CMJ 2002: BACK ON TRACK
by Bryan Reesman
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A running theme this year was working outside of the mainstream music industry, which is highly appropriate since CMJ began as an alternative to the major label system before large companies began dominating it in recent years. Saturday's panels were all part of the DIY Convention (within the convention), and included such topics as "Deals - Major, Indie or DIY," "Money - Or The Lack Of Same," "From The Studio To Distribution," and "Getting Your Book To Press".
One of the most interesting aspects of the various DIY panels was the fact that whenever panel moderators asked people how many desired a major label deal, very few hands went up. Given the tumultuous times the majors have been facing lately, not to mention their prominent lack of artist development in an age of inflated budgets, many artists want to remain on the indie side of things.
Two prominent speakers discussed staying true oneself. Before an ardent throng of fans, former Primus frontman Les Claypool delivered a half-hour keynote speech/discussion in which he discussed his career, working within the constraints of the major label system, and releasing his own music. He addressed the fact that despite selling less records on his own, his financial gains are greater because he needs to sell less units to be profitable.
Tori Amos appeared for a one-hour Q&A session, during which she answered questions about her new album Scarlet's Walk, spoke about dealing with being a creative individual in the major label world, and gave an impassioned speech about how the current generation has the power to stand up and make statements about their country in light of post-9/11 events. Her comments about the dissemination of information were applicable within and outside of the music industry and highlighted her true agenda for visiting.
"In the land of the free, things are very edited out," Amos declared. "What's decided what people can hear, where it comes from, is very scary. You have an opportunity as a generation to rise up. The way that people are talking in Europe, you are one of the strongest networks in the world, and there are questions about who you are. The information that they're getting outside about what's going on here, and the information you're getting inside about what our government does, is very different. You all have the power to decide what you want to do with that. A generation can rise."
While CMJ reportedly drew a record number of people, there were less panels this year, but that had a positive impact as more of them were crowded with people, and numerous attendees were able to reconnect each day by bumping into each other at the big events. "For me it was great because I met musicians from all over the country, and from other countries too, including my own," remarked singer-songwriter Hannah Lindroth, who moved to New York from Sweden over a year ago. "As any kind of artist I think it's important to be part of a scene, so that aspect alone made it worthwhile an event for me. Then, of course, you got the chance to meet lots of non-musicians within the industry that wanted to hear your music, so the CMJ festival was really one fantastic and successful fair, if you ask me, and I was lucky and happy to be part of it."
"CMJ is a worthwhile for writers to check out," said rock journalist Tina Whelski. "It's interesting to watch what industry people think is important for the college audience. The panels highlight trends and offer abbreviated tips for making the music business work for you. There were some great panelists, but I would like to see more heavy hitters. They also need a microphone for the audience if they're going to ask questions!"
Veteran music journalist Hank Bordowitz certainly had no complaints about the panel he moderated ("Music Marketing, Publicity, Promotion"). "Having one of the last panels of the show, I expected a half full room," commented Bordowitz. "Instead, it was SRO. We got a lot of good information to people who needed to hear it and could have gone on three times as long without losing our audience. As far as I'm concerned, those are the earmarks of a great panel." He also held a moment of silence for Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay, who was to have been a participant but was murdered two days earlier.
CMJ 2002 certainly proved to be a vibrant event for many attendees. The exhibition hall was quite busy and featured a diverse array of vendors, including New Line Cinema, Much Music USA, XM Satellite Radio, Philips Electronics, and rocker Jenn London. It was definitely a nice turnaround from the ghost town vibe of last year's CMJ.
"It was a major comeback," affirmed Bordowitz. "While it didn't draw as big a crowd as 'in the day,' and the display floor was a little weak, in general it was a great show."
© 2003 Bryan Reesman
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