== ISSUE 216 ==== CONSUMABLE ONLINE ======== [August 1, 2000] Editor: Bob Gajarsky E-mail: editor@consumableonline.com Managing Editor: Lang Whitaker Sr. Correspondents: Daniel Aloi, Joann D. Ball, Chris Hill, Bill Holmes, Tim Kennedy, Jon Steltenpohl Correspondents: Michelle Aguilar, Paul Andersen, Christina Apeles, Niles J. Baranowski, Jason Cahill, Matthew Carlin, John Davidson, Andrew Duncan, Matt Fink, Krisjanis Gale, Jade Hughes, Paul Hanson, Scott Hudson, Jianda Johnson, Steve Kandell, David J. Klug, Reto Koradi, Robin Lapid, Wes Long, I.K. MacLeod, Al Muzer, Wilson Neate, Linda Scott, Don Share, Scott Slonaker, Kerwin So, Chelsea Spear, Simon West Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, David Landgren, Dave Pirmann Also Contributing: A cast of great writers over the years. Thanks! Looking Down On Us: Sean Eric McGill Address all comments to staff@consumableonline.com . ================================================================== All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright Consumable and their author(s). ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES THE HISTORY OF CONSUMABLE ONLINE - Bob Gajarsky FAREWELL, THEE WRITERS! WHY DO I BOTHER? - Bill Holmes EVENT REVIEW: MP3 Summit 2000 - Joann D. Ball WHY NAPSTER ISN'T THE EVIL EMPIRE - Bob Gajarsky CONFESSIONS OF AN INTERNET ROCK CRITIC - Dr. Johnny Walker RANDOM THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS...INCLUDING THE FUTURE - Bob Gajarsky THE READERS WRITE BACK Back Issues of Consumable --- THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES This August 1, 2000 issue is the final release of Consumable Online. We'd like to thank all past and present staffers, the publicists who worked with Consumable in a new and evolving medium, and especially the readers of Consumable. Your support and encouragement enabled us to keep going, even when things weren't always wonderful. In that spirit, this issue looks all around us - towards the past with a history of Consumable, towards the present with a look inside the writer's minds, and towards the future with MP3 and Napster. All in all, it's been a great run. Thanks for the memories. --- THE HISTORY OF CONSUMABLE ONLINE - Bob Gajarsky It was August, 1993. It had been two years since I had written music columns for my college newspaper, and I was having the 'bug' again. I wanted to critique some of the latest music, and was looking for an outlet for my reviews. At the same time, I discovered a print publication out of central New Jersey, called Consumable. One issue of Consumable had been printed, and a second one was due to 'go to bed' (industry terminology for the final deadline of an issue, before the printers get ahold of things) shortly. I inquired if I could join the staff, and offered a unique twist to things: we could provide dual versions of Consumable - in print and via the Internet! The then-editor (Scott Williams) and I discussed how this would work. Our final decision: any reviews I had of current artists would appear first on the Internet, and then in the print version. People who provided written materials would have their articles published on the Internet at a later date. At first, the online version of Consumable was limited to posting reviews (and articles) on Usenet - which is a worldwide free 'news' posting message area, similar to AOL's bulletin boards. And soon, people were e-mailing, asking how they could subscribe to Consumable via e-mail. So from that starting point, Consumable started to gain a subscription list which ultimately reached more than 10,000 worldwide subscribers. One of those early subscribers stated that a piece on New Brunswick, N.J. rave organizers Digital Deviants (written by Scott) was "absolutely brilliant". It took a little bit of technology research, but we were able to verify that yes, the e-mail did come from Richard Hall...a.k.a. Moby. One initial problem which we encountered came from people not involved in technology. The staffers who wrote for Consumable (in print) for the most part didn't have Internet access, and couldn't grasp the fact that something in cyberspace could hit many more people than ANYTHING in print. One of the first publicists we contacted for materials, in fact, asked "The Internet; what's that? Is that like a BBS with 20 subscribers?" I had to patiently explain that the newsgroups offered the potential to *be read* by tens of thousands of people, and would *reach* hundreds of thousands. That sort of in-depth explanation - along with faxing copies of each and every review, when Consumable never appeared in 'print' - helped open eyes to the worldwide potential of the Internet in the music industry. Finally, Scott had enough of the print publication - for that, I can't blame him one bit - and bequeathed to me the name Consumable, and all 'rights' to it. That was back in 1995. I figured Consumable would last another year online, and then we'd call it a day. And just as this was going on, the craziest thing was happening. A few people had already requested information on how to write for Consumable - and this number just started to explode! At the beginning of 1995, Consumable had 15 people involved with writing. Of those 15, we had one from Croatia, one from Canada, one from Germany, one from France, one from Switzerland, one from the United Kingdom, two from Scotland, and one from Australia. Wow! Talk about a global community - this was it! We made a decision early on to limit the number of reviews. This was partially determined by the e-mail distribution method of Consumable. If an issue was too large, we would receive it returned from the user's system, with an error message "too large for the system". In addition, it was felt that readers are looking for intelligent reviews that allow *them* to decide whether to purchase a disc. Rather than run reviews trashing a band that no one has heard of, we chose to publish positive commentary on a limited number of discs. Sure, we would periodically trash a well-known artist - but in that instance, again, we were suggesting the reader save their money (by NOT purchasing a disc which might be on the 'to purchase' list) and buy something more worthy. Reviews were assigned in a very simple fashion. Something we called the "writer's notes" were dispatched to our writers on a bi-weekly basis. This would provide a list of all current and future releases that were available and on lesser-known artists, a description of what the album sounded like. Writers would then place requests (both on reviews and interviews), and - only at that point - they would be assigned certain discs. Sometimes, a publicist wouldn't come through with the release. And, sometimes, we'd just plain blow something. If a writer didn't 'claim' a disc for review, we wouldn't review it. But for the most part, this allowed people to cover groups or styles of music they felt comfortable with, while the editor-in-chief stayed further back from the frontline. And, when we moved to the World Wide Web, Consumable continued to grow. Without advertising, stock options, or ever promising a feature interview, we were able to generate up to 150,000 hits / month. This only reinforced the dedication of our staffers, who knew that they were not only able to speak their mind to an informed community, but that outsiders were looking in to see what Consumable had to