From jeff salamon Sent Mon, Nov 3rd 1997, 17:08
From jeff salamon Sent Mon, Nov 3rd 1997, 17:08
Jim Bernard wrote:
>
I suggest someone on this list create and new list for those of us
> who could care less about all the bullshit (Gonzi? could this be
> done??).
> Maybe there could be some sort of questionnaire to see who will and
> won't
> be able to get access to the list....
i have, perhaps, a better idea. maybe we just need to start a new idm
ethos: if someone poses a question -- especially a nonmusical
question, about copyright law, say, or asks for a tracklisting for an
album, or wants to know which sampler they should pick up -- and you
want to respond to it, think for a moment whether it would be more
appropriate to respond privately or to everyone. this isn't a perfect
solution (sometimes you'll post to everyone when only a couple of
people care, and sometimes you'll post something privately that could
benefit from the give-and-take of multiple responses) but if we were
more conscientious about this it would cut down the amount of time i
spend every day deleting -- simply based on the header -- 99% of the
100 or so posts i receive.
a few other thoughts. next time you think of sending a post accusing
an artist of 'selling out', ask yourself if you really have anything
original to say about this topic. these accusations fly around idm all
the time, and while there's certainly truth to some of them, no one
ever seems to say anything original or interesting about the issue. to
wit:
"why did plaid sell out by putting female singers on their album?"
"have you ever heard of artistic freedom?"
"artistic freedom doesn't give you the freedom to suck"
"does so"
"does not"
"does!"
"you must be a woman to say that, because i asked my wife what she
thought of idm, and she said 'don't ask me, i'm just a woman."
"well, that's pretty funny, because i know for a fact that your wife
happens to be a man!"
also, if someone asks for a recommendation on a record, and the sum
total of your response is "it's wicked! pick it up!" send it to them
privately. if, on the other hand, you actually have something
interesting and descriptive to say, by all means post it to the list.
personally, i look to the idm list for info on new releases, and
evocative descriptions of music (not just stuff i haven't heard, but
even music i own and simply want to read other people's responses to).
i also depend on you guys and gals for occasional answers to questions
i have when i'm writing music criticism (which is my current
profession), and have no problem with people replying privately to me.
hope this is helpful,
jeff