From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V5 #129 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.quackquack.net/pattyg * OR * go to http://www.amrecords.com * then click "tour" and fill in the blanks :) * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V4 #xxx or the like gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. mad-mission-digest Sunday, June 3 2001 Volume 05 : Number 129 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: "Silver Bell" article [MistyBC@aol.com] MM: Re: "Silver Bell" article ["Gary Jacques" ] MM: Re: "Silver Bell" article ["Marc Hertz" ] MM: Re: Re: "Silver Bell" article ["Eryn Fleming" ] MM: Re: Re: "Silver Bell" article ["Peter Lambiris" Subject: MM: Re: "Silver Bell" article I smell the best Patty Griffin record ever coming out of this shit. You heard it here first! Make em pay Patty. Evil_Gary > Or just read the copy and pasted version below. > > Very sad, indeed. I want to hear Silver Bell, but more than that, I want > Patty to have a label that gives her the attention she deserves. > > On a happier note though... I'll be seeing her in just a few days time. :) > > -Misty > > > published: 31 MAY 01 - The Rage > > Will 'Silver Bell' Ever Ring > > Fiery singer-songwriter Patty Griffin > headlines Dancin' in the District with Cricket > > There will be better times and places for fans of music to complain about the > corporatization of the music business. Volumes can and should be written > about how these huge multinational companies, for whom music is, at best, a > sideline business, have bit by bit lowered the lowest common denominator to > the point where they've entered into bidding wars over the opportunity to put > pre-teen kids into studios, latch their voices to pre-produced "music" and > create the next "superstar" (read: bottom-line enhancement vehicle). > > There's another time for that discussion. We're here to discuss a different > tragedy. We're not going to get to hear a new Patty Griffin record any time > soon. > > Despite having a critically lauded second album, despite coming off a > heralded slot opening for one of the hottest acts in the industry, and > despite repeated rescheduling of the release of the follow-up project, > Griffin's now-former record label came to the conclusion all artists dread - > that they "didn't hear a single" - and decided to shelve the project, titled > Silver Bell. > > And the really sad thing? She's been through pretty much the same situation > already. > > Griffin's debut recording, Living With Ghosts, was originally intended to > sound very different than it turned out. A demo set of acoustic recordings of > the songs on Ghosts got Griffin her deal with A&M Records back in 1996. She > went into the studio with a producer and a band and kicked out an electrified > version, at which point the Powers That Be at A&M kicked it back and refused > to release it. > > "I was really devastated by that and couldn't imagine making another [record] > at that point because I was really very into this one," Griffin told me in a > 1998 interview for Citysearch.com. "I was just a little too bummed out to try > to make another one, so I said 'If you like the demos so much, let's put them > out,' and they were cool with that. That's how I ended up being acoustic in > everybody's eyes. > > "I think what the label was concerned about was that it was dark, that the > performances were not bright, while the acoustic performances were very > straightforward and cut right through," Griffin said. "I listened to that > record [recently] for the first time in a long time, and you know what? It's > not nearly as bad as I thought from the way they were talking about it." > > Griffin got to make the record she wanted two years later with Flaming Red, > an out-and-out rock project on which she teamed with Nashville > producer/guitarist Jay Joyce. The songs were in-your-face both musically and > topically, with tracks like Tony, Change and Mary making you think as much as > Wiggley Fingers, Blue Sky and the title track make you rock out. > > Flaming Red caught the attention of folks outside the Triple A and rock > worlds, as well. Among those who took notice were members of the Dixie > Chicks, who covered Let Him Fly, from Ghosts, on their multiplatinum disc > Fly, and tapped Griffin as the opening act for most of their 2000 tour. > > "It's very rare that I come across a CD that I just wear out, and I've worn > her records out. All three of us have," said Dixie Chick Martie Seidel in a > June 2000 interview with MusicCountry.com. "If I have a fan come up to me and > ask, 'What do you listen to?,' I would say 'Go out and buy Flaming Red.'" > > The timing for Griffin's next career move seemed