[MUSIC] Kill Your
Friends
“It's easier to fool
people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” (Mark Twain?)
Part I #BeggarsBanquet #BeggarsFrance #XLRecordings #RoughTrade #Relentless
PART II #TimeOut
#MarkKoselek – 16 Jan 17
Part III #Bjork #XLRecording #FireRec (AliceGros) #BadLife #RocketGirl #Warp
#SonicCathedral - 16 Jan 17
Part I
Last
night I watched the monstrous dark, funny, witty, amoral and outstandingly
esthetical Owen Harris’s film Kill Your Friends... about the betrayal
and murder in the music industry. So 90’s! Such a cross between David Frankel’s The Devil Wears Prada & Stephen
Norrington’s The Last Minute.
After
viewing the band The Lemon Twigs (LM) on French TV prog Quotidien (a Bangumi Prod), I wrote a “piss-take-semi-satirical and absurd” piece on its performance. Questioning about
its record labels 4AD / Beggars France way of promoting their
very young act as well as the very silly questions been asked on live TV: “Who is the tallest?” The band is
influenced by The Beach Boys, The Beatles and so on though!
A
few days later, I met with a music student that I’ll call “it” or “BBB” (for
Beggars Banquet Baby). Apart from telling me that my English sucks, that my prose
is not catchy [1000 views in a week despite my small numbers of followers] and that
Punk was a British thing, not a French one, nor a German one (I can’t remember
hearing anybody claiming otherwise), it
lectures me on how I should have written an essai about the music industry and
its incoherence; how I should have targeted the label itself instead of LM (hard to do, they blocked me, tis in
my prose innit); how the French presenter Yann
Barthes is a jerk... and how non British peeps don’t and can’t get the dry
and dark humour from the Brits... and Americans (LM are North Americans).
Summing
up my answers back:
- Yann Barthes presents and produces a
satirical programme that also includes very serious political topics. Humour is
a specificity of the programme. [We,
“the ignorant French peeps”, have been drugged up in France with programmes
like Benny Hill in the 80’s. Before
that I don’t know, I was either too young or in Africa. Anything British
(music, series etc) I (and my fellows) “ODed” on it in my youth and that,
eventually got me to live in the Abs Fab
capital. I mean Benny Hill, FR3 @ 8pm on Sundays... even my father was
religious about it! Today, the French are in love with Ricky Gervais... ] So,
if we don’t understand the British wit, wasn’t it the music label duty to
prevent its band to ridicule itself? Their forecast... I still don’t see any
fun in it... pathetic I’d say! We are talking here indie music signed on a so
called struggling independent label, not some kind of cheap popish variété that could do the forecast job!
Perhaps, an established band like U2
would have been funny. But is hearing a foreign person wrongly pronouncing some
town names the meaning of... hilarious? C’mon guys, that’s crass! Q&A
presenter vs LM was bad, end of!
- I never intended to write an essai. It
was a billet d’humeur, an
observation!
I
sent my observation to a few Brit guys who were involved in the music scene for
decades and either left it or got made redundant. “Boring” or “stupid” they
thought. As for the French in the media, they feel they have a good grip on
Brit humour...
The
BBB music student is being lectured
by a Beggars Banquet promo guy among others [most of the others are black apparently
and so are the students and that seems to be an issue for it]. I am pretty
convinced that it doesn’t talk for
itself but on behalf on the label as it
wants to work for them (to be signed or to be a music scout). In its latest
missive, BBB writes “[It] Seems to me a single interview
reaching maximum audience is a doddle compared to a hundred rainy nights on the
lonely road... If they [LT] are truly hating it, then it’s a matter of breaking
free from management and following in footsteps of increasing numbers of
artists who choose to ignore labels and signing and instead they get involved
in the new wave of 'direct democracy’” – Sorry Beggars Banquet (BB),
but artists like LT should be
treated with respect on their work. Just because it reaches thousands of people
in a few minutes broadcasting doesn’t mean that we, the public have to be fed
some crap. Yann Barthes and his team have managed a lot better in the past. If
BB music PR can’t do the job, then don’t get the band to make fool of
themselves to cover his / her incompetence. As for breaking free... I’m not
sure how it’s possible or why LT would do that, simply because on a one off
occasion, France chooses to treat them cheaply!
The
other thing that worries me [in the zik Indus] is that BBB went to an A&R meeting with a British-Asian guy [whose PR I
interviewed in the 90’s when he ran an all things Asian outcast label] and
reported that if such artist didn’t wake up, then she would no longer be on his
label... and Professor Green should
chose between making docs or do music.
I
simply can’t believe it! Is this how labels are supporting artists or is BBB
too confused because of its drinking problems?
Is
the future of a music act to sign for a single record deal? No perspective? No
long term commitment? No international waves?
Like
Steven Stelfox says in Kill Your Friends: “... You see, there is one thing you have to understand about the music
industry. We have no obligation to make art. We have no obligation to make
political statements. We have no obligation to make GOOD records. We have an
obligation to make money”... scene continues on Stelfox’s shoes that don’t
“give a fuck about the Velvet Underground”.
