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RECORDING
TECHNIQUES |
October
1, 2001 "CONNECTION" ISSUE |
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THE BENEFIT
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BY TOM GELARDI
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The Reasons: |
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The benefit concert, the benefit appearance, the benefit release
holds a special place in the heart of the established recording
artist. Here's a chance to really help a cause that has
become personally meaningful. In the entertainment industry,
the most recognizable example is Jerry Lewis and his work for Muscular
Dystrophy; but a country singer may have a special empathy
with the family farmer, like Willie Nelson and Farm Aide. |
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But one should not ignore the fact that a benefit not only benefits
the cause, but also the artist. We haven't had a Michael
Jackson hit in quite a while, probably because of poor publicity;
but I'll wager that we'll see one in 2002, after the good
publicity he receives from doing a benefit for the victims of the
September 11th attack. I'm not implying commercial motives
on Michael's part, it is just how publicity works. |
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It probably will work something like this: |
| 1. Michael gets motivated by the tragedy so
writes and records a song - along with a bunch of stars. |
| 2. Michael gets "back in the
swing" of writing and producing. |
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3. Because of the cause, the record becomes a hit and Michael's voice is
heard a lot.
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4. After the record, the public wants another Michael Jackson record.
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5. Michael responds by making one and it becomes a hit.
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| Benefits And The Newer Artist |
| If I managed an up and coming music artist, I
would have the artist do one benefit appearance for every ten
commercial gigs. The story of a known (but under known)
artist, Muruga Booker illustrates why. |
| Muruga Booker is a master drummer and percussionist who
had a regional hit when he was still in high school ("Blueberry
Jam" - Low Rocks, c.1960). Throughout the 60's and 70's he
worked with a foot-long list of well-known artists including Weather
Report and Dave Brubeck. Like many of the artists of that era, his
original music reflected the themes of love, peace, pro-environment, and
anti-war - and still does today. |
| In the 80's Muruga began his own label (Mursart) and had
a new-age hit album (Journey of the Drums) and a number of releases that
sold well for a company of Musart's size. |
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the Gulf War broke out in August, 1990, Muruga was on national
tour with Merl Saunders in support of the Blues From The
Rainforest album. Muruga co-wrote and produced two of
the cuts on this release and had joined of Merl's "Rainforest
Band" for its tour. The album was peaking at #2 on the
national new age charts and the appearances of the band were well
attended. |
| The Gulf war
had such a huge influence on Muruga, that he took the money he had
made from the tour to manufacture 3000 cassette EPs including the
title cut Terroristic Activities. This song and
others were written and recorded in the early 80's. He decided to
make the tunes a benefit to the peace effort. He gave away all of
these cassettes by throwing them out to the audiences of the
remaining tour appearances and at benefit peace concerts in
California. |
| As a direct result of this benefit, Muruga was awarded the
Hiroshima Voices For Peace Award on June 14, 1991.
Muruga UFM made several live appearances in Japan just prior to
receiving the award and had a limited release was made of the UFM
cassette EP in Japan at that time. |
| A few years later he would have a Japanese release of a
CD distributed by one of the largest Japanese labels ("Rock The
Planet" - P-Vine Records), made possible by the previously
successful Terroristic Activities Release. In other words the
benefit had far-reaching effects. |
| September 24, 2001 Muruga and The Global Ceremonial Band
began recording at Sage Court Studios in Ann Arbor, MI to record
"Love and Peace Abide" and "God Bless
America." The CD release of this will be out shortly with
100% of the proceeds from sales being donated to The American Red Cross Disaster
Relief fund. It will be interesting to see what impact this
benefit will have on the band in years to come. |
| Editor's Note: To find out the latest information
on the Peace And Love Abide, visit www.musartusa.com. |
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