From cognition Sent Wed, Dec 8th 1999, 14:53
From cognition Sent Wed, Dec 8th 1999, 14:53
What I don't understand is how the label could have missed the boat on this Bob Marley "Sun Is Shining" travesty. Like, duh, Bob Marley's music is top quality *as it was released*, and it doesn't get any worse with time, and thus doesn't need a "fresh new update". His best stuff is classic material, no doubt about it. To remix Marley with *filter house-y* BS as has been done, makes it seem like the label is trying to make Marley "of the moment" (ie. current dance craze to be forgotten when the next one hits), which is a huge dis-service to his legacy. What the label also seems to have missed is that the people who get into and dance to and enjoy this Bob Marley "Sun Is Shining" filter-house remix BS are, in all liklihood, definitely not going to say to themselves "hey, i'm digging this filter house remix of Marley; though I assume his original material doesn't sound like this, I'm going to investigate his back catalog." Heavy on the sarcasm here, of course. Plain and simple, Marley should be marketed in a classy way, to remix him as has been done with "Sun Is Shining" is the opposite of class--it's plain *crass*. I'm hearing this mix mixed in with stuff like Celine Dion and Shania Twain and Jennifer Lopez and pinnacle pop stuff like that. And I haven't heard anybody get turned on to checking out the "real Marley" because of this "Sun Is Shining" BS. Reissues of Marley would be a much smarter move; with new tracks, perhaps, extensive liner notes, nice packaging, etc; that would appeal to those who respect his vision and don't dig dance remixes, plus, if marketed and promoted properly, might draw in some new people to marley's music who aren't familiar with it. While it's the capitalist way to aim for the lowest common denominator, it's truly condescending to aim low "just in case people might not get it". Heck, progress only comes from those who aim higher! Columbia did a great job with the Panthalassa reworks of Miles Davis, showing that if you really want to do this, it *can* be done tastefully. L. Hill and some others have covered Marley material tastefully too. But to slap a Marley vocal onto a made-in-a-minute filterhouse loop just for the sake of sales/exposure/ whatever, is not doing Marley or the label any favors in the longterm. Seems like there was a huge absence of thought behind that remix. Hope it isn't a harbinger of things to come. As I said before, leave Bob Marley alone. Island and Palm Pictures and Rykodisc really need to *think harder* on this one. My .02 Andrew Duke thomas m weibrecht wrote: > On Tue, 07 Dec 1999 10:31:47 -0400 xxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxxxxx.xx (Andrew > Duke) writes: > > Yesterday, I was assuming Phil was alluding to the blasphemous > > "filter house-y" remixes of Bob Marley's "Sun Is Shining" > > that are currently doing the rounds on that label. Geez, > > leave poor Bob alone. Andrew Duke > > > > im listening to this abomination right now and ur right on the > money...but it still isnt worse than the cleopatra marley remixes > abortion... > > tom w > ___________________________________________________________________ > Why pay more to get Web access? > Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW! > Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj. -- ***be sure to check out the 1999 Fundraising Auction for CKDU on the Cognition site*** Cognition/Andrew Duke's In The Mix mailto:xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xx http://techno.ca/cognition 1096 Queen St #123 Halifax NS Canada B3H 2R9