And
for the fun of it, we might as well remember Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers
Left Alive scene, when Tilda Swinton
tells her sister who has just “ODed” on human blood “He works in the music industry” (aka his blood is not organic...)
PART II 16
Jan 17
TIME OUT (TO)
Recently,
my post on Jonny
Ensall has been
sent around by some sick mind I suppose. I wrote my piece in Nov 2013 and prior
to publishing it, I checked if his piece on Amy Winehouse had been e-published. I found nothing, therefore I
assumed he got my idea somehow and wrote it in Sept. Following my publication,
I heard Time Out (and The Guardian) was infamous for looking at blogs and
“copying” some ideas... What’s appealing now is the fact that Jonny Ensall
piece appears to have been published in July 2013. Could I possibly have missed
it? Any possibility that a TO piece got deleted and replaced by Jonny’s instead?
What
I understand upon interviewing Anne Pigalle on 28 June 2013 @ Camden Proud is
that TO had some issues with Alex Proud,
owner of Proud galleries. If I remember her monologue, Alex had e-blackmailed
“his” cabaret artists, preventing them to play anywhere else than his place. TO
received a copy of that email and published it (I’m just repeating what I am
remembering from Anne). So, basically, TO doesn’t quite review Alex Proud’s galleries.
Why, all of a sudden, would TO overdo it about that exhibition? Anyway, last
year, I published the many “coincidences” I found between TO and my posts:
“Tate
Modern/Britain: At first, I
didn’t intent to write on major exhibitions, but in Aug/Sept 2013, I realised
that Time Out (TO) (who had stopped writing on
“obscure” events) were writing on same topics hours or days later on LAF (TO), Cranio (TO paper), James Batley (TO hours later - how many times has JB shown KTTD and how many times did he
get coverage pre/post 13 Sept 13?), as well as writing on Amy Winehouse’s Brazil angle which I was supposed to do
again but Jonny Ensall (with the help of Proud’s press officer?) did!
So, I started to contact major venues and it was a hard won battle to be part
of Tate’s press list!”
Mark Kozelek:
In
June 2015, I wrote a piece to
Mark Kozelek in
support to music journalist Laura Snapes.
She thanked me for it. It wasn’t a piece for fun or that I created to please
her. I was very well aware of her young age, and it takes time to recover if...
At a similar age, two decades ago, I went through sexual harassment @ Les Inrockuptibles, but also
humiliation and isolation. It took me over 20 years to speak about it, so I
wanted to celebrate her courage for
writing a piece
on how he called her a bitch at a gig. Lucky her, she could express herself in
the Guardian and lucky her she had a
device to record what he said. I never had that opportunity!
Today,
I have no understanding why she is flirting with
Les Inrocks and writes for Thomas
Burgel, an ex-Inrocks.
There is nothing revolutionary about that magazine and if she thinks there is
no contestataire issues in UK, then
she is stuck into one world! What Les Inrocks seems to be doing here, is using a young
woman to cover up their sexism as explained in my piece on Carole
Boinet.
This is
what capitalism does on feminism! They buy you (financially or metaphorically),
make you think you have a voice and get two (or more) women against each
others!
Les Inrocks are nothing else but the new gossipy mag (see also in my
Carole Boinet’s piece). Laura, if you read this, have you ever wondered why Les
Inrocks haven’t sued me for libel over the past two years? I have sent them my prose via email!
Part III – 16 Jan 17
MUSIC PRESS officers –
Labels - artists – Why such discrimination?
Bjork: I used to organise AV events in
London and her label asked me if I could do a special Medúlla. I wasn’t a big fan of the artist (although I grew to
really respect her), but I did it. I also worked on Bjork’s AV events in Peru
(2006-2008). When I heard she was touring all around Latin America except Peru
in 2007, I got in touch with her label manager Derek Birkett who gave me her agents contact in New York. Let me
explain here about my LinkedIn saying I negotiated! Of course, I didn’t speak
with Bjork directly, but explained to the agents the country financial
situation and why the tickets should be affordable to all, not to a limited
number of wealthy people and that her fees had to be reduced to make it
accessible. Bjork had toured in Latin America before but never stopped in Peru.
So, after some talks with her agents, she played in Lima, Peru in 2007. Tickets
were more affordable than what it was supposed to be. Did she reduce her
personal fee; did she reduce the number of people on stage or on tour with her?