to have been perfect. Big > tour in front of a music-loving audience followed by a new project helmed by > Joyce with Griffin's road-tested band equals the next big step forward, > right? > > Not according to the new Powers That Be at Griffin's label, Interscope (where > she had been shuffled after the demise of A&M in 1998 in the creation of > Universal Music Group). First, they pushed back Silver Bell's release from > October 2000 (on the tail end of the Chicks' tour) to January 2001. Then they > pushed it to March 2001. Finally they canned it altogether. The widespread > rumor at the time was that Griffin was told the album lacked commercially > viable singles, and that she should start over with a new producer and new > band. > > Angry and frustrated with Interscope's actions, Griffin asked for and > received a release from the label, but without the masters to Silver Bell. > > Griffin turned away requests for an interview, with representatives from her > management company saying it was even difficult for them to talk with the > singer-songwriter about the latest turns in her career. > > But having been put in this position before and coming out on the other side > indicates that Patty Griffin will be able to bounce back from what certain > facets of the music industry have put her through. > > - Lucas Hendrickson ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 13:19:01 -0700 From: "Marc Hertz" Subject: MM: Re: "Silver Bell" article It's hard to put into words how much this frustrates and pisses me off. Patty Griffin is so obviously much more talented than a lot of the stuff being released these days and she's getting the shaft because she's not 'radio friendly'. I say she should talk to the Dixie Chicks (who obviously have a lot of pull these days in the industry) and have them help her out (they obviously love her music and you'd think they'd want the rest of the world to hear her as well), or she should do what Ani DeFranco's been doing all these years and record albums herself. Praying to hear Patty's new album in the near future. Marc ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 17:39:34 -0400 From: "Eryn Fleming" Subject: MM: Re: Re: "Silver Bell" article Does anyone know an address where I could write to Patty? (You know, like a fan mail address.) I've never written fan mail before, but after reading that article I have a strong urge to write to her and tell her how much her music means to me (and tons of other people too) even if she doesn't read it. Damn those record labels! - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Marc Hertz" To: ; Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2001 4:19 Subject: MM: Re: "Silver Bell" article > > It's hard to put into words how much this frustrates and pisses me off. > Patty Griffin is so obviously much more talented than a lot of the stuff > being released these days and she's getting the shaft because she's not > 'radio friendly'. I say she should talk to the Dixie Chicks (who obviously > have a lot of pull these days in the industry) and have them help her out > (they obviously love her music and you'd think they'd want the rest of the > world to hear her as well), or she should do what Ani DeFranco's been doing > all these years and record albums herself. > > > Praying to hear Patty's new album in the near future. > > > Marc ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 23:35:13 -0400 From: "Peter Lambiris" Subject: MM: Re: Re: "Silver Bell" article You have to shake your head and hope that "natural selection" will weed out the morons running the music industry!! - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Jacques" To: ; Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2001 4:17 PM Subject: MM: Re: "Silver Bell" article > I smell the best Patty Griffin record ever coming out of this shit. You > heard it here first! > Make em pay Patty. > Evil_Gary > > > Or just read the copy and pasted version below. > > > > Very sad, indeed. I want to hear Silver Bell, but more than that, I want > > Patty to have a label that gives her the attention she deserves. > > > > On a happier note though... I'll be seeing her in just a few days time. :) > > > > -Misty > > > > > > published: 31 MAY 01 - The Rage > > > > Will 'Silver Bell' Ever Ring > > > > Fiery singer-songwriter Patty Griffin > > headlines Dancin' in the District with Cricket > > > > There will be better times and places for fans of music to complain about > the > > corporatization of the music business. Volumes can and should be written > > about how these huge multinational companies, for whom music is, at best, > a > > sideline business, have bit by bit lowered the lowest common denominator > to > > the point where