Jesus Christchurch

Rip It Up, Issue 212, 1 April 1995, Page 11

Jesus Christchurch

Hey, Rob Mayes. Change the fucking the record will you? For someone who goes on (and on and on and on) about being ignored by Rip It Up, it seems we can’t open the magazine without yet another half page of you reciting your tired mantras (“blah blah South of the Bombay Hills", “blah blah national apathy”, “blah blah The Hype Machine blah blah blah”). “Rip It Up is attached to the commercial market.” Gee, no shit? Thanks for your vigilance, Rob. Wake up and smell the 90s — music is a business. It becomes one the second you step out of your bedroom with your guitar; certainly by the time you charge $5.00 at the door for a gig; most certainly when you go into a recording studio (“to create serious music”) that charges you SIOO an hour (or SSO or $25). Why should working for a living to support your music on the side be OK, but trying to make a living out of your music be something unethical? You’re down on people for trying to make records (and maybe a living — but I doubt they’re sleeping on piles of SIOO notes at night), then say you’re “denied an income” while you’re “providing New Zealand with a service by documenting their musical history”! Denied by who? The Hype Machine? The Man? The Major Labels? Maybe they should all be levied a few cents on every “commercial” album they sell, and that could go to pay you a wage to continue your good work. “Selling out”, "playing the rock ’n’ roll game”, “budgets and labels and cellphones...” you level these terms of abuse at Pumpkinhead (What? Albums shouldn’t have a budget?) for signing to Wildside, .but Love’s Ugly Children are just “getting their music out to people” by signing to Flying Nun. What’s the difference? Neither of these are hardly majors anyway.

It’s not about Christchurch versus Auckland. It’s not about Majors versus Indies. It’s not even about New Zealand versus the Rest of the World. It’s just about people doing their thing. For virtually all local bands and labels that’s just surviving; no one’s making millions of dollars (hell, thousands even) so fuck off about “selling out” (it’s a completely meaningless phrase). As for cellphones — sheesh, my Grandad’s got one — get used to them okay? As for “The Hype Machine”? Please! Auckland promotion is The Hype Machine whereas you send out “information” on your bands... urn, what’s the difference?

Music is a business and, sure, a game. If you want to put out records, you are part of the same game — so don’t flop down on the pitch and grizzle when the big kids play by the established rules of the game. Keep putting out records Rob. Good on you. Just shut up about all the other shit will you? And hey, no reply is required. Please. Max Cady, Auckland.