I have no idea, I didn’t organise her coming to Peru, I was an in-between. Bjork,
like U2 or the Rolling Stones are
“machines” led by an impressive number of people behind them. As far as I
know, she toured again in Latin America but never played again in Peru. For
the record, I kept all my correspondence with Derek and Bjork’s agents – just
in case some gossipers would say I invent stuff! People in Peru knew I work
hard to get Bjork in Lima (no, I was not even paid for it!) and a hype TV
station interviewed me without notice (got out of bed): me @ 1'42 & @ 2'30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6TQIq86sDA – On my return in Europe, I got myself
onto LinkedIn and wrote “I negotiated fees with Bjork”. I emailed Derek asking
him if it was ok? Derek is a very straight forward man and answers if something
has to be clarified. Upon his silence, I assumed there was no problem. If
Bjork’s admirer JD Beauvallet has asked her if it’s true (lowering fees)...
chances are it’s not in her interest to say she did, innit? No disrespect to
that, but I needed to address the issue!
XL recording: I write on Willis Earl
Beal and
can’t go to the gig... Few journalists wrote on his album and the press list is
full! I might have been a bit of a pain (old bitches can’t download), but I
also know that JD Beauvallet of Les Inrocks is quite close to the Beggars Banquet team...
Could it be that he asked for not sharing his space with a younger bitch than
he is? (19 Jan 17: am back on their mailing list :) )
Fire Record: I write on Las Kellies, can go to the gig, but am only aware
of Fire acts whenever its press officer “remembers” me (usually a week before a
gig)! As it happens international press officer Alice Gros was born (?) in the same French town as JD
Beauvallet and Emmanuel Tellier, the very one who harassed me @ Les Inrocks... - (20 Jan 17: French press officer would like me to take this bit off, but not willing to add me back on press list)
Bad Life (BL): I write on Fé (and I do mention a Les Inrocks’
quote despite my “nettle rash” against them), go to the gig. Was supposed to
meet its press officer, who couldn’t bother... Like Fire Rec, he only remembered
to send emails randomly... JD Beauvallet does write on BL!
Rocket Girl (RG): I write on ex Clan of
Xymox’s Pieter Nooten.
I didn’t get the album, a stream only in April 2013. Vinita swears she doesn’t have any releases and yet I see her from
time to time on FB packing CDs or records for music journalists... She is
Beauvallet’s friend on FB! In June 2014, I interviewed Kirk Lake, an ex signing on her 90’s label. She
published it on her personal FB praising the great Q&A. Within half an
hour, the post disappeared but appeared on her RG FB page. When I asked her (at
the time), she said FB deleted it! Recently, I saw her at a gallery preview but
she covered herself. Since I was not going to force her to talk to me, I
emailed “Why the hide, why not send me info on RG, why delete my post on Kirk
Lake”? Vinita didn’t hide, Vinita has no releases on RG, Vinita has never
posted my post on her personal page... OK! Shame, because like any labels I
contact, I like their stuff! Perhaps she should try to stop badmouthing about
people!
WARP: Funnily enough, Theo Seffusatti never replied to my emails in order to review
Warp’s releases for my blog (started in 2013).
In
2006, I sat in Warp’s kitchen and he was very keen on me doing AVs for his
label in Peru. He then sent me links that I could send around in Peru and Latin
America... “What and how to buy Warps’ products”... I am too stupid to even
realise he was using me to over promote his label. People in Peru who read his
email thought he was taking advantage! They decided to dismiss Warp. Just in
case, he wonders, the only promo CD he gave me at the time was not given, lent
to record or sold to anybody! I brought it back to Europe and still have it.
Sonic Cathedral (SC): I guess I’ve been a pain at
times but Nathaniel is the only one who keeps sending news. He is the only one
who said “whenever there is a gig, you
can come”. He’s never been flirty or anything inadequate. (No, I don’t
accuse all men to harass me: it happened twice. Sorted in UK, but Les Inrocks
in France are in vast denial)
When
Alan Vega (AV) passed away, JD
Beauvallet reminded its audience about AV’s collaboration with French singer Christophe « Il vient de s’éteindre
à 78 ans, après avoir collaboré avec son fan Christophe sur l’album récent de
ce dernier, Les Vestiges du Chaos. » (last paragraph). Since JD and
I are not the best friends (although he is probably secretly in love with me) and
since he “forgot” to mention the recent AV’s work with The Vacant Lots, I
posted it on Les Inrocks FB page when they published an obituary. My comment
was deleted three times... So I posted on my FB
(visible in July 2016). For whatever reason, “journalist” Beauvallet is on a
hate mode for Sonic Cathedral’s gems and yet he is certified as a journalist
and... on Twitter! Shame SC doesn’t RT me anymore...
Giovanna F...N for a few labels: on
16/1/17 I contacted press officer Giovanna. Within 5 minutes, she replied to my
email. Giovanna I “knew” from Resonance FM last year
– a real difficult case in the sense that music bizz is about total control.
How many followers, how many clicks... and yet, she was totally unable to send
a single record from Hackney to Hackney... Eventually, I had to come to her
office to get a record (out of guilt? She gave me a package of 10 CDs). I don’t
care about her and how incompetent she is. She is an absolute reflection about
how the music bizz is getting at / to! I am pretty convinced she’ll never make
more contact with my blog, but I might be wrong... who knows!
Sybille Castelain sybillecastelain@yahoo.co.uk
