pone@cs.mcgill.ca (Daniel SHIELDS) (03/21/91)
Re: "AN OPEN LETTER TO THE NEW MUSIC COMMUNITY", Ear, Magazine of New
Music, Volume 15, Issue 9 (February).
I found the attached letter in the February issue of Ear magazine. I
am unsure of the legitimacy of the claims about the demise of his
"american distributor" made by Mr. Leo Feigin, but he seems to have the
editorial support of Ear magazine (for whatever this is worth). I have
typed in the letter as it is printed except that I have witheld the
names of Mr. Feigin's "American distributor" and the address of his
company, Leo Records. If you would like an uncensored copy then please
send me an email.
Please be advised that I am not connected with Leo Records nor Ear
Magazine in any way except that I am a caring and heartfelt reader who
is responding in his way to what appears to be a desperate cry from an
independant music producer. I am not trying to sell his records, I am
trying to lend a hand because I feel that the music produced by Leo
Records is of great value.
-----CENSORED copy of Mr. Leo Feigin's Letter Follows-----
IN February issue of Ear Magazine of New Music, Vol.15 Iss.9, Mr. Leo
Feigin writes:
I started Leo Records in 1980 and since that time I have been working
day and night to develop the label. All these years I have a full-time
job with the BBC saving every penny of my salary and investing it into
Leo Records. During these 10 years I managed to release almost 100
recordings, many of which received highest critical acclaim.
All these years my main distributor in the USA was <name of dist-
ribution service>, which had a stock of my records worth over
$100,000.00 at shop prices. However, <name of distribution service>
closed and I received a
miserable pittance of this money. My efforts to get the payment from
<name of distribution service> through a debt collector failed, and
as a result Leo Records was
sinking into debts. The interest on the bank loan continues to
accumulate with every month and the bank, which gave me the overdraft
against the value of my flat, is ready to take possession of the flat.
Now, at 53 years of age, I am in danger of becoming homeless.
During 1990 I could not release any records although I have on my shelf
outstanding recordings of Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, Marilyn
Crispell, Slava Ganelin, and dozens of tapes from the USSR. Ten years
of hard work has been destroyed. <name of distribution service>
inflicted tremendous personal
hardship on me, but what is more important is that the musical careers
of many brilliant musicians have been crippled, their livelihood
threatened. Documentation of the whole new music movement in the USSR
stopped and the future of this music hangs in the air. How ironic that
these musicians, who were the victims of the most totalitarian system,
now have become the victims of a few irresponsible people operating in
a democratic society.
My efforts to find a sponsor for non-commercial, non-conformist music
did not bring results. So, my last resort is music fans, who are the
most sensitive, most conscientious people in the world. I am not
begging for money. I am appealing to music fans to buy one LP (or one
CD) from Leo Records' catalogue either directly from Leo Records or
from my American distributor: <address of other distribution service>
I need only five thousand volunteers to buy one LP (or CD) each. And
Leo Records will be back in business releasing all those marvelous
records which not only please but change the course of music history as
well.
Leo Feigin,
Producer.
<address of Leo Records>
-----END of Mr. Feigin's Letter-----
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Daniel J. Shields "I was happier then. Or was that I?
pone@bart.cs.mcgill.ca Or am I now I?"
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