Music's Bygone Era... A sobering Read.

[Chris H]

Here are a few words and pics about what used to be Detroit's thriving music scene.
Has this happened already in Sydney?..........
Could it happen here in Melbourne?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-fox ... 56642.html

[jkhuri44]

sydney is no different, instead of boarding up houses and business, the council has boarded up the Arts in favour of apartments and commercial drinking establishments.

[Chinagraf]

Yeah, it's already happened in Melbourne Chris. When I was young (cue violin music) there was a plethora of full time pro studios. Metropolis, Platinum, RBX, Eatons, Fast Forward, Sing Sing etc. The only one left really is Sing Sing now.
Thank god Kaj hasn't ponied up to developers.
Sure there are others around and the ABC as always has a great place in Southbank, but when I first went freelance after Metrop I was busy full time just assisting at different studios around town, Can't see that happening nowdays.
The part that got me was Metropolis closing and the beautiful live room being used as office/storage space.
I spent weeks up on scaffolding hanging all the trapping in the ceilings for it and when it was finished and Nick Launay got us all in to here the results of the first sessions in it, all with just natural reverb from the various configurations you could set up . (It had floor to ceiling moving glass walls). It sounded amazing. It's gone now. Forever.
Would have made a nice apartment though...

PS that's not to sat the scene is f&^%ed around Melbourne. It's really strong and it's probably a little more artisan in some ways, but real estate is simply worth to much now to let people like 'musicians' do their thing in it.

[ChrisW]

The music scene needs money flowing through it to survive.
If no one goes to a live show, the live music venue will either change to another entertainment option, or close completely.
From what I can tell, the whole of downtown Detroit is more or less deserted, returning to nature.
Great article all the same.

[Drumstruck]

very sad article - I don't think music is gonna fix that

[Chris H]

A lot of what happened in Detroit is the result of what happened to Americas manufacturing industry and the flow on to the live music scene as the city died...............
I was particulary thinking of live music venues as the engine room of a vibrant music scene and the flow on, creating the need for an equally vibrant recording scene.
Yes, Metropolis, Platinum, RBX, Eatons, Fast Forward, Sing Sing....... I have recorded in all of these except Fast Forward and it's a bit of a travisty that Sing Sing is the only one left. I know Phil Butson who was a part owner of Sing Sing reasonably well. We used to live in a shared house and he and his wife played at my wedding. He's a great guitarist and engineer..... anyway, he went through quite a few years of dismay, at seeing what was gradualy hapening to the studio business before he decided to opt out of Sing Sing and scale down to a home based recording and production studio.
I think Melbourne's live scene is keeping a healthy plethora of small studios with low overheads doing great work around particular "frienship /music networks" , and an ever growing plethora doing not so great work, but it is rarