You can get both the facts and some context at this fine article, but to recap:
The musician Ariel Pink has built up a fandom with his retro, kind of shoegaze-y style. For years he's been releasing records through the small Brooklyn-based indie label Mexican Summer.
But no more! He flew to Washington recently to show support for (now ex) President Donald Trump and happened to be in town when the storming of the capital happened. By his own account he was napping in his hotel room when it happened. And indeed no one's made any credible accusation that he was involved, even if the presence of an indie music star might account for why half the intruders seemed to be dressed for an Of Montreal show.
But whether he did anything that would, in other times, be considered wrong seems to be beside the point. He lost his contract with Mexican Summer because he declared an unacceptable political alliance at the wrong time. There are, granted, other accusations from an ex-girlfriend, but given the timing they don't really hold water as a motivating factor.
What this incident brings home is that independence only seems to go so far. The buying of music in physical formats is a wisp of its formal self. People find what they like through streaming services like Spotify and platforms like Bandcamp. Distributors want to build a loyal audience, but it's hard to do just by releasing tasty platters. Merch like t-shirts and tote bags―both of which Mexican Summer sells―are part of an the overall mystique. What this means is that even small record companies become lifestyle brands as much as anything. And that might encourage a certain conformity in not upsetting the consumer.
2 comments:
It sounds as if Ariel Pink will be looking for a new source of income soon unless, of course, he does much grovelling on anti-social media. Random people vying for the position of national hall monitor has become frighteningly endemic. I remember the infamous words of a typical high school vice principal saying, 'This will go on your permanent record and will follow you your whole life'. Naturally, the statement wasn't true back then but these days there really is a 'permanent record' and the implications are terrible.
The idea of having our pasts remain a mystery, even to ourselves, is essential for our spiritual growth.
One night last week we watched the 1981 concert film 'Urgh! A Music War' that had The Police, Wall of Voodoo, Devo, Oingo Boingo and a number of other bands largely not memorable, in fact some were pretty embarrassing. Then there was Klaus Nomi:
Total Eclipse
He was a German countertenor who went to NYC in the 70s (he told people he'd sung at the Hamburg opera, but he was an usher who entertained the other ushers after the performances). Klaus became known in NYC, even met David Bowie who invited Klaus and his friend to dance behind him on SNL in '79. It didn't become a permanent partnership, however - Bowie being himself.
Anyway, Klaus became famous in the underground music scene. He was one of the earliest victims of another major epidemic (AIDS) when he died in 1983. There are a few videos of him performing on youtube - including a concert in Germany, his final appearance, where he sang The Cold Song, Henry Purcell’s aria of the Cold Genius from the opera, King Arthur (written by John Dryden 1700s). When I watched it I wondered if Bowie remembered Klaus when he made the Blackstar video.
We are indeed mysterious beings and as such we need time off-stage.
I don't know what he plans to do in the foreseeable future. Fortunately he seems to have a few friends still sticking up for him. Although apparently not the majority and not enough to keep him from essentially getting canned. But yes, it's more than a little dystopian that there are so many would-be informants and such. Especially since a rush to judgment displaces more nuanced reactions.
I agree that one should be able to keep one's past under wraps. Of course in times of moral panic the prevailing attitude seems to be that only the guilty have something to hide.
It's pretty stunning that the makers of Urgh! A Music War were able to film so many incredible acts in one place over a fairly short amount of time. The roster also included XTC, Gang of Four, and the Go-Go's. Of course as you said it's not like they were all gold, but the ratio of good/great to mediocre is enviable. I think seeing a clip of the movie a long time ago is when I first heard of the Cramps.
Klaus Nomi was a very distinctive performer. One thing that's a shame about his dying at such a young age--apart from the obvious--is that so little is known about him. I think I've seen one interview with him on YouTube but it was in German so I really couldn't get anything out of it. Although I did notice that he looked entirely different offstage. Maybe this is to be expected.
His backing Bowie on SNL is great fun to watch. I don't know how they first met, but it seems right that they'd hit it off.
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