Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (10/03/89)
Really-From: Brian Patrick Arnold <ba0k+@andrew.cmu.edu> I suppose Corey was fighting fire with fire, maybe in a humorous way. Otherwise, I guess I'll crawl back into my hole. It seems better than attempting to hold an intelligent, balanced conversation on this bboard/mailing-list/newsgroup/AFS-Folder/... (bboard for brevity). I'll fight against my own previous argument with reason since nobody else will: it *is* wise for admirers of Kate to pontificate her music to the unenlightened, unwashed masses. There's enough crap being played on the radio and the media have a very tremendous effect in affecting people. I know many people fail to appreciate entire spectra of music simply because it's not accessible by the various media. I'll use a quote from the new kid in Pgh, Pa: >...the kids I went to high school with didn't know that any other groups >other the LZ and the Cure were worth listening to, let alone existed. ^^^^^^^ So, I recommend playing TSW all the time and on the radio as much as the public can stand it. However, I'm not going to buy 10 copies of her new release. Only 1 copy, for me. And I might try to see her if she tours. Corey, please don't call me CHUD-bait, because I don't know what CHUD is. Call me ignorant instead. And please refrain from posting hate mail - send me personal hate mail instead. We do live in a country where each person is entitled to her/his own opinions, at least for the near future as far as I can tell. In Steve Williams' message: >...It's not necessary to verify your devotion to Kate by >trashing other groups... Am I reading the right bboard? Bull-s***. An alarming percentage of people writing to this bboard put Kate on the "throne" (that's what LH is for, I'd argue) and consider music by other musicians somehow lacking some critical element (lacking Kate, q.v.). On this basis alone, you could argue that such people implicitly declare all other music and musicians less worthy and therefore is a put-down. Music, the musician's craft, is what matters, not the musician (what am I saying? The ice is thin here, walk carefully to another bboard...). If you disagree, I plead for you to be intelligent about your counter-claim... - Brian
Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (10/03/89)
Really-From: Brian Patrick Arnold <ba0k+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Howdy,
on my last message, I forgot to add to the last paragraph "Anybody on
this bboard who even pretends that Kate isn't better than any other
group is considered a heathen, as demonstrated by the response I got to
a previous message", which I am still assuming was simply in humor, but
anyway:
>...take your unwashed slovenly wretched self....
That's why I started the paragraph with "Am I reading the right bboard?"
It was all supposed to tie together. Oh well.
- BrianLove-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (10/04/89)
Really-From: stewarte@ucscc.UCSC.EDU (The Man Who Invented Himself) Was I only dreaming, or did Brian Patrick Arnold <ba0k+@andrew.cmu.edu> actually say: >I'll fight against my own previous argument with reason since nobody >else will: it *is* wise for admirers of Kate to pontificate her music to >the unenlightened, unwashed masses. There's enough crap being played on >the radio and the media have a very tremendous effect in affecting >people. I know many people fail to appreciate entire spectra of music >simply because it's not accessible by the various media. Well, heck, if you're going to abandon your position, I'll take it over for you. There is so much crap being played on radio that people who are really interested in music have abandoned it entirely (with the exception of some college & public stations). Therefore, the only audience that'll be affected by pushing KaTe on radio is the same one that will buy _anything_ pushed at them hard enough and often enough. Further, I question whether Kate's fans should even _want_ her to be a multiplatinum superstar. Major commercial success is inevitably followed by record company pressure to repeat that success. I doubt that Kate would actually succumb to such pressure, but it is possible. More likely, I think, is simply that having such pressures affects her work indirectly. As long as she remains a respectably-selling "cult artist", record companies are going to leave her alone for the most part. I can't help thinking of _The Battle of Brazil_, the book on the making of Terry Gilliam's "Brazil"; the author says that the worst thing that happened to Brazil was when Universal head Sid Sheinberg decided that the film could be a big hit -- with the right changes made. Everyone else at the studio expected an art-house picture, and were willing to release the film as is on that basis. Gilliam's version of the film was eventually released (Sheinberg's butchered version later appeared on TV). Can you imagine the head of CBS Records deciding that Kate Bush could be as big as Madonna, with the right changes to her "image"? I can. Your devilish advocate, Stewart -- "They call me crazy, but my name is Clifton Chenier." -- Clifton Chenier /* uunet!sco!stewarte -or- stewarte@sco.COM -or- Stewart Evans */
Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (10/04/89)
Really-From: Jon Drukman <jsd@GAFFA.MIT.EDU> In article <8910040220.AA04786@ucscc.UCSC.EDU> you write: >Really-From: stewarte@ucscc.UCSC.EDU (The Man Who Invented Himself) > >Further, I question whether Kate's fans should even _want_ her to be a >multiplatinum superstar. Major commercial success is inevitably followed >by record company pressure to repeat that success. I doubt that Kate >would actually succumb to such pressure, but it is possible. Boy you people are forgetful! She already _is_ a megastar (maybe not Multiplatinum, but amazingly popular anyway) is Britain!! We are not talking about a respectably weird band like Talking Heads making it big in America with a few accidental hits, we are talking about severe Madonna-like success, on a regular basis. HoL was a HUGE seller in Britain. And anyway, on the subject of record company pressure, this has already happened. Remember what they said after the success of WUthering Heights and The Kick Inside? They said, "c'mon Katey darling, we need another album RIGHT NOW. We need product! It's gotta move, now get to it!" And what happened? They rushed her into releasing "Lionheart" which I think pretty much speaks for itself. >Can you imagine the head of CBS Records deciding that Kate Bush could be >as big as Madonna, with the right changes to her "image"? I can. I seriously doubt it. She's been around for years, and most of her records got to #1 in Britain (I think -- I know that two of them did anyway. The Dreaming, her least successful album, got to #3). On the other hand, a listen to the _Sensual_world_ album may back up your point. If _Love_and_Anger_ isn't targeted at being a major top-40 american radio hit, then I don't know what is!! -- +---------------------- Is there any ESCAPE from NOISE? --------------------+ | | |\ | jsd@gaffa.mit.edu | "A man's home is his coffin." | | \|on |/rukman | jsd@umass.bitnet | - Al Bundy | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
ed@das.llnl.gov (Edward Suranyi) (10/04/89)
>Really-From: Jon Drukman <jsd@GAFFA.MIT.EDU> > >Boy you people are forgetful! She already _is_ a megastar (maybe not >Multiplatinum, but amazingly popular anyway) is Britain!! Actually, _The Whole Story_ went double platinum there, and I think so did _Hounds of Love_. >I seriously doubt it. She's been around for years, and most of her >records got to #1 in Britain (I think -- I know that two of them did >anyway. The Dreaming, her least successful album, got to #3). _Lionheart_ didn't reach #1 either. But all the others did, I think. >On the other hand, a listen to the _Sensual_world_ album may back up >your point. If _Love_and_Anger_ isn't targeted at being a major top-40 >american radio hit, then I don't know what is!! Personally, I think "Heads We're Dancing" is closer to an American hit-type song than "Love and Anger." I also like it more. Ed ed@das.llnl.gov
ed@das.llnl.gov (Edward Suranyi) (10/06/89)
>Really-From: stewarte@ucscc.UCSC.EDU (The Man Who Invented Himself) >Further, I question whether Kate's fans should even _want_ her to be a >multiplatinum superstar. Major commercial success is inevitably followed > >Your devilish advocate, > Stewart > There are two important reasons why we should hope that the album is very successful: 1) Kate herself has said many times that she relies on the success of each album to be able to afford to do the next one. 2) Kate will only do promotion here if she sees that people are interested in the album. A tour here would require even more success. These points apply just as well in the UK as here in the USA, but in England she doesn't have to worry about being successful. Ed (Edward Suranyi) Dept. of Applied Science, UC Davis/Livermore ed@das.llnl.gov Until further notice, I CANNOT reply to mail by UUNET. So don't ask me to.
Love-Hounds-request@GAFFA.MIT.EDU (10/07/89)
Really-From: abvax!las@uunet.UU.NET (Lorie A Stull) I picked up a copy of _TSW_ last night for $6 in the Cleveland area. This from a record store notorious for selling demo copies of stuff... Actually, I managed to get an advance copy a few weeks back...Good stuff! What I wonder is, does anyone else out there listen to music that possibly influences Kate Bush herself? Bands like Capercaillie, Relativity, De Dannan, and the Bothy Band come to mind as good Celtic bands. I'd recommend getting in touch with Green Linnet Records in Connecticut (phone (203) 966-0864). Not that she DOES listen to these bands, but there are common threads. Finally, I also talked with Vickie Mapes the other night for about an hour myself...Quite a nice (and helpful) person! Ed Lieser (using Lorie Stull's account)