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A little something different from me... well, it seems a little different anyway. First, keep in mind that although I do stream music to estate land it's not unusual for me to have audio turned off on my PC. I went for my first couple of years in Secondlife without attending any of the live music acts here until I started following Crap Mariners involvement with Live and Kickin' events. I have posted before of my belief that to remain in Secondlife one needs to find a passion, and for many that passion is music. Nearly a year ago Porter Paquot came to stay at Benares... it turned out she was a professional vocalist in her other life, and she wasted no time in getting into the music scene here, I was amazed. Earlier today I received a note from one of the owners of two live music venues here in Secondlife... I would like to paste Loegans open comment to a group that has a vested interest in live Secondlife music. In the interest of transparency, I will say that both Loegan Magic and the above mentioned Porter are current residents of mine... and that status has exactly zero influence in my choosing to do this post. Sometimes it's important to do things because they are right. This post will see part two tomorrow when I post Loegans article to Scruplz Magazine . What follows is Loegan Magics response to a contact from a new group called Live Music Review, It speaks for its self.*********************************************************
My venue was recently approached to join a group for venue owners called Live Music Review. I would encourage the SL music community to not join this group. They have set down guidelines for what they feel is a quality venue. After a heated discussion with one of the groups founders, I was still unable to determine what the purpose of the group was – needless to say he no longer wanted my venues in the group (which is fine by me). One of the standards of what makes a venue, “high quality” according to the group is “no karaoke acts." I own two live music venues with Porter Paquot, The Mill and The Kasbah. We do not book karaoke acts, we book high quality vocalists who use tracks, live musicians, and DJ’s. We have original music night and do our best to support the live music scene and art community in Second Life. I have worked for almost two years trying to bring people together and book quality music at my venues. I feel that my venues can stand on the reputations they have made for themselves over the last year and half. In my opinion, reputation is what a makes a good venue not an arbitrary checklist. It frustrates and angers me when someone makes blanket statements like this group is doing. If a venue does not want to book vocalists who use tracks, that is their choice, It does not make them a higher quality venue. This attitude is what is wrong with an otherwise amazing Secondlife music scene. It is time to put a stop to this. This is a debate among musicians, managers, and venue owners. The fans don’t care they just want to hear good music. Let’s stop creating divisions and work together. If we as venue owners just book the best people out there and run our venues the way we want, then the people going to the shows will decide who runs a quality venue and who doesn’t. It’s simple. Groups like this that see things as black and white are what is wrong with the Secondlife music scene. I also encourage musicians to not support venues with this attitude. This debate is getting old. I have attached an article I have written for Scruplz Magazine that is coming out this month about this issue. I wrote it before I had this incident with Live Music Review. As you can see, this is a hot button issue with me and it's about time that we as a community stop making divisions and work together. Good music is good music. I hope you take the time to read the attached article Thank you for your time, Loegan Magic
And so it goes
I love you all, brinda
Namaste
नमस्ते
Ah yes, the 'live' versus 'karaoke' thing. Pops up a couple of times a year, usually combined with all kinds of silly ideas to make music a profitable business in SL.
ReplyDeleteDust in the wind, that's what it is. Music, as well as running a venue for that matter, will never be profitable in SL. And as far as the live/karaoke thing is concerned: the music fans in SL couldn't care less. They just want to be entertained - for the most part by tunes they can sing along with.
The SL music scene is a lot like the RL music scene. Including all the egotripping about who's better than who.
Personally, I'm very happy with the couple of venues and artists that have a nice vibe to groove along with.
http://phoenixsings.blogspot.com/2011/01/its-not-karaoke-fuckers-please-read.html
ReplyDeleteFrom a "track singer" thank you for your support, and this is to everyone who makes a kind comment. The issue of singing with tracks is reminiscent of racism or homophobia. Although the implications are less - after all this IS SL - the hurt to those made the target is not less.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am told by these elitist bastards that somehow my musical training isn't equal to theirs, it really burns me. I spend hours learning this music, perfecting how I want to musically portray my message, picking the songs that suit me best, choosing things that aren't overdone and that I think people will find entertaining.
I find so much joy in singing in SL that it actually has helped me heal in my RL.
This debate takes that away from me. It removes all joy from singing in SL and makes me want to quit singing in any life because it's exhausting and infuriating to continue knowing that these hate-mongers will be there to spew their insecure messages at me and make me feel like a second-class citizen.
In RL I sing with a band, and I'm a trained vocalist, piano player, and musician in my own right. What I found initially to be a warm and welcoming place where I could share my passion with an audience that felt accepting and warm... has become a loveless political battlefield where I find myself wondering when the next hurtful comment will be made, or agonizing debate-filled conversation will be had.
I won't quit because then these bastards win. And I will never let that happen. I was meant to sing with a band - I love funk, blues and soul music and that is what I will continue to sing... WITH TRACKS that fill my music with drums, bass, guitar, piano, horns, and most importantly let me express myself the way I WANT TO.
I hope to see in you one of the QUALITY MUSIC VENUES who support wonderful live music in whatever form ART takes.
Porter... I'm reminded of something said by a nearly one hundred year old black woman living in Appalachia.
ReplyDelete"Intelligence demands intelligence, respect demands respect. Some folks you just have leave 'em where ya found 'em, 'cause you cant carry everybody with ya."