they've entered into bidding wars over the opportunity to > put > > pre-teen kids into studios, latch their voices to pre-produced "music" and > > create the next "superstar" (read: bottom-line enhancement vehicle). > > > > There's another time for that discussion. We're here to discuss a > different > > tragedy. We're not going to get to hear a new Patty Griffin record any > time > > soon. > > > > Despite having a critically lauded second album, despite coming off a > > heralded slot opening for one of the hottest acts in the industry, and > > despite repeated rescheduling of the release of the follow-up project, > > Griffin's now-former record label came to the conclusion all artists > dread - > > that they "didn't hear a single" - and decided to shelve the project, > titled > > Silver Bell. > > > > And the really sad thing? She's been through pretty much the same > situation > > already. > > > > Griffin's debut recording, Living With Ghosts, was originally intended to > > sound very different than it turned out. A demo set of acoustic recordings > of > > the songs on Ghosts got Griffin her deal with A&M Records back in 1996. > She > > went into the studio with a producer and a band and kicked out an > electrified > > version, at which point the Powers That Be at A&M kicked it back and > refused > > to release it. > > > > "I was really devastated by that and couldn't imagine making another > [record] > > at that point because I was really very into this one," Griffin told me in > a > > 1998 interview for Citysearch.com. "I was just a little too bummed out to > try > > to make another one, so I said 'If you like the demos so much, let's put > them > > out,' and they were cool with that. That's how I ended up being acoustic > in > > everybody's eyes. > > > > "I think what the label was concerned about was that it was dark, that the > > performances were not bright, while the acoustic performances were very > > straightforward and cut right through," Griffin said. "I listened to that > > record [recently] for the first time in a long time, and you know what? > It's > > not nearly as bad as I thought from the way they were talking about it." > > > > Griffin got to make the record she wanted two years later with Flaming > Red, > > an out-and-out rock project on which she teamed with Nashville > > producer/guitarist Jay Joyce. The songs were in-your-face both musically > and > > topically, with tracks like Tony, Change and Mary making you think as much > as > > Wiggley Fingers, Blue Sky and the title track make you rock out. > > > > Flaming Red caught the attention of folks outside the Triple A and rock > > worlds, as well. Among those who took notice were members of the Dixie > > Chicks, who covered Let Him Fly, from Ghosts, on their multiplatinum disc > > Fly, and tapped Griffin as the opening act for most of their 2000 tour. > > > > "It's very rare that I come across a CD that I just wear out, and I've > worn > > her records out. All three of us have," said Dixie Chick Martie Seidel in > a > > June 2000 interview with MusicCountry.com. "If I have a fan come up to me > and > > ask, 'What do you listen to?,' I would say 'Go out and buy Flaming Red.'" > > > > The timing for Griffin's next career move seemed to have been perfect. Big > > tour in front of a music-loving audience followed by a new project helmed > by > > Joyce with Griffin's road-tested band equals the next big step forward, > > right? > > > > Not according to the new Powers That Be at Griffin's label, Interscope > (where > > she had been shuffled after the demise of A&M in 1998 in the creation of > > Universal Music Group). First, they pushed back Silver Bell's release from > > October 2000 (on the tail end of the Chicks' tour) to January 2001. Then > they > > pushed it to March 2001. Finally they canned it altogether. The widespread > > rumor at the time was that Griffin was told the album lacked commercially > > viable singles, and that she should start over with a new producer and new > > band. > > > > Angry and frustrated with Interscope's actions, Griffin asked for and > > received a release from the label, but without the masters to Silver Bell. > > > > Griffin turned away requests for an interview, with representatives from > her > > management company saying it was even difficult for them to talk with the > > singer-songwriter about the latest turns in her career. > > > > But having been put in this position before and coming out on the other > side > > indicates that Patty Griffin will be able to bounce back from what certain > > facets of the music industry have put her through. > > > > - Lucas Hendrickson ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V5 #129 *********************************