Rick Walker responds to Mark Sottilaro

["Rick Walker/Loop.pooL" <looppool@cruzio.com>]

for the record:

I really like Mark Sottilaro a lot.   I value his presence on the list.
I really like Kim Flint a lot.  I value his presence (and reluctant
leadership of this community) a lot.

They both think I'm full of shit with this whole live looping thingee.

It's really okay.   I'm nor losing sleep over it, really (all though I am
losing sleep or the rash of last minute
cancellations and shedule changes for this weekends festivals.........lol)

 Mark and I will laugh and laugh the next time we get together.   Shit, as
of tonight, we'll
both have blue hair...........along with Kim's purple ponytailed
coder/mullet that makes us probably the only
loopers on this list who have wierd hair colors.  We're brothers in that
respect at least.............and I really dug
Marks' set at Loopstock and am really sad that he doesn't want to
participate, but that's okay, too.

I HAVE been oversensitive on this list about criticism of promoting the
looping festivals and the live looping scene.
In particular, I was really hurt at the time my mom died when Kim was so
critical of the scene.

But that is also okay.

My working definition of intimacy is that we have the ability to share
negativity with each other
and can still be friends.    It's okay.  Not everybody gets a thrill out of
playing our little, 'self congratulatory'
live looping festivals.  A lot do though, and it makes my year to attend
Loopfest or the Y2K_ series.   I've really
forged some great friendships.

As far as criticism goes, the way I see it,  if you are doing something 
with
all of your heart
and you are really putting yourself out in the public eye, you are going to
piss off, threaten, annoy and otherwise
cause negative attention in a certain population.

I've tried as much as possible to serve my community (or percieved
community) with my efforts in the last five years
here at Loopers Delight.

Do I have an ego?   Of course I do.   Any musician who puts what they are
doing out
to the public has to have some ego.........otherwise you just sit in your
bedroom never interacting with people.
Do I care about trying hard to create a nurturing and supportive community
that produces exciting events
for people to play at and attend.  You bet.

Do I think that I"m God's gift to the looping
world.........................FUCK NO!!!!!!!     I just want to have places
to play, exciting events to attend and a loving and supportive community to
be a part of.............it's really that simple


*************

Also, I wanted to say something that is very obvious to me about (and a few
people just don't get)  this whole '1st LIVE LOOPING FESTIVAL strategy that
I use (shamelessly, I have to admit).

I have been a successful publicist for over 25 years in the music business.
What I have learned is:   Like a good pop
song,  you have to have a "hook" to get the journalists, radio DJs and the
public interested in what you are doing:
ESPECIALLY IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT EXIST conveniently in the
traditional record store categories.

Using this strategy has gotten our live looping scene a tremendous amount 
of
press.   By merely calling something what it is
(and Mark, for the past four years, NOONE in San Francisco has put on a
specific live looping festival to my knowledge, despite the
really large number of excellent looping artists that reside in that city).

It's a ploy to get established folks!!!!!!     I'm surprised that so many
critics of this strategy have never really looked at what it's purpose is
forIt's also a great thing to put on a resume when one is trying to apply
for other music festivals or for musical grants.
Because  a lot of people in this community are really striving to be
innovative musically (including the wonderful Andre La Fosse who wants
absolutely nothing to do with the live looping movement)  we have to rely 
on
festivals, grants and unusual gigs to get our asses out there.

that's all that its' about:     PUTTING IT OUT THERE.    Creating something
out of nothing.


It takes courage and chutzpah to put something out to the
world...............if you  could see the excitement and nervousness of the
newbies who play these festivals for the first time.....................you
would realize that all the hype and all the arguments on the list
and all the hours and all the money are well, well worth it.

The next time you are critical of this process (which is okay by me) ask
yourself this.......................when was the last time I played
out.............when was the last time I released a CD...........

Come participate if it floats your
boat..................................boycott it if it floats your boat.

I, myself, am planning to really enjoy myself this weekend because I will
get to sit back and here a lot of courageous people
express themselves creatively.

Can that be such a bad thing?

yours,   Rick Walker