe you could be the person who talks to him. I bet he has some funny stories he might share with us. Or at least what is Basia's microphone of choice. E I E I Adios, Tom ------------------------------ End of basia-digest V3 #182 ***************************