World Music Influences: A self indulgent prelude to my Faves

["Rick Walker \(loop.pool\)" <GLOBAL@cruzio.com>]

Hi, Rick Walker here.  This, like a lot of my posts was written very late 
at
night and is a tad long winded.  If you are in a hurry, I suggest that you
move on.  If not, I'd love to know your thoughts.


I've been associated with the "World Beat" movement for over twenty years.
I hate that fucking term, personally, but there is no doubt that a lot of
the self conscious fusing (sometimes in incredibly naive and misguided 
ways)
of different world music musical styles (mostly pop and , ergo, already
imbued with a western sensibility) with American popular musical styles has
had a really large impact on popular music in the world.

I remember in 1982 I started making a series of 90 minute compilation
cassettes (remember that media?) called
World Pop.   The first one I made took me two years to complete and had
mostly Reggae influenced pop music with a small smattering of West African
pop influenced tunes as well.   Mind you, I was really interested in pop
music at the time and was fully devoted to a very creative New Wave band
that had some modest success in Northern California (please forgive me, all
those who hate New Wave :-).  Any way by 1985 I had to make three 90 minute
compilations, encompassing African music, Celtic music, Indian Music, Asian
music, Middleeastern music and Caribbean musical influences.  I quit making
the compilations in 1986 because from that time on, almost every other
modern pop release had some kind of ethnic influence in at least a song or
two (let alone records like Paul Simon or Peter Gabriel which were entirely
imbued with them)and it was taking too much of my time away from writing 
for
California's first 'World Beat' band, Tao RHYTHMICAL.   By this time, movie
soundtracks, t.v. commercials and other commercial media had a huge influx
of 'global' influences.  Samplers were really starting to make themselves
felt which only hastened the 'it's a small world after all mentality' of
modern popular music.

Anyway, long story, slightly longer............this movement,  the 
so-called
 "world beat movement" failed as a commercially viable venture and the 
major
recording labels did what they always do in their bulk and bloated profit
orientation:   they signed way to many bands far too soon...........they
went bust because they weren't very strong artistically and the companies
got gun shy of the whole thing.  Did anybody really think that there were 
25
great Grunge bands in Seattle?  That's how many bands the majors signed
hoping for another Nirvana.

It is fascinating to me.  This process repeats itself constantly.
The record companies rushed into sign every trip hop and drum and bass
group they could. There weren't very many good ones so they dropped
everything like a hot potato.

But have you checked out any television commercial or movie score lately?
Trip Hop,Techno and Drum & Bass are having a HUGE influence on what the
whole world is listening to, sonically.

Anyway,  there's no point to this story except, perhaps a quote I heard 
from
somebody (please let me know if you know who because I've forgotten):

They said,  "Artists are like the antennae of a culture:  they pick up
changes in the culture long before they are felt by the majority of the
population".

I don't know about you all, but I'm starting to hear looping EVERYWHERE!!!
Most of it is really cheesy, but the best of it, like all music is
fantastic.

Let's keep keeping on Loopers:  We may be at the crest of an artistic wave.
Then, again, we may just be a side track to the mainline of popular 
culture.
Either way, it's cool to be with you all on the journey.

yours, Rick Walker (loop.pool)

P.S. Next installment:   a few of my favorite unusual World music records