Re: Rick Walker responds to Mark Sottilaro

[Zoe Keating <cello@zoekeating.com>]

have a great festival rick! new york is COLD...!!


On Monday, October 6, 2003, at 02:19 PM, Rick Walker/Loop.pooL wrote:

>
> 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
>