From: owner-octoroon-digest@smoe.org (octoroon-digest) To: octoroon-digest@smoe.org Subject: octoroon-digest V2 #21 Reply-To: octoroon@smoe.org Sender: owner-octoroon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-octoroon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk octoroon-digest Thursday, February 4 1999 Volume 02 : Number 021 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [octoroon] mostly non laura content! [MMcfaul805@aol.com] [octoroon] The last word on dubbing [MMcfaul805@aol.com] Re: [octoroon] Re: other artists... [MMcfaul805@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 04:22:37 EST From: MMcfaul805@aol.com Subject: Re: [octoroon] mostly non laura content! In a message dated 2/2/99 12:51:35 PM, tofuturtle@hotmail.com wrote: <> Town Crier, in Pawling, NY has been confirmed on 3/19. This is a tiny venue. Call 914/855-1300 well in advance for tickets. Good food there, too. Mary ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Feb 1999 04:20:32 EST From: MMcfaul805@aol.com Subject: [octoroon] The last word on dubbing Ok, now that it seems like it's calming down, let me give you my and Laura's thoughts on all of this. We've talked about it a lot in the past couple of weeks. She is interested to see the level of emotion going around and we want to clarify a few points but mostly, we want everyone to settle down and know that we know that we have a wide range of fans who, thankfully, don't all think and act alike. I don't really want to go into a comprehensive lecture about the economics of the music business, but I have to say a few things about it to make our concerns make sense. 1. Money. The public sees a huge amount of money floating around the music world and it looks like a lot of artists are benefiting in a major way, which is true to some extent, however, when you think of how many musicians are out there hoping to make a living at making music, the ones that do are a minority, and the ones that make a good living are only a small portion of that minority, and the ones that get wealthy are such a small percentage that they don't even appear on the scale. The money that you see is divided among so many different people and organizations that it's hard to keep track. Not a lot filters down to the artist. No one around here is complaining - we chose our professions because we love what we do. No one goes into music thinking, "I think this is a wise career choice." We do it because it moves us and we've been really, really lucky that at this small moment in time, there is an audience for Laura that is large enough that we can all make enough money to make this our full time work. However, at this point in time, it is not a well paid job. I can't really go into the details of what everybody takes home, but you would laugh if you knew, and we get paid better than most. 2. The Importance Of Record Sales. While we definitely discourage dubbing, we don't think of it as an impeachable offense. I believe that Laura dubbing is at a minimum and I get that a lot of it is in the form of making compilations for friends and that those compilations sometimes lead to the purchase of a full album, etc. In Laura's situation, it is not so much the loss of income that we are concerned with around dubbing. The problem right now is that Mercury Records makes a lot of career decisions based on record sales and looks very closely at Laura's Soundscan reports every week. Soundscan is a relatively new system that tracks record sales by the information on the cash register scanners at a variety of retailers all over the country. They print a report every week for every title scanned and send it off to the record labels. Laura does not sell a lot of records by major label standards, but they are nonetheless impressed with her sales because she sells a lot of records for someone who gets minimal commercial airplay. If Mercury sees her numbers go up each week, even by just a few sales, they are encouraged to keep her on the label, give her tour support (which allows her to perform in your town even if there is only a small club there to play), make a video, get her booked on The Rosie O'Donnel Show, and allows me to call promoters and festivals to tell them how many CDs she has sold in their region and get a gig there, makes radio programmers sit up and take notice, etc, etc. Mercury has recently undergone a big corporate change and they are cutting artists and staff left and right. So far, they are hanging on to Laura and we want them to be happy that they did. Our Soundscan reports are critical in the next couple of months, so we wince every time we hear about dubbing. In fact, the thing that I found most offensive about the original message that started all of this is not so much that he copied the CD, not the "profanity" (I use those words every day of my life), but that he gloated and boasted about it to my face! It always takes me and Laura aback. I get that the general public isn't aware of the all the issues around dubbing, but it seems to me that there is a basic knowledge that it isn't that cool. Even so, every couple of shows, while Laura is signing CDs and I am standing next to her handling the sales, someone comes up and says something like "I loved your last album so much that I made copies for four of my friends!" You'd think I'd get used to it but I am astounded every time. I keep my mouth shut, Laura smiles and thanks them for their support and off they go. It is inappropriate to upbraid them in any way after a wonderful show and I can't think of a thing to say that wouldn't be rude but basically, it hurts our feelings in this funny way that is hard to explain. Sometimes I just burst out laughing because it is so absurd that we are scratching out a really difficult living and a beaming fan, full of love and support just reported that s/he is stealing from us. Other times I'm standing there with tears in my eyes from the teeth in my tongue. We would rather you didn't dub full albums but if you do, don't tell us. It's bad form. 3. Taping Concerts. A few of you have mentioned that "it's ok with Laura to tape shows". That is not quite an accurate reflection of our policy. Although someone might have asked Laura if it was ok to tape and I'm sure