Is There Anybody Out There?
Click to viewAlways never need any hinting to play some 90's rave at you - which was basically like Raven Maize and The Source a mashup in all but name. Talking Heads remains slyly tinkling in the background in the released version, and the guitar riff and other bits were re-recorded, but the original had bits from the Pink Floyd (the titular sample which was lost in the released version), The Osmonds - Crazy Horses riff, Afrika Bambaataa and many more...
Must play this original version if I can track it down and I haven't before on the podcast.
But the title has a double meaning and talking of the podcast that's part of the problem, a general feeling that I am shouting into the void. All artists and creatives get this, but it's bad atm.
What doesn't help is that I got lectured at last year by an longterm figure in the mashup community as a 'gatekeeper' and that I should 'spread the love to other artists' - I already do, most of Radio Clash is bigging up other people's work - that's the point. I promote music I love, from mashups to originals. The thing was they want to spread the love to what THEY think we should do, the commercial side, the side that isn't engaged with our small community. I see no point in that, if you're already fucking with major labels then you don't need my help (but you will get screwed over, it's a fool's game).
I'm more like John Peel, I want to feature what I love, and see no reason to go for the commercially 'sensible' option, although of course I want my stuff to be heard, so there is a contradiction there...and of course if I see something that aligns with what I want to do, and it's funny and I think I can do something creative with it, spin it- I jump on that bandwagon, but not for likes/clicks but maybe the ever-present algorithms will show me to a new audience? I love to subvert those viral things - by the time they are big the moment has passed anyway!
What gets my goat is it very one-sided; people are interested in their own works being featured, but drive-on-by the rest of the podcast. They promote their own stuff, dump it on sites they never frequent/rarely interact on, and criticise me if I don't feature theirs or stuff they like...but then don't share the love with my mashups and podcast, which cannot get arrested usually.
Some do, and some old hands are the reason why I still do it, but some are only in it 'for the money' (or fame or bragging rights or 'make a point' or whatever) and seem rather flexible about their support when it doesn't further their interests. The Bootleg Archive is similar, others using it for their own agenda but then not paying it forward.
Raiding the Archive for tracks to play on their Twitch streams to get subs, but not adding more tracks to it. 'Someone else's problem'. Grr. I mention this, and I get told to employ an unpaid intern. Err, yeah, not going to exploit people...the whole point of crowdsourcing these projects is that everyone can do it, DIY. Adding exploitation to the mix is never a good thing (and tells you a lot about their class politics)
That is a really depressing thought, that I bring hours of new music to people - days of the stuff, I haven't counted recently but 361 podcasts of 45-2:30 hours each is a lot of stuff, not counting the live streams, sets and mixtapes.
And it has always felt like a very lonely task, and one that can't even get the odd comment on the blog. It does feel like it's dying, but then I felt bad when I did the three year hiatus - later 2014 to early 2018 yet didn't really miss the podcast, I do feel I ended it too early...hence the comeback. But it does feel that without being on iTunes and Spotify - no thanks to UMG, gits - the audience is smaller and shrinking?
I know the usual lecture - do your thing, fuck anyone else, do it for you etc.
Practically that is hard when you're talking something that is approaching two decades, and others use as research and take from, but don't give back? It feels like an uphill battle to stay inspired. And sharing the love must be both ways, sure I don't hassle friends to listen to my streams or podcasts, people have their own lives - but I can't be totally alone with being hurt I find out someone I know is on Twitch long term but has never AFAIK ever listened to one of my streams?
Or that I can hardly get low figures to turn out to listen to one after all this time? Especially the people who get sad if I stop or stop doing it, but then many of those don't actually turn out to support...those things aren't somehow unrelated.
I'm on Facebook*
I'm on fire
I try to do what I can
To stay inspired...
The first time it happened
Was with Scroobius Pip
The PA blew a fuse
As soon as my bass hit
I'm facing a big room
Full of impatient kids
Unaided by the amps or the mic or the rig
Lot of your favorite rappers
Would have cancelled the gig
Held it down both times
Acapella, like "fuck this shit!
If they can't give me a stage
I'm getting up on a chair!"
That's all you
Really need to know about
My fucking career
The care less half listener class
Write it and read it
As fact
Either you keep
Or you trash, Ether
I'm breathing on tracks
B Dolan - Stay Inspired
(*The irony being with the lyric in that hook that B. Dolan pretty much left Facebook last year....for his Discord and Minecraft!)
Reminds me one of the best hiphop gigs I ever went to along with Epic Beard Men (seen them twice, B Dolan and Sage Francis) and El-P doing a tiny set at Bestival was Kae Tempest pre-big fame in the Crow's Nest at Glastonbury, and they did that, got into the 20-30 capacity audience and rapped live, without mic. It was amazing. So I totally get what he means...but also the whole 'it's been a struggle' sentiment hits hard with me. that others seem to have it easier/privilege and I struggle with shitty broken equipment - look at all the streamers, DJs, YouTubers - nearly all white, cis, well-off.
That's why. And I'm technically able and better than most, so others have no chance unless rich parents or patrons. I don't have people giving me a new Apple Mac Book Pro M1 laptop....as happened to one of the new industry supported TikTok mashup stars. Whereas I post my first three videos, two get immediately muted. Meh.
The silver spoon was definitely not in my mouth, I do not 'fit'.