say. During the next five years, Consumable's staff continued to fluctuate, but the very essence of Consumable - talented writers expressing their feelings, in well-thought out pieces, on alternative music - never wavered. We hope this dedication shone through in the reviews. So now, seven years after its inception, Consumable Online is closing its doors. I think there will be two legacies left in the wake of Consumable's demise. The first will be the fact that the Internet provides an opportunity for select small groups to compete - and actually flourish - against the establishment. And the second is in the names of the staff members who have appeared on the Consumable masthead over the years. I'm sure you'll be seeing their names in print and on the Internet for many years to come. --- FAREWELL, THEE WRITERS! As part of our farewell issue, we invited the writers - both present and past - to say a little about themselves; their current plans, future projects, and whatever caught their fancy. We've always featured a wide array of experience and interests among our writers, and hope to share a little of that with you now. Farewells often happen abruptly, with no advance planning, and with no finances left; Consumable's closure merely comes as a completion of a plan, and with no bitter feelings among any of us. Any of our writers will still read their e-mail; to contact them for future assignments, or just to say "hey, thanks!" the format is (first initial)(last name) @ consumableonline.com Daniel Aloi: In five years of writing for Consumable, I've heard its readers (musicians and fans alike) praise it for being positive and open to anything. I nudged two friends into taking the fan-to-writer leap and contributing, and I'm as proud of their work as anything I wrote. I'm going to miss having one such respectable source for the sharp and expansive viewpoints my unseen colleagues and I shared in CO with the world. It's been among the high points of my 13 years of writing criticism, so thanks for reading us, trusting us, and sharing our enthusiasm. (and P.S. I'll miss it so much, I'm available to anyone seeking a publicist, music editor, or staff writer...) Paul Andersen: A Southern California native (yes, folks, they _do_ exist) who would someday like to experience the turning of a season, Paul Andersen credits his computer with finally turning him into a writer rather than a dabbler in words. "It takes away the excuses," he says. "With the typewriter, I would get lazy, not wanting to have to buy stock in liquid paper." Writing mainly about music (all styles) and the arts, he believes in using his platform to promote rather than dissuade. "I'd rather use my little bit of space to turn someone on to something good, rather than trash somebody," he admits. "Besides, it's just my opinion anyway, and why would anyone want to hear me rant about something?" Among the publications he writes for are Entertainment Today, the Pasadena Weekly, the Pasadena Star News, Glendale News Press, San Gabriel Valley Weekly, L.A. Daily News, South Bay Weekend, 28th Street and the Burbank Leader, as well as the late L.A. Reader and BAM. He also ran his own jazz p.r. firm for about five years back in the late 70s-early 80s. "If I could, I'd like to move away from the local markets, either online or with some magazines," he says laughing. "You get tired of having to make it have a local angle. Something like _Pulse_ or _Jane_ would be cool, because they are magazines people actually read." Christina Apeles is a writer and co-publisher of Spin the Wheel Press, a collaborative venture by Los Angeles-based writers and artists to publish innovative projects and experimental texts. She has contributed music reviews, artist interviews, entertainment news, short stories and pop culture articles to several print and online magazines including BUST, Glue, Giant Robot and LosAngeles.com. She currently does freelance publicity for local artists and writers, and occasionally coordinates local arts events. Joann D. Ball has been in the music industry for more than a decade. A Chicago native, she has worked in programming and sales at college and commercial radio, has done marketing and promotions work at major record labels and has done freelance media consulting for bands and other entertainment clients. Ball is excited about the potential of the digital music industry, and currently seeks a full-time marketing/promotion, programming or editorial position where she can contribute her extensive knowledge of music genres and radio formats. Ball has written for Consumable Online since 1995, when she relocated to San Diego, California. During that time, she has reviewed a range of major and independent label releases from such genres as alternative and mainstream rock, adult acoustic pop, electronica, acid jazz and hip-hop. She has interviewed several recording artists including Peter Koppes of The Church and Sally Taylor, and also has covered such major events as SXSW 2000 and the 1999 San Francisco New Year's Eve (SFNYE) Superior Bash. In her free time, Ball enjoys listening to recorded and live music and is particularly impressed by artists Randi Driscoll and Lisa Sanders who are poised to emerge nationally from the San Diego singer/songwriter scene. Niles Baranowski is a fledgling writer based in St. Louis, MO. He has just graduated from Washington University and currently works for an art house movie theatre while he figures out his proverbial 'next move,' though he would love to write about music in any capacity. He has written and edited for Cadenza, the quasi-autonomous datebook section of Washington University's paper (where he won three awards for reviews of the Pixies, Alanis Morrissette and Fiona Apple, respectively), as well as contributing to Sample, a music zine put out by KWUR, WU's campus station. He also served as Music Director of KWUR for a year. In addition to music, Niles also loves anime and Chinese cooking (he may end up in cooking school someday). Always a slight Anglophile, London is his next concrete destination, where he dreams of writing for the NME. His dream job, however, would be a monthly column in a national magazine about the Japanese pop (J-pop) scene for American neophytes. Niles's all-time Desert Island Selection is Bowie's _Scary Monsters_. Dan Birchall: A New Jersey native, Dan now lives in Hawaii, where he works as a web programmer/developer in the retail industry. Long-time editor of _Screaming in Digital_, the Queensryche Internet magazine, he specializes in progressive rock and metal, but has many interests and has reviewed other genres, individually and in partnership with his wife Maisha. Chris Butler: I play drums with Richard Lloyd, am writing and recording songs for three different projects at once (nuts!), but can best be described as a person who is already missing Consumable. Chris Candreva: By day, Chris runs WestNet Internet Services in Rye, NY. By night, he restores and plays 80's era arcade machines, noodles around on his guitar, and looks for things to fix around the house. Chris and his wife Valerie are expecting their first child. Matthew Carlin is the Managing Editor of Knotes magazine / program guide, the official print publication of New York's (and now Hollywood's as well) Knitting Factory club. He also does some writing and editing for jazze.com and the various online outposts of KnitMedia, the company that owns the Knitting Factory. He is also a freelance writer, whose contributions can be seen in such places as All Music Guide, gANK magazine and various trade publications and online places. John Davidson (Atlanta, GA) has been covering music for various publications on a local and national basis for too many years now, and has no awards to show for it. He does, however, have a gargantuan music collection numbering in the 1000s. He thinks that Lester Bangs was criminally overrated and Jack Rabid criminally ignored. While Davidson has spent most of his time championing indie acts, he's never turned down a major label press junket in Hawaii. Finally, if the Replacements ever reform, he will be the first in line at the ticket booth. Andrew Duncan is a recent graduate from IUPUI with a bachelor's degree in Journalism, and is currently living in Indianapolis. Duncan began his career at The IUPUI Sagamore, the college newspaper, winning several distinctive awards including the National Collegic Press Association for best newspaper design. Duncan is currently employed at Sherman and Company, a business public relations firm with a clientele including Navistar, American Pianists Association, Ingersoll-Rand, and other national and local businesses. He is also a contributing writer for both print and online publications, including Chord, Uno Mas, Readyset...aesthetic!, Heckler and, beginning this fall, Yahtzeen! He is also developing an Indianapolis-based publication due for release late fall or early winter. With feature and review writing, design experience, an endurance of coffee stains and a wedding in the works, Duncan is always looking for new adventures in the world of entertainment and pop culture in which to contribute to. Matt Fink: I'm a lifelong music fan. During my tenure as a music journalist, I've found employment as a biographer for the Rough Guide to Rock and Roll, an album reviewer for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, and doing a combination of both duties for the All Music Guide. I hope to continue writing and eventually reach a level of financial independence making the acquisition of a normal 9 to 5 job unnecessary. Bob Gajarsky (Hoboken, NJ) has spent the past seven years juggling jobs: PC support person at a major international bank for 6 years and trading equities for his own portfolio for one year during the day, and by night, running Consumable Online. The amount of time involved with Consumable left him with minimal energy, but apart from numerous music articles republished in other publications, his baseball writings (on the myths of clutch hitting, as well as an interview with Carl Pavano) have appeared in the Baseball Prospectus. After the flame has been rekindled, you may see him managing other projects and contributing to other publications once again. But for now, having a ten hour work day seems relatively calming. Paul Hanson has been writing reviews on the Internet since 1997. He currently contributes to a number of sites including Flow Online, Daily Vault, Jersey Beat, Pandemonium, 181 Degrees From The Norm, Ballbuster and Moisst. The highlights of his career include interviewing Igor Calavera of Sepultura, Max Calavera of Sepultura, and face-to-face interviews with Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust and Jeff Pilson of Dokken. On a personal level, Paul is married and has two children, Megan, 4, and Alexander, 2. Alex was named after Alex Van Halen. Chris Hill works in a Joe Banks day job at a major Seattle aircraft manufacturer. He spends his spare time searching for his Patricia, replacing career genes with obscure film trivia genes (which are far stronger since they feed on microbrews), reading P.G. Wodehouse, learning how to kayak, and obsessively collecting the catalog of whatever band's striking his fancy that day. Writing for Consumable has been a great experience. First off, thanks to Bob Gajarsky for taking on a new writer solely on a friend's recommendation. Second, reading and being influenced by the other CO writers has been wonderful for him. Each issue brought new amazement at the depth of the staff's knowledge and interests. You guys rock. And roll. Hill's future plans include working with fellow fans and the artist himself on Lloyd Cole's website (http://www.lloydcole.com), enjoying life in general, travelling to Europe, and utilizing his English Lit degree to better professional advantage. Best wishes to all the fellow writers and to everyone out there who's taken the time to read Consumable. As much as you've enjoyed the reading and writing, so has he. Look for him standing by the side of the road holding a cardboard sign that says, "Will write for compact discs." Throw cd singles. He's not proud. Bill Holmes: I started writing reviews again five years ago after a long absence; the immediacy of the Internet seemed to be a logical way to communicate the excitement of a new release without the long delay of print magazines. Consumable was my first online experience and will probably remain closest to my heart for its no-advertising, call-em-as-you-hear-em attitude that is lacking in so many of these puff-piece sites that boast "objective journalism". Never wise-ass or trendy, it was a consistent home for well-worded commentary, and it never lowered the bar for any writer, label or band. Thanks, Bob, for five great years together. I continue to write for a few other publications; Cosmik Debris and PopMatters live in the online world and Amplifier, Pop Culture Press and Bucketful Of Brains are my most frequent print appearances. I continue to seek out great music and deserving artists and hope that my words continue to entertain and enlighten the reader. Visit Dr. Bristol's Musical Prescription at http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/8282/ if and when you are in the mood. Scott Hudson: For the past 12 years I have been employed as a Real Estate Appraiser with the Mecklenburg County Tax Office in Charlotte, NC. In addition to writing with Consumable, I am currently writing for http://PopMatters.com with a future goal of writing press releases for new and established acts. I reside in Concord, NC with my wife Lynda and our two children Chelsea and Ian. Jianda Johnson lives in Southern California, and writes music, film and book-related features and interviews for websites such as About.com and MP3.com and others. She has also been published online in Clean Sheets, Scarlet Letters and Doorknobs and Bodypaint for fiction, and is looking forward to her"carbon-based" publishing debut in the "Faster Pussycats" and "Well Rounded" anthologies this and next year. She sings, studies Aikido, and dabbles in music video play at the L.A.