Yesterday evening Pat, Chris & myself had dinner at the secret Super Wonder Fabbo Pub along the valley. Jacob Herringman & friends had dinner alongside us: Jacob is recording in the church by the pub in the village in the valley. A quintessentially English event in all respects, other than Pat, Chris & Jacob being Americans.
Jacob's recording yesterday was very successful. The recordings I heard this morning, in the World Central Music Room, is music I would welcome in my home. Jacob continues today, and this evening's Late Shift has David with him in the church.
Pat & Chris have been Dancing Radically in addition to their P4 mixing. The Book of Mastelotto is being steadily written.
The DGM Website is being increasingly reorganised. Credit card ordering online is now relatively protected, although Demon (the server) suggests that full-whammy security won't be in place until February. We consider this optimistic, but at least it's on the way.
DGM artists will be making a stronger presence in Europe next year. Mr. McFall's is looking into a week's tour of the UK, in June 1999, and I have offered myself and Soundscapes as their support act. This would lead on to P2 touring in Italy in July. DGM is considering the possibilities of a DGM event in London during the Summer, with a number of our artists, and we are looking at ways of putting a DGM Caravan of artists on the road.The logistics are pretty daunting, but watch this space...
DGM US is looking at suitable locations in Los Angeles for King Crimson's public presentation of "Deja VROOOM" on January 27th. 1999.
If T. Lev is available in April, P4 is looking at a week's performances in Texas and then a week on the East Coast. If T. Lev goes out with Seal, it's likely that ProjeKct Three (Mastelotto, Fripp & Gunn) will make their debut and tour Austin instead. Perhaps beginning in Austin, moving to Austin, and completing in Austin.
17.56
Hooray! Excitements! Hugh has given me a pressing of Club Release No. 2! That's the good news. The bad news: one of the pages of the booklet has been printed in the wrong font.
Chris Murphy suggests: "It's in the spirit of the Collectors' Club!". Hugh suggests, in a dry tone which anyone not knowing Hugh well might mistake for surliness: "That makes it really collectible." (This because any second run will have the page printed "correctly"). Two helpful comments for Club Members to bear in mind when they receive their latest goody.
P4 is currently sporting a honking stonker (technical terms used at DGM to convey a sense of what those with a proper music education might refer to as allegro ma non troppo). Radical Dance is also well on the way.
Yesterday I received an unsolicited CD from an independent group - a string ensemble - who specialise in 20th. century music. They have been working since 1985 and are successful in their field, although have never had a commercially released album. Would DGM be interested?
The letter & CD carry no emotional charge of having the right to be released by DGM; no sense of being owed something / anything because they are independent; or because their career has not yet developed as far as it might; I have no feeling of a demand being made of me. Rather, my experience is of something of substance being offered / presented to me.
There is a great difference in the unsolicited materials sent to me by players from the rock world and the conservatory tradition. CDs from rock players, almost all of whom are struggling, are accompanied (mostly) with an assumption that the record company should, and has the responsibility to, help them to establish their career. CDs from conservatory players, almost all of whom are recognised in their fields, appear to accept that the responsibility for establishing their careers rests with them. Almost all of them have difficulties with mainstream record companies, and does DGM have any interest in their recorded work?
I report this without speculation as to why it might be, although David & I have been reflecting on it. Commentary from Guestbook visitors is invited.
"This life may not provide justice, but it is fairer than we might like it to be."