she said yes, first know that it is not appropriate to ask the artist something like that. It puts her on the spot, usually right before she is going on stage. It's not her job to be thinking about stuff like that and she doesn't have time to discuss the issue with you thoroughly. The person to ask is the road manager. If you can't identify the road manager (a good start is to ask someone at the sales table), ask the venue. That said, let me say that our policy is a bit wiggly. That is, we have mixed feelings about it. I am a little uneasy about it because I'm concerned with the taping of uncopyrighted material. After an album release, it's most likely that all the material that is being performed has been properly copyrighted. When she has written new material, there could be some problems that give me a headache to think about. I don't ever want to have to deal with someone using an uncopyrighted song of Laura's and end up fighting in court about who wrote it, etc. That likelihood is remote at this stage, but still, it makes me a bit queasy. The other problem is that live shows sometimes feature some pretty good clams (mistakes), and although it's kind of fun to witness them on site, it's kind of painful to listen back to them on tape and I cringe thinking of some of the shows that might be being passed around. That said, it never seemed to hurt the Greatful Dead to allow all that taping, so what am I worried about? Laura is looser on this issue than I am, although she is somewhat concerned about the same things. So, where does this leave us? How about with the following guidelines: 1. Ask first, but don't ask Laura. One of the reasons you want to ask, is that most venues assume that the artist prohibits taping, and if you don't ask and they see you with a recorder, they might just snatch it away from you and then everyone will feel bad. 2. I might allow taping under the following conditions if I know that no uncopyrighted material will be presented. If I know that uncopyrighted material will be presented I will ask you not to tape and I expect you not to pout or badmouth me. Trust that I have good reasons. 3. The recording that you produce is for your own private use. I prefer that you do not make multiple copies. You absolutely must not sell the tape. 4. If you are with a radio station and want permission to broadcast, you MUST have my written permission before you record. It's best to get in touch with me at least a week before the show and then I have to review the tape before it is broadcast, so allow time for that. It could take weeks if I am on tour. 5. Sometimes I will request a copy of the tape in exchange for permission to record. IF YOU AGREE TO PROVIDE ME WITH A COPY, DO THE RIGHT THING AND SEND IT TO ME ASAP. This almost never happens and I'm always disappointed. 6. Be subtle and considerate of those around you. Don't launch boom mikes in front of audience members and don't hassle the sound person for a line out. We aren't set up for off the board taping and I need the engineer to be paying attention to the show, not looking for adaptors for your cables. Ok? Now, I don't want to start a whole new debate on all of this. I've seen your varied opinions and now you have mine and Laura's. Let's let this be the final word. Oh, and if any of you have some good live tapes, I'd like a copy! Cassette, DAT or CD are fine. Send to Mary McFaul Booking & Management, POB 46318, Seattle, WA 98146. Please note when and where it was recorded. See you in Oregon this weekend! Mary ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 03:46:57 EST From: MMcfaul805@aol.com Subject: Re: [octoroon] Re: other artists... In a message dated 2/2/99 4:09:06 PM, mprath@earthlink.net wrote: <> I am a huge Andrew/Uncle Bonsai/Mel Cooleys fan. Uncle Bonsai was one of the most fun live bands I've ever seen. Check out the "Doug" songs. I think that "Bedroom Eyes" on Myn ynd Wymyn is about the most brilliant dating commentary I've ever heard and it's almost impossible to think that it was written by a man. It is this complex song from a woman's perspective about going out with a man who is on the make, she knows he's on the make and she's put off by it, but there is something that is also attractive to her. The song and it's arrangement just makes me sweat and I'm not even heterosexual. Here's some of the lyrics - you'll either love it or hate it: Bedroom Eyes by Andrew Ratshin, copyrighted material You say you love me For now, for certain You say whatever You think I want to hear You say that it's now or never If not forever at least we're here... It's all one liners It's "How much better can you do?" It's wine and diners It's one for all and all for you... You pull no punches You need a damsel in distress Who'll play your hunches Who'll be a virgin more or less You'll spring for candy You'll have some secrets to confess You'll pour the brandy And pull the body from my dress You lead me to your bedroom I can see through your bedroom What do you do with bedroom eyes You open wide your bedroom I see inside your bedroom Don't try to hide your bedroom eyes... Andrew writes some serious thoughtful personal songs and then he writes a bunch of cutting satirical, funny stuff. Another fave in the serious mode is "I Am Joe's Eyes" from his first solo album, Electric Bonsai Band. He's got songs about malls and KMart, Family Restaurant, Taking The Kids To Disney World, and on and on. The girls in Bonsai sing If I Had A Penis, etc. Check out the web site - there's a bunch of cool recordings from Yellow Tail: Yellow Tail Records Seattlites: I've been advised to check out this guy named Fletch at The Hopvine on 15th on Capitol Hill (I can't tell you the address but I think it's across from City People's Mercantile) this Friday, 2/5. He's on from about 9-10. I've heard his demo which I thought was really good clever folk/pop stuff. Apparently he does some killer spoken word stuff between songs. He's been described as a cross between Elvis Costello and Spalding Gray. I'm not sure I can make it because we go on tour the next day, but I have a feeling this is worth checking out. If you go, tell me what you think. Mary ------------------------------ End of octoroon-digest V2 #21 *****************************