In my capacity as a music writer it has been difficult to work efficiently while also trying to ascertain all the facts surrounding the recent sexual allegations that has spun the collective indie psyche inward as the wunderkind-esque Burger Records imploded and light has been cast on the sexual predators among us, in large part to grass roots social media light shiners like "Lured By Burger Records" on Instagram and others. Some of my frustration bubbled out late last night. While you can read the IG text below, one feeling I have been having is that the indie rock / surf punk well has been poisoned. As a reviewer of music that is not a good place to be. I obviously do not want my opinion of artists who create their art in that vein to be colored or tainted in anyway because of others who have acted in abusive ways.
I am wanting to do more and NOT let emotional paralysis creep in which can happen. One thing I am working on is to host a round table to let participants vent and to offer possible solutions to this on going problem. More on that later. To the extent that I may be souring on certain sounds, I apologize. That being said, I will always try to be fair in my assessment of what kind of music fits AP.
-Robb Donker Curtius
INSTAGRAM TEXT:
I haven't thrown down a live improvisation in a while and while sweating bullets and literally melting I felt compelled to do so. I planned on doing this live but my phone was about to die so here is the audio full of stumbles and running into the mix on the second chorus. This is the first take, no do overs on an improv. I did pull a line from an older song I wrote years ago "bent and twisted like a paperclip" which can happen when one panics to sing something. Like all improv, there are things that maybe should not be said so my apologies. It is all figurative and hope it might create conversations. I would never suggest that anyone harm themselves. Making the lyrics video was surprising and it is clear what informed the ID. The seemingly rampant occurance of sexually predatory behavior brought to the forefront with Instagram accounts like @lured_by_burger_records and others (who are light shiners) have my head spinning. I think the thought of confessing without real atonement is what bubbled out of my mouth on this song. The two worst examples of this to me are Mikey Carnevale of the Frights and Joey Armstrong of SWMRS. Carnevale in his apology eludes to never "forcing" his underage victim because he would never do that. The man is fucking clueless not realizing that having sex with someone who idolizes him is coercion and is force. Armstrong actually states that he "failed Lydia as a partner" in his apology statement when he should of said I failed as an abuser. These repeated confessions by many has gotten to me. There is a lot of other things to sort out regarding this on going problem that are incredibly deep but the well feels poisoned to me. I have actually told some artists who have submitted to the blog that because their sound mines this indie surf punkesque genre that the sound itself feels tainted. I know that is not right... the whole pop idolatry is on my mind too. We focus on the absolutely wrong idols. Sonic food for thought or feelings vomitted I don't know. Be real, be kind during these hot hard days of summer. #wakeup #yourmind #improv #musicblogger #postpunk #indieartists #folk #electronicmusic #punk #podcaster #singersongwriter
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