-based production company, New Venture Productions. Reto Koradi: While not always a frequent writer, I had the opportunity to be part of Consumable since the early days. Being from Switzerland, I often wrote about artists from the European Continent that I thought deserved more world wide exposure, and also reported about concerts on a few occasions. I moved to the United States (St. Louis) a little more than two years ago, have a PhD degree in computer science, and work as a software engineer in the scientific (drug discovery) area. Wes Long: Take one young and very impressionable child, feed him on an elephant steady diet of Beatles and Marvel comics, and you're apt to create a beast not too dissimilar to Wes Long. Wes comes fully equipped with a piranha rabid appetite for hook laden power pop and a "so-called" unhealthy obsession for the written word (what the hell does his caseworker know anyway?). He's studied at several easily forgotten North Carolina institutes and has a background in art and English. In addition to these rather freakish qualities and an uncanny ability to speak of himself in the 3rd person he's a published and award-winning poet, guitarist and frequent contributor to the fine print music magazine The Music Monitor. Wes was last seen on a downtown Charlotte street corner lying motionless 'neath a placard baring his name and the Sharpie scribbled words: WILL WRITE FOR FOOD. He ain't too proud to beg. Al Muzer: A longtime music writer and regular columnist for The Aquarian Weekly, Al has also shared his opinion with readers of The Music Paper, Live Wire, JUICE, AOL's HUB, All-Star Magazine, Rock Brigade, Hit Sensations, The Musician's Exchange, CDNow, Addicted To Noise, Hits and The East Coast Rocker. Not particularly suited to any vocation other than writing (and, to further limit his options, writing about music) Muzer lists band and artist bios for Buddy Guy, Luna, John Mayall, Third Day, Pilfers, Kitty In The Tree, Country Dick Montana and The Rosenbergs among his accomplishments and has covered artists from Clint Black to the Circle Jerks and the Wallflowers to Waylon (Jennings). A knowledgeable fan of rock, blues, rock-a-billy, punk, power pop, bluegrass, classical, exotica and country music and a walking encyclopedia of seemingly pointless, music-related trivia -- Al Muzer also freelances as a copywriter for several publicity and Internet firms and is always looking for additional outlets for his creative energy. For examples of his work, check out http://www.musichead.com Nina Ramos: Scott Williams once had a dream...and a lot of time on his hands. So, he started this little thing called Consumable Zine. The point was to provide honest reports on the NY/NJ area music scene. Having a similar amount of time on my hands, I came on as assistant publicity director and advertising maven. After 2 issues Scott and I looked at each other and said - "This...this is hard." In comes Bob Gajarsky to the rescue! He took our fledgling zine and spun it onto the World Wide Web. Thus, Consumable became the first staffed online music reviews publication. Scott and I remained contributing writers for some time. However, we developed lives that ultimately left no room for Consumable. With a sad heart, I left Consumable and went to Seattle for art school. Scott...well, no one really knows what happened to Scott. Since my last review for Consumable sometime in 1996, I have settled in Silicon Valley and become a Digital Video maven/computer geek. My time with Consumable is definitely one of the top 3 highlights of my life - next to breathing and being a girl. Mike Watt at Tramps, NYC...Shudder to Think's video release party...I am filled with much emotion at these last moments...I bid it all a fond adieu. Goodnight. Linda Scott: Music is a major part of my life. I am interested in listening to music, following artist and band careers, learning about the music business, and working on music-related publicity. I have done reviews for Consumable since 1995. I am the webmaster for the official fan site of ex-Guns N'Roses lead guitarist and frontman for Slash's Snakepit, Slash. I work with Slash and others in his organizationon publicity for the fans and useful information on Slash from his discography to his equipment, style and techniques. The page is located at http://www.snakepit.org . Don Share also writes on music for All Music Guide and MTVi's Sonicnet.com. He is also a published poet and translator who recently won the London Times Literary Supplement Translation Prize, as well as a musician whose music has received airplay from Memphis to Sydney. Scott Slonaker is a lifelong music fan and college radio geek who began writing for Consumable in January, 1997. Prior to this, he self-published thirty-two issues of his Take One music zine by email and Usenet. (Take One may resurface with Consumable's dissolution). Scott is completing his MBA at Ohio University at the end of August and has accepted a Sales Applications Coordinator position at Harris Corporation, producer of analog and digital broadcast transmitters, parts, and components. He often does karaoke to "Ice Ice Baby", which usually proves excruciating for any and all listeners. Chelsea Spear: Hi there - you might remember me (Ed. Note: Troy Mcclure? Couldn't resist...) from my extensive coverage of indie-girl bands and worship of the Elephant 6 Recording Company. Now that Consumable Online is ending its tenure I will be turning my attention to film, both as a filmmaker and a writer. My film _Girl on a Bicycle_ will be screening at some film-festivals, and I will be contributing "vision" to one of my friends' bands at Terrastock 4 this fall. In the meantime, I will be writing about film for Insound.com and attending courses at Suffolk University this fall. Check out my website at http://www.pixievision.tripod.com/home.html for further happenings. Lang Whitaker (Managing Editor): I got my start with Consumable, so I will forever be grateful for that. Since then, I've gone on to become the urban music writer for Creative Loafing in Atlanta, the second-largest newspaper in Georgia. I also contribute regularly to several magazines including Slam, Paper, The Source and XXL. In September, I will be moving to New York City to become the editor of http://Slamonline.com , the web site for the world's coolest basketball magazine, Slam. If you like basketball, we're going to make you extremely happy. As Consumable fades into cyber-history, I'd like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Bob Gajarsky for being a tireless worker, a dedicated music lover, and, more than that, a friend. Hopefully, my name will continue floating around in print for years to come, even if it's not under the Consumable banner. Thanks a lot everybody, it's been a blast. Last one out, don't forget to turn out the light. --- WHY DO I BOTHER? - Bill Holmes I don't know any better, really. When I was young enough that standing in the crib was an accomplishment, my Mom would put the radio on to help keep me amused while she ironed, dusted, or whatever stay-at-home Moms did back in the day. She must have noticed something, because I have 45's that date back to those pre-toddler days, and I remember them vividly. "Little Star", by The Elegants, was the first, and it's still one of my favorite songs. Thousands of records and... and... (gulp...I don't want to total the dollars!)