UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD
Lest it be mistaken that this is some kind of glamorous job, I would like it known that for the past several days I have been sifting through the minutes of the New Mexico Music Commission meetings, available online at the Commission Web site,
-an activity about as fun as watching somebody work out on a Stairmaster.
I often picture the genesis of the New Mexico Music Commission as something like this: Governor Richardson is at a press conference, announcing his invention of the State Green Chile Czar, or something like that. His press guy Billy Sparks lurks somewhere in the background. The Guv opens the floor to questions:
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Reporter:
Sir, what's your position on music?
The Guv:
Billy! What's my position on music?
Billy Sparks:
Well, you like it, sir.
The Guv:
Do I like it as much as baseball?
BS:
Well, no sir, but you used to be a baseball player…
The Guv:
But I like it, right?
BS:
Yes, sir, you like it.
The Guv:
Well, goddammit, let's do something about it!
BS:
I'll get right on that, sir.
The Guv:
Good. Now let's go to Swig!
When the Commission was announced, it's not that I didn't
want
to be a believer, it's just that, well, for the most part music isn't
supposed
to have anything to do with government. In fact, the two are supposed to be at odds: Country Joe vs. LBJ, The Doors vs. the State of Florida, Ice-T vs. George HW Bush. Any blending of the two is nothing less than a violation of the laws of nature. Remember when Bill Clinton got all chummy with Fleetwood Mac? How awkward was that? Seeing Clinton and his family jamming out onstage as the Mac warbled through "Don't Stop," I expected apocalyptic firestorms to rain down, the earth folding in on itself and an ominous deity-voice booming: "This should not be!" as all space and time collapsed.
I had the same feeling when the New Mexico Music Commission was born. It's just so damn square, all organized and stuff, with, you know, actual commissioners and meetings and "goals" and all that crap.
Except, well, dammit, the whole thing appears to be working. The Commission's Web site is relatively helpful, with resources to help musicians protect their copyrights and procure funding for music projects. There are profiles of NM acts-some pretty cool, some rather nerdy, but, hey, it's a start. The Commission also initiated the Music Talent Showcase at the New Mexico State Fair, a 12-hour event which pitted band against band in the categories of Country/Folk/Americana, Blues/R&B/Gospel, Ethnic/Traditional and Rock/Alternative against each other for prizes including studio time, future performances at Balloon Fiesta and Albuquerque Summerfest and gift certificates. This was a great way to get all sorts of bands all sorts of exposure.
Moreover, putting the whole thing together seems like it was a giant pain in the ass, and the Commission totally pulled it off even though, in all honesty, I had never heard of most of the performers who won. Hey, it's a start.
Now the Commission has pulled together another giant pain in the ass project, a huge benefit for Katrina victims, called "West to South." This concert, cosponsored by SFR, promises some big-name surprises and tons of local performers as well as headliners Los Mocosos.
Now, Los Mocosos may not be the most cutting-edge band, but it's good enough, and frankly will have a wide appeal in these parts. More important, the event (starting at 3 pm Saturday at Paolo Soleri, $20/Ticketmaster for tickets) is a large project and it was put together in a timely, efficient manner. Nevermind that last week's freak rains washed out the originally planned date (unless you want to consider that a sign of God's disdain for the mixing of music and government, which is a theory certainly still on the table)-the mud has dried and the show goes on. It's more than a start.
EX-GIRLFRIENDSTER.COM
Did you know that Friendster now has a new feature wherin you can check to see who has viewed your profile in the last month? For the Internet unsavvy,
is a giant Web site on which you can put up a profile-with your photo, likes and dislikes, relationship status, etc.-and then other people can look at it and decide if perhaps they want to date you. What it's really for, however, is obsessively checking the profiles of ex-girlfriends, or the ex-girlfriends of your current fling, or your old girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. In other words, it is an excellent tool for cyber-stalking. At least it was. You used to be able to cyber-stalk in complete anonymity; now, if you wanna check out who's been down your previous paramour's pants, you're totally busted. Bleah-talk about defying the laws of nature!
Friendster's new stupid feature has nudged
, in my book, into the realm of superior site for checking out other people as well as the Zeitgeist, but what really has solidified Myspace's superior status is its music capabilities. If you're searching for ever more obscure artists, samples of local groups or an idea of what the next band to play W21 sounds like, just log on and, baby, you will find what you're looking for: MP3s out the ying-yang, photos, links to other bands, links to bands' Web sites. And, you know, your new boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's ex's friend's band. If that's what you're looking for.
