[Fmpro] Goodbye cruel world etc

Tue Sep 18 12:16:52 GMT 2007

Ruth,

Your advice is well thought out. There is no single road to success.
Sometimes things happen fortuitously, sometimes planning and networking pay
off. This list is definitely not about getting work though it does help to
garner information about work-related issues, mostly on the accounting end.
Not much time is spent on technical questions or reflections on musical
concepts which is an area I originally thought would be explored. There are
two possible explanations for that  either people on this list don¹t have a
good vocabulary to discuss their work, meaning they can Œdo¹ it but can¹t
verbalize about it  or they don¹t want to share whatever little secrets of
work and success they may have.

My personal discovery after many years is that music is completely unlike
any other field of knowledge such as medicine or physics.  While there is
certainly some ground work in the field that can be acquired through study
of history and methods every musician seems to have their own personal
approach to music making  and every one of them usually thinks that their
way is the BEST and ONLY way. Like secretive chefs they are reluctant to
give up their recipes  although sadly I don¹t think these recipes could be
made in anyone else¹s kitchen if they were to be known! With the advent of
MIDI-generated computer processing in music this attitude has greatly
proliferated.  There are people using the available systems with true genius
and know-how and those using it who, were they pilots working for the
commercial airline industry, would long ago have caused death, mayhem and
destruction on a grand scale. Luckily making music and flying a passenger
jet are not comparable fields of human endeavor. Nor is music and brain
surgery or music and astrophysics. That is generally why music is
disrespected in academic circles.  Our field is one where every individual
seems to have their own playbook, their own work history style and their own
way of surviving in the industry.  And so it is for this list. It is an
amalgamation of many different types of personalities and music makers.

In the past, in the old days of the conservatory method, music was an
apprentice art passed on from generation to generation by those who deemed
others worthy to take up the torch.  Today it is a true free-for-all that
includes anyone from those wunderkind with perfect pitch, academic degrees
and instant recall of thousands of melodies and lyrics to those who are
virtually tone deaf and couldn¹t hum the Star Spangled Banner.

The only point of commonality seems to be money paid for services rendered 
and thus the core discussion of this group.

FR

On 9/17/07 7:37 PM, "Anamoe Music Discussions" <chatmusic at anamoe.com.au>
wrote:

> G'day all
> 
> I haven't been looking at the discussions, but I saw Chris's title in the
> subject line and was concerned for him.
> 
> I am going to get each of us to ask ourselves the question - In regards to
> the list, what are we hoping to achieve?
> 
> If we are looking at the list in the hope that we would get more clients,
> lists are not the way to go, they are purely educational purposes.
> 
> There are avenues out there which are more the market types and with our
> experience in the music industry there are many middle men out there wanting
> their slice and there is nothing left over for the composer.
> 
> However, there is one free avenue and that is myspace.  But bear in mind
> that there are many more in the same situation also trying to get recognised
> and earn a living.
> 
> In regards to the Music Industry, there is no simple solution to a problem
> that has been in existence for a long while.  It is like trying to rein a
> horse after it has bolted.
> 
> It is a case of each musician/composer has to look at the demographics and
> work within the system.
> 
> In regards to unions, one will find that there are composers/musicians with
> religious and/or cultural beliefs that do not support unions.  Therefore
> unions would not be the answer.  Those who have a religious belief put their
> trust in God rather than any earthly system such as unions, businesses
> industries, etc.
> 
> My husband & I have attended a range of seminars, including general business
> seminars (ie those that do not have a specific industry focus).  At one
> general business seminar there was the challenging thought - "There is no
> set key for any business - each business has to find their own key".  That
> thought goes along similar lines to two old proverbs - "what is treasure for
> one is junk to another", "what is one man's medicine is another man's
> poison."
> 
> I know that this is not the answer that many of you were seeking, but gives
> a little glimpse which each of us of facing and it gives each of us the
> challenge in how we each can get around it.
> 
> I hope my post is of assistance and that you have a great day.
> 
> Kind regards
> Ruth Glover
> Anamoe Productions
> 
> www.anamoe.com.au
> www.myspace.com/paulhamiltonglover
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fmpro-bounces+chatmusic=anamoe.com.au at nxport.com
> [mailto:fmpro-bounces+chatmusic=anamoe.com.au at nxport.com] On Behalf Of Chris
> Alpiar
> Sent: Tuesday, 18 September 2007 4:36 AM
> To: fmpro at nxport.com
> Subject: [Fmpro] Goodbye cruel world
> 
> Well if the leading advocate of composers is les, and he is beating the snot
> out of anyone trying to make progress on our behalf, then this whole thing
> is doomed. I didn't sign up for tryouts to be verbal muscle man of the year,
> I was just speaking about what I see is truth. I appreciate what Les has
> done, but he is bitter and he is jaded and instead of making battles inside
> the ranks, he should be educating us with a positive light instead of every
> goddamn instance of discussion being a proverbial baseball bat in the head.
> 
> I am thoroughly disgusted and disenheartened and I really have a feeling
> that Les is on the payroll from ascap by the venomous way he went about
> shutting down any idea of collective unionism. Power of numbers is the only
> way to win a battle of this nature, with numbers and money. It's never going
> to ever ever work, even if you have a 1000 page documented dossier when it's
> presented by 1 guy that isn't patient or skilled in being more then
> emotional. 
> 
> Obviously though that is what the people on this list want. You guys just
> want status quo and to watch it burn while you get to have a community to
> grieve with. With these words I am parting the list, at least for now. I
> spent a LOT of energy this last few weeks working out issues and getting
> past emotion to find the truth. But it seems it is only me that thinks a
> union will save us. Good luck to you all, maybe we shall cross paths again
> someday when you are all board members of ascap reigning over the remain 9
> people that compose scores for a living
> 
> Best Wishes
> 
> Chris
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fmpro-bounces+chris=alpiar.com at nxport.com
> [mailto:fmpro-bounces+chris=alpiar.com at nxport.com] On Behalf Of Mark Northam
> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 3:00 AM
> To: fmpro at nxport.com
> Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Poop......... instead of 'turd'
> 
> On 9/16/07 11:27 PM, "Rick Blanc" <pazuni at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>   From: Pete 
>>   To: pazuni at sbcglobal.net
>>   Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 10:46 PM
>>   Subject: Re: [Fmpro] Poop......... instead of 'turd' - OFFLIST
>> 
>> 
>>   Hey Chris,
>> 
>>   As someone who has done battle on the FMPRO list, and
>>   particularly Les, I understand how mentally draining
>>   it can be. 
>> 
>>   Like you, I've had only the most positive intentions.
>>   Les, unfortunately, is a bitter, jaded soldier in our
>>   fight. I think in the end, he's really a good guy.
>>   Absorb his wisdom, but don't let him suck you down.
>> 
>>   Keep your spirit up!
>>   Pete Surdoval
> 
> 
> I think rather than calling less "bitter and jaded", it would be more
> insightful to look into why he may be coming off this way to others...
> 
> Les has put more time, energy and money into PRO reform than anyone else I
> know. He traveled to DC on his own nickel to talk to the DOJ, not knowing
> they had already secretly completed the infamous AFJ2 deal which has led to
> many of the most outrageous ASCAP practices we see today, starting with
> 1,250 signatures to get on the ballot for independent candidates.
> 
> Tens of thousands of composers get settling for lousy royalty rates for
> their music because it doesn't have lyrics. Who decided that "having lyrics"
> made a minute of music worth 500% more than music that didn't? Songwriters
> and lyricists, of course. Les has battled this for years now, and has been
> highly effective here in LA at getting a lot of issues to the forefront and
> helping composers understand what's going on. And I say this from personal
> experience - had I not met Les Hurdle and learned from him what the "real
> deal" was with the PROs, I would never have done the investigation I did and
> continue to do in this area. And I can tell you that when first confronted
> with the truth about the PROs and instrumental music, I didn't believe it.
> It took Les months to convince me to look deeper than the glossy brochures
> and the website and see the truth behind how instrumental music is tracked
> and paid by the PROs.
> 
> But while Les has continually demonstrated the oppressive and unfair actions
> of the PROs to many, most composers have not chosen to act on that
> information and work for better royalties. Why is a good question. Maybe
> they're afraid of the PROs, maybe they don't care, maybe they're getting
> special deals to keep quiet, maybe their getting sponsorships, or maybe they
> just don't care about the industry, only themselves. Who knows. But it's
> perhaps our industry's biggest problem - even when faced with mountains of
> direct evidence of unfair treatment that is costing composers millions of
> dollars per year, most composers do nothing, at least publicly.
> 
> Never in my life have I seen an industry full of people so ready and willing
> to be treated so poorly. Never. It amazes me every day - I wonder what more
> I can do about it, but faced with the sea of apathy and fear that is out
> there, it's daunting. Or maybe those decades of PRO conditioning that our
> music is "worth less" have taken their toll and the collective industry has
> been conditioned for long enough to just "take it" - I don't know.
> 
> If anything I hear frustration in Les. Frustration with his fellow composers
> that so many are so complacent with the situation, frustration that so few
> are ready to spend time, energy and money to try and get composers some
> respect and fairness from the PROs, and frustration that the PRO's efforts
> over the last 12 years to get Les written off as a "troublemaker" because
> (in my opinion) he's been so effective at revealing so many embarrassing
> facts about them are even taking hold here on the FMPRO list.
> 
> Les himself will tell you he's not a diplomat, and his shorthand (we're
> considering a quiz - whoever can correctly translate 10 of Les' top
> shorthand abbreviations wins a prize! - Seriously.) leaves some in the dust,
> and it's fair to say and Les will probably agree that he's not the most
> patient person in the world when confronted with people who don't "get it"
> yet.
> 
> But Les Hurdle, in my book, is ultimately responsible for more PRO knowledge
> and education getting to composers than anyone else I know. Sadly, the
> revealing PRO's continued determination to get Les written off as a
> troublemaker has taken its toll with the uninformed. I think we know better.
> 
> Rather than continue the current debate, and since Les' experience with the
> PRO battles is so extensive, I'd like to invite Les to give us some history
> lessons and share some of his past experiences with the list. I can tell you
> I've learned a lot from his experiences, and I think others will too. Les,
> it's up to you, but I hope you'll take me up on this.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Mark Northam
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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