... well, years later, I still have a voracious appetite for sounds. Growing up in the sixties and seventies in and around New York, my formal schooling was mirrored culturally by the classic AM jocks like Murray The K, Cousin Bruce Morrow and Dandy Dan Daniels. When I hipped to the FM dial, the baton was picked up by Scott Muni, Alison Steele ("The Nightbird") and Vin Scelsa, The Last Man Standing. Hearing the new singles and albums break the airwaves was a rush, and buying the latest sides was an event. I remember huddling with friends over everything from the latest Beatles and Stones singles to albums from Hendrix, Black Sabbath and Cream. Radio meant exposure to Motown and bubblegum pop, blues rock and surf music, progressive pomp and flowery singer-songwriter sides. Admittedly, it was a magical time. Think about the geniuses that competed for air time in the late sixties - Dylan, Lennon/McCartney, Brian Wilson, Ray Davies, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Holland/Dozier/Holland, Jagger/Richards. I could drop twenty more names with ease. Many people abandon their passion for music when they graduate school, get married, get a "real job". Or perhaps their "passion" is only a temporary burst when the music lingers in their psyche, before it dwindles into background noise, where it shall forever remain. I just don't understand that transition, for although my life is and has been grounded, there has never been a moment when music has not been as important to me as breathing. I've spent most of my life trying to share the pleasure music has given me. It's an emotional roller coaster, a drug, a confessor, a best pal and the soundtrack to a broken heart. It's ALIVE. It's boundless. And most importantly, it's a highly subjective art form, with the ability to appeal, at some level, to everyone, if given the chance. The byproduct of all this invested passion is that I have watched countless worthy artists toil in obscurity, as the corporate atmosphere continues to use demographics, shareholder profits and plain old greed to suck every altruistic blood cell from what once was art. There's an entire generation of listeners who cannot visualize the meaning of a song without a video. With AM radio devoid of sounds and FM radio tightly wound, those who know no better juggle the few songs that the powers that be select for them. What once was a stallion on a vast, uncharted landscape is now a trotter horse wearing blinders. So why do I bother? Anger, frustration and bitterness didn't help me push John Hiatt or Rory Gallagher or Matthew Sweet into the public eye any sooner than they got there; those emotions are helpless and weak. But the written word is a powerful weapon. If I can do the legwork, scour the magazines, surf the websites and turn over every stone looking for worthwhile music, and then communicate my discoveries and impressions in a cohesive and honest way, then someone WILL get it. And if those people who get it, in turn, play those songs or talk about those bands...hell, START a band...then the music is alive. And I know how to look, because when I see the offerings I am handed, I know what I am missing. I once had an aural encyclopedia on my radio dial, and that has been taken from me. But like the book-readers in Fahrenheit 451, even if it means starting over with the most basic of tools - passing the word - I must do it. The tools are there for anyone with two ears and a heart to discover a global community of wonderful music beyond the standard menu choices. I'm willing to forge ahead on behalf of those who need proof, and find those records and artists, and hold them aloft in my hands like so many jewels salvaged from the bottom of the murky ocean. And when I do, I know that the next time some of you will have already jumped in without being pushed. And some of you will share your treasures with me, and we'll sit around some virtual living room, reveling in the beauty and the energy and the emotion that music brings, and we will look at each other with that warm, knowing smile as another timeless moment is added to our lives. And as much as I will do it for you, I will continue to do it for me, too. I have to. And that's why I bother. --- EVENT REVIEW: MP3 Summit 2000, San Diego, CA June 22-23,2000 - Joann D. Ball I want my MP3! Of course, CEO Michael Robertson wants his MP3.com to be the digital music source of choice. Better yet, he wants MP3.com to be "your music service provider," and that was the theme of the third annual MP3 Summit held June 22-23 on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. Robertson made his case at his alma mater, which is a stone's throw from MP3's headquarters, and before a record crowd of industry movers and shakers, artists and others who are trying to make sense of the ever-changing digital cyberscape. In his opening keynote address, Robertson was adamant that "a different mindset" is needed to maximize the potential of the digital music industry. His own efforts involve repositioning MP3.com as a music service provider and infrastructure company to counter the perception that it is simply a content provider. And the search for a viable business model was the main topic of interest, with proactive industry professionals all seeking ways to diversify the music industry's revenue stream so it isn't so tied to CD sales and radio airplay. The focus of the first panel of the day, "Pay to Play: Models for Monetizing Music Content from Dollar-a-Download to subscription," advertising-based and subscription models were presented as having the biggest advantage on the open market. The over-riding question, of course, was how to generate revenue and profits when digital music listeners have expressed such an overwhelming demand for free music through Napster and similar file sharing options. Regardless of what the market may decide, there was agreement among attendees that songwriters and artists absolutely deserve to get paid. At a conference that was decidedly technology focused, the most entertaining of the nearly twenty panels, sessions and presentations of the Summit was about the music and those who make it. "Sound Advice: Online Artist Success Stories and How They Can Work for You" featured the always entertaining rap artist Ice-T among the guest panelists. In his street-wise and expletive infused delivery, he made the whole Internet music situation extremely easy to understand. Even though he compared major labels to the most ruthless gangstas who run thangs and control the turf, Ice-T still gave props to the Internet because it makes it possible for artists to own their own music. And it was his vision of a phat Christmas in the future that captured the digital music industry's ultimate challenge : "The Internet, music, MP3, is not going to move until the hardware catches up. The Christmas of the MP3 car stereo, the Christmas of the MP3 home system, the Christmas when the Rio player is playing six and eight hours... when that shit happens, sites are going to be bombarded because people are going to need content." Making digital music portable and freeing people from their computers, as Ice-T so eloquently explained is the key to a successful digital music revolution. And to prove that it is a work in progress, many of the exhibitors in the Exhibition Showcase touted innovative products designed to facilitate the process. DigMedia Inc. displayed the portable SoulMate and non-PC based jukebox MusicStore and NetPlayRadio introduced its FMP3 transmitter which makes it possible to broadcast MP3 files from the computer to any FM receiver. In-car audio was represented by competitors Empeg which showcased its "ultimate in-dash mp3" player and PhatNoise which freely demonstrated its car audio system. And such Internet notables as online radio site Live365.com, Scour, CNET.com were side by side with Summit sponsors like MusicMatch and earjam.com. And they were joined in the exhibit hall by emerging sites like kick.com, ListenSmart and MP3.com's new online/brick and mortar music store partner DjangosMusic.com. In a separate space dubbed "the digital living room," companies such as S3, Zapstation, Xystos and MP3.com partner Panja showcased dynamic digital audio systems. All of the flash and gadgetry in both spaces was a natural extension of Robertson's keynote address demonstrations where he used urban and hip-hop music to show how MP3.com music files can be heard throughout one's home courtesy of Panja, as well as through a newly developed Samsung mobile phone and even, should one desire it, through one's regular home telephone. Outside of the session and exhibit spaces, conversations about the current state and future of the traditional and digital music industry was as abundant as the unlimited supply of complimentary food and drinks provided throughout the two-day event. The vibe was extremely positive, with networking and socializing just as important as hearing the latest about technological, business and creative innovations. Robertson's repositioning of MP3.com as a music service provider was openly critiqued and discussed, and the obvious company shift in focus was not lost on a number of last year's attendees who pondered aloud about the shift away previous years' emphasis on "free music." At MP3 Summit 2000, Robertson proudly claimed that "MP3.com and the entire digital music space is beyond its darkest hour" in direct reference to his company's legal battles and settlement with several major record labels. Given subsequent legal activity and ongoing controversy surrounding Napster, however, the jury is still out. But one thing is for sure... the times they are a-changing. And of course, it is all happening at Internet speed. --- WHY NAPSTER ISN'T THE EVIL EMPIRE - Bob Gajarsky California-based Napster has been making headlines recently, and it isn't the kind the company would prefer. Rather than being heralded for a moonshot IPO pricing, Napster has been sued by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) regarding its software package allowing quick transfer of MP3 files. The point of this article isn't to reflect on the legality or illegality of Napster and sharing MP3 files, but to reflect on the positive uses of Napster - and the many flaws in the RIAA's way of thinking. Napster serves as a clearinghouse of information - in this case, the information of which MP3s you have in a specific pre-defined directory on your machine. Installing the Napster program allows users around the world to search for songs by title or artist. When a match is made, the user clicks on the song, and in anywhere from several minutes to a couple hours (depending on speed of transfer on both ends), the song has been downloaded from one machine to the other. If one song is downloaded, it may or may not impact record sales. However, if hundreds of thousands of songs are downloaded, no one will buy compact discs, and the label's artists will unfairly suffer. Simple enough? The crux of the RIAA's argument revolves around a study they completed several months ago. This shows a decline of compact disc sales in college towns. If the major labels aren't getting as much money as before, it must be someone's fault. Ergo, Napster. RIAA's first fault lies in the implicit assumption that the 'artists' are the number one concern of these labels involved. If the record industry really wants to support their artists, a far greater financial gain (for the artists) would be an elimination of the oppressive contracts (which have been ruled illegal in nearly every court judgment) which have plagued legal offices since rock and roll first became a profitable venture. Instead, replace them with contracts which would reward newer artists for selling a 'measly' 50,000 copies of an album, instead of being in debt to a label for the life of the band's contract. Then, there will be some proof that the record companies do care about their artists. For further information on this subject, check the books by Donald Passman (All You Need To Know About The Music Business) and Stan Soocher (They Fought The Law: Rock Music Goes To Court), both of which cover the subject with far greater eloquence and details than could be covered in this small space. The next problem - declining CD sales in college towns. I will assume that this is true (and personally, I believe it is true). Why might there be declining sales? It takes about 5 minutes surfing the Internet to find the answer, and it comes in two parts. The first answer comes from the expansion of online music sites such as (U.S.) Amazon, CDNow and Barnes and Noble, or worldwide from such sites as Boxman or Yalplay. With 'listening booths' allowing 30 second snippets of more than half an album's songs, people don't feel as strong a need to go into the stores and make a purchase of two or three $17 discs (plus tax). Instead, they purchase them online at $12 each - no tax, but $4 shipping. For a college student, the savings of $3-4 per disc can easily justify the cost of waiting an additional 3 days for the disc to arrive in the mail. The merits of indie record stores are a subject for another time and place, but the fact is, these deep-discount online stores that stock ALL indie and major label music are choking the lifeline out of the smaller stores. The other reason for declining sales comes from online coupons. In an attempt to gain market share, most of the online players have coupons designed to draw newer buyers to their site. However, these coupons are quickly posted to some sites such as Deal of Day (http://www.dealofday.com), which compiles lists of online coupons / freebies for hundreds of different merchandising areas. A common coupon is a "$10 off $40 purchase". So, in the above example, the college student would have saved $6-7 per disc by shopping online with the coupon. One enterprising collegiate bragged that, through the use of online coupons and referral sites, he was able to purchase all his Christmas gifts (several hundred dollars value) for just under $100, and was able to receive a new stereo system for himself as a 'free' bonus. With savings like that, is it any wonder that collegiate store sales might drop? Now that some of the RIAA's faults have been exposed, let's examine the positive services Napster provides. Looking for out of print songs? There's a good chance if it was recorded in the last 20 years, someone on Napster might have it. A search one night generated the Chicago Bears hit "Super Bowl Shuffle", never available on CD and changing hands on vinyl at $20 a pop, as well as numerous other top 40 hits of the eighties that are no longer available on CD. There are also other advantages to the Napster program. Miss the British radio broadcast of Fatboy Slim vs the Rolling Stones, "Satisfaction Skank", which was legally broadcast, and is unavailable in stores? Check out Napster. How about some of the rare DJ-only megamixes and remixes, which have never been made commercially available, will never be made commercially available, and usually fetch $50+ upwards, with no compensation to the artists? Napster is your friend. And what about the extra B-sides or Japan-only extra tracks (in Japan, many domestically produced albums include one or two extra songs, to deter the Japanese from purchasing the cheaper import album of the same title)? Chances are, if you're diligent, someone using Napster