THE BEAT
Weekend festival planned as antidote to Music Foundation showcase
by Seth Rogovoy(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., May 29, 1997) -- If the name of this weekend's big musical get-together in Pittsfield rings a bell, there's a reason for it. According to Bruce Wayne Knowlton of local band N.U.D.E., the organizing force behind this Sunday's "Berkshire Free Music Festival" at Bousquet Fun Park and Ski Area from 2 to 6, not everyone in the local music community was happy with the way the National Music Foundation's "Berkshire Music Festival" went down earlier this month.
"There was a great deal of negativity floating in the air locally with a lot of the bands who are trying to do original stuff," said Knowlton in a phone interview from his home in Pittsfield earlier this week. "So after bumping into a whole circle of people spouting off with negative feelings, Wally and I thought why not do something positive?" said Knowlton, referring to his bandmate, Walter Bradley Jr.
Knowlton said that local musicians' gripes about the foundation's festival include the fact that there was an admission charge to the Sunday Showcase even though the musicians performing in it were not paid.
"It should have been free," said Knowlton. "When the foundation is organizing it -- an organization supposedly devoted to the welfare of musicians themselves, many of whom have been the victims of precisely this sort of exploitation -- you would almost expect it to be free. The bands played for free, so why are you asking people to pay? The musicians didn't get anything for their time and effort, except for some extremely limited exposure. It just really raised serious questions about the foundation's commitment to and understanding of the musicians' plight."
While there was an entrance fee to the Sunday Showcase of $10 for adults and $5 for children, the foundation did make available buttons to local businesses which were to be given away free to customers, who could then use the buttons to gain free admittance to the showcase. It is unclear how readily available these buttons were to those who sought them.
Knowlton also claims that some of the younger musicians in the county playing original music felt that their peers were not well-represented in the showcase, which featured over 50 of the 80-odd applicants who sent demo tapes to the foundation.
"I think they played it safe," said Knowlton. "The whole thing was based around things they knew what reaction they would get, instead of taking any sorts of chances. The old-school attitude around here doesn't want to see original music pop up and become something important."
Knowlton said that some of the younger bands that did try to submit tapes felt like they got "shut out" of the showcase because their music was "too caustic" for the judges. "They felt like they were turned down on that basis, that they didn't even have a chance....that the judges heard that they were a young band doing original stuff and they didn't get listened to."
Knowlton's band, N.U.D.E., was one of those that applied and did not get into the showcase, but he denies feeling any sour grapes. "We did apply," he said. "We brought a tape down, we went down in person to talk about it. I can't say we were reluctant, but our interest in it was half-hearted."
Some of the bands in this weekend's festival did not even bother to apply to the showcase, said Knowlton. "They weren't interested. They saw that people had to pay and that the acts weren't getting paid, and I think a lot of people felt burned by that."
Knowlton said rather than sound like a "complainer," he wants to focus on making this Sunday's festival a success. "It didn't take a lot of work to pull people together, to get people to agree to do something," he said. "We thought the most important thing was that this would be free. Also, bands will each get about a half-hour to perform, to give them a chance to show what they are all about, rather than just two or three songs." Knowlton also noted that Bousquet is supporting the festival's cause by donating the use of its space.
In addition to N.U.D.E., Sunday's lineup includes Eric Underwood, Suitcase, E-Phlat, Hangnail, the Asthmatics, Phlea Circus, Half Breed Gestapo, Upholstery and Robbie Baier. Knowlton said that while the bands range in style from industrial to punk, ska, R&B, psychedelic, classic rock, pop and N.U.D.E.'s own "anti-folk," what they all have in common is a commitment to making original music.
"We just want to focus on the fact that there is original music here that should be helped out and paid attention to," he said. "This was put together to make a point. If this is successful and we get a good turnout our point will be made. It's crucial to have these seeds of original stuff allowed to grow."
[This column originally appeared on May 29, 1997, in the Berkshire Eagle. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1997. All rights reserved.]
Seth Rogovoy
rogovoy@berkshire.net
music news, interviews, reviews, et al.
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