Re: photo of our new vocalist.

From: steph99 (beleza@speakeasy.net)
Date: Thu Feb 07 2002 - 21:34:09 CET

  • Next message: Rick Torres: "Re: photo of our new vocalist."

    Listen hon, this is the second time you've posted about your trophy vocalist,
    and while she's probably quite talented and a very nice person, your
    presentation of her is really getting to me. First of all, I don't know who you
    are or why I should be interested in the fact that you have a new vocalist.
    (ah, so you're a supreme being of leisure. you could add that to the email to
    add a little relevance. Call me a cavedweller but I didn't know that from just
    your name. I think it's a little ballsy to assume everyone on a 700-person
    list-serv would know that, or care.)

    Second, the page you point to just has a huge picture of this girl, and a
    statement that she can sing. And the last page you sent out had pictures of
    this girl frolicking on the beach. No bio, no sound clips, no information, no
    quotes to even it out, just a visual. And the comment in your email that she
    sings better than she looks? Did it occur to you that that might come across as
    condescending? Would you give the same treatment and commentary to a
    male vocalist? It reminds me of the story of how Jill Scott chose a record
    label. They sent out lots of blank cds with no picture, no bio, no name, just
    contact info. The labels who wrote back saying "wow this girl has talent.
    what does she look like?" got the old thanks-but-no-thanks. Labels that weren't
    interested in appearance went into the maybe pile.

    Your vocalist may not mind this sort of representation, but I can tell you as a
    potential audience member fairly representative of a certain demographic, I
    don't like it at all and it doesn't make me want to listen to your music. In
    fact it puts an odd shadow over all your work, to me. Take this as an
    aggravated but constructive (cuntstructive?) and pretty darn informed criticism:
    Put more emphasis on the music, and less on your vocalist's lips and freckles,
    please. Can we elevate a little, folks?

    Ok, enough of this, I have some bras to burn.

    full of vitriol and a heart of gold,
    99

    On Thu, 7 Feb 2002, Rick Torres wrote:

    > follow this link to a recent photo of our new vocalist....
    >
    > http://www.ricktorres.com/story.html
    >
    > ...she sings better than she looks :-)
    >



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Feb 07 2002 - 21:45:45 CET