will have included those. I talked with some high schoolers recently about this topic. Although they had heard of Napster, they had never used it. However, they also felt they wouldn't have a need for Napster at all. Why? When one of them finds a new album they absolutely must have, they buy it - and burn several copies of it with a CD burner. And that, my friends, is where the real problem lies. Not with Napster. I'm not proposing any quick fix technological solutions to this problem, but instead of spending millions of dollars on an easy target which won't solve the problem, shouldn't the RIAA be working on a way to 'educate' the public about the wrongs of copying music like this? If Napster were eliminated, there are still at least a dozen tweaked clones of Napster in the public domain. The best-known of these, Gnutella, doesn't even reside on an individual server, making it impossible to 'shut it down'. And even if all these clones were eliminated? College students, with plenty of time on their hands and an ability to learn the latest technology far quicker than most, can easily circumvent Napster'fs hypothetical demise. Before Napster was ever finalized, advance copies of Pearl Jam and Depeche Mode albums had been posted on Web sites and Internet servers around the world - months before their official release, or before critics ever received their advance copies. Users would resort back to posting a message on a Usenet news group (read by hundreds of thousands of people), or on Web sites, announcing where the files are - or that they can be e-mailed directly to your inbox. What will eventually happen, on the college level, is each dorm student will have their own dedicated IP address on the school's network. They will set up an 'anonymous' area on the machine, which contains any MP3s or similar files that the user wants to 'share'. Then, other people - whether on their campus, their town, or around the world - will 'FTP' to the user's secure machine, download the MP3s, and the same problem will exist - with no one to stop it. Is the RIAA really going to contact each school and ask them to enforce strict limits on the size of file downloads? A system administrator might (if the college's servers are overloaded), but not the RIAA. This FTP / IP address wouldn't work for 'professionals' or teens without a high speed dedicated line, but the record industry is telling us "We're losing our income because of college kids!". And I'm telling them that not only is that a lie, but worse, it will be nearly powerless to stop any potential theft of music. What's the solution to all this? Make the music *available*. If the labels were serious about protecting and generating revenue for the artists, they should keep out of print CDs digitally online, available for purchase via downloading. The incremental additional cost of computer servers would be minimal, and at the same time everyone concerned - label, artist, and fan - could get what they want at a fair price. And given a choice, most people would prefer to legally buy a CD, complete with liner notes and front / back sleeves, than burn one. Those radio-only dance remix versions of hit songs? Instead of throwing them in the waste-bin or destroying them, why not sell them direct to the consumer (3 months after their issuance to radio) and earn everyone involved a little extra cash? Sell those Japanese-only tracks online. Again - little effort with extra money and appreciation by all involved. Will people stop swapping MP3 files, and copying music from others? Unfortunately, no. Will Napster weather the legal storm? That remains to be seen. But with a little visionary thinking, record companies could easily survive any potential drains on their bottom line, and attack the real problems instead of a straw man. --- CONFESSIONS OF AN INTERNET ROCK CRITIC - Dr. Johnny Walker It's a long story, but I'll make it a short one. Back around the end of 1994, I wrote a Bryan Ferry concert review for Consumable. It was thrilling to see it published. Soon I was writing for a number of online rock publicationss, also including ex-MTVer Adam Curry's (remember him?) The Vibe and Michael Goldberg's fledgling Addicted To Noise. Money began to trickle in, and eventually I had to go for the big bux and said goodbye to good ol' Consumable. ATN struggled along, but there I got to write long essays in the style of my hero Lester Bangs, to whom ATN was dedicated. I also met heroes like Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen and James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers. Mac was so cheap he made me pay for my own beer. James Dean seemed to be running on a few hits of something very speedy. But hey, they were British rock stars! * Best interview ever: a hilarious encounter with Portland's The Dandy Warhols. * Worst: a scrap with surly Mansun leader Paul Draper and embarrassed guitarist Dominic Chad. * And no one EVER offered me drugs - such was the life of a rock critic in the PC 1990s. Anyway, soon ATN was bought by Sonicnet and the money improved -- for me at least -- by leaps and bounds, but the spirit soon left, making a mockery out of the mag's dedication to the memory of Lester Bangs. Adam Curry, meanwhile, decided he couldn't compete (a wise decision) and folded The Vibe. I was offered a job as ATN reviews editor in San Francisco, but no one could figure out how to get me there from Toronto as anything other than an illegal immigrant. I suggested doing the job by telecommuting, but that silly idea was shot down (the gentleman who later took over did it by - guess what - telecommuting!). ATN then hired a bunch of silly, shiny people who made rock and roll sound about as exciting as opera, and I slowly withdrew (or was _withdrawn_, more accurately) to the reviews page, the only place left were even a shred of vitality was allowed. Meanwhile, those writers and editors who had carried ATN in the all-important period leading up to its big-bux corporate sale (or sell-out) were slowly written out of history by the new crop of yuppies. When the magazine inevitably (and thankfully - Lester can now stop spinning in his grave) bit the dust last month, it was as as if we all had never existed - not even a "thank you." Well hey, and a hearty "fuck you" to all you boys and girls as well! You're all about as "rock and roll" as a fucking tea cozy, I might add. Anyway, so now Consumable -- which always kept its integrity because it resisted the lure of big money -- is folding too. Given the state of rock and roll, the timing is right. I now often feel like my parents: "That rave shit, that's not _music!_" I find myself grumbling. Like classical, like jazz, rock and roll is dead but lives on: there will always be a skilled new practitioner to come along and excite the remaining disciples, but the cultural currency of rock was used up when Kurt Cobain refused the mantle of rock star and instead embraced death as an alternative, not so neatly ending what started with Elvis. Everything else from that point on is a mere footnote. But hey, at least I had something interesting to do while I finished my dissertation. Good luck, Bob! (And I still say Rosa Mota was a _great_ band!) --- RANDOM THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS... - Bob Gajarsky > Did you know that Sonicnet started as a dialup BBS service? I'll admit I was an early subscriber; it even offered the only way to quickly converse with Danny Goldberg (former head of Mercury Records). > One of the huge positives of the Internet lies in the easy accessibility of almost anyone. When things were 'quieter' on the 'net, well-known people would respond to e-mails. However, as the number of people with net access grew in leaps and bounds, and those people became more demanding, the famous would often choose to lurk in obscurity. > We conducted an interview with Carl Caprioglio, head of west-coast Oglio Records. At the time, they were an 80s-reissue only label, though they have since diversified. Although Carl and I were unable to arrange a time for an interview, we decided to do an online interview; I'd e-mail him questions, he'd reply with in-depth answers, I'd ask follow-ups, and he'd answer them. When he was complete, he remarked that this was the "best interview", because he was able to think about his answers, and provide well-thought out responses. So, if you're looking for bulletin-board fodder, on-line interviews aren't the way to go. But many other people are now utilizing the e-mail interview process. > Consumable had offers to be purchased several times during its run. However, these were either inadequate, or did not allow us to retain control over editorial content. If this had been a primary source of income, I'm sure Consumable would have been sold to an outside organization. However, it would look much different than it has today. > A neat trick of some music critics who review a concert is to show up pre-concert, get the free food and drinks that are provided for bigger name (critics), demand a copy of the artist's set list, and then leave halfway through the show. One savvy publicist caught onto this, and provided a prelim set-list. When the writer's column appeared, and included a list of 'encore' songs which were never played....busted! > When the major labels first found out about the Internet, they weren't quite sure how to approach it. One of the majors hired a twenty-something college graduated, and paid him to write an online publication. This publication would be comprised 80% of all the major's (and their subsidiaries) artists, and 20% of all other reviews. After a few months of this, however, the publication closed its doors. Another major hired an independent publicity firm back in 1996. This firm would go on the newsgroups, making posts about "Hey, isn't (name of band / artist they were paid to plug) great? And the new album is great, too!" Eventually, their bluff was called by some of the astute observers of the group. When I called the publicist at that label, and asked them if they had any comment on that, they said no..."They're just doing what we are paying them for." THE FUTURE ON THE INTERNET In a Web-TV like setting, people will be able to turn on an MTV-like station, one of many - each of which have multiple options. Like the song that's on? Click this button to get a biography of the artist, click this to learn about the producer and the video, click here to get a review of the album and - most importantly - click this button to BUY the album, right now, and have it shipped to you...on CD within 72 hours, or digitally via MP3 that you can burn onto a CD Rom, that will expire soon afterwards. These reviews will, unfortunately, be total fluff. After all, the purpose of the reviews is not to provide an impartial review, but to sell albums. And with that in mind, people will have to read in-between the lines; light-hearted reviews need to be read as "don't buy" Hopefully, when this is created, there will also be an "author" button. If a writer is a power-pop fan and can't stand rap music, there's no point in trusting his viewpoint on Eminem. This button will let you see the author's current favorite albums, along with his other reviews, to determine if his tastes fit *your* tastes. --- THE READERS WRITE BACK! (We're only publishing a few of the e-mails from fans. Suffice it to say we're all extremely touched by the outpouring of support we received at the news of Consumable's closure, from all of our readers - those in the industry, those looking to buy a new CD, or just those looking for a good read. It's letters like these that somehow made it all worthwhile...) > Sorry to hear the news about your closure on August 1, but congratulations on what you have accomplished. I've been a subscriber for many years -- in fact, Consumable Online was literally one of the first things I signed up for when I got email. Many thanks for all of your hard work, and best wishes in all of your future endeavors. As a friend who works at a small record company signs all her notes to me: "Rock on my friend." - C.M., Washington, DC. > I'm so sad that Consumable is retiring after 7 awesome years. Yes it's true that there is more music info on the web but none of it with the quality and diversity of Consumable. No vested interests were ever served and music ruled supreme. I respect your decision to shut it all down but do know that you will be missed and all your hard work is appreciated by us all. - G.A., Redmond, WA > I'm saddened to read of Consumable Online's planned closure. I've richly enjoyed your reviews and found them very valuable -- and they have continued to be presented in a sensible electronic mail format when other publications have embarked on excursions into horrifying web design. I'd like to thank you and your contributors for providing something worthwhile. - JSAM > I've been reading Consumable since the spring of '95, (religiously, I might add) and am incredibly sorry to hear you are folding. I first started reading Consumable while in college at the U. of Colorado at Boulder. The Net was just gaining steam and the only publication I could read online was Consumable (and I also found Addicted to Noise, which was cool for a year or two before MTVi got its ugly hands on it). I continued to read Consumable after I left school and went into the music-journalism business myself... first as an entertainment editor at the local paper and now as the publisher of the sole music-only publication (Soundboard Magazine) in Colorado. It has not only given me great insight into a lot of music that I would have otherwise missed, but also a great deal of guidance in how to write *about* music. And for all of this, I am incredibly honored to have read your publication. Congrats to your entire staff on a job extra-well done! Best of luck wherever the music and writing takes you, one and all. - Brian Sauer, Boulder, CO > I will very much miss Consumable as an easy source for new music reviews. You've really done a fantastic job. The Consumable publication has been the only place where I could find reviews that correctly motivated me to buy/not buy a particular CD, or suggest a CD to a friend with complete confidence. I'll miss it greatly. - A.L., Rochester --- Founded in August, 1993, Consumable Online is the oldest music reviews publication on the Internet. To get back issues of Consumable, check out: WWW: http://www.consumableonline.com To subscribe to Consumable, send an e-mail message to consumable-request@westnet.com with the body of the message stating "subscribe consumable". To unsubscribe, send a message to the same address stating "unsubscribe consumable". Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com), serving Westchester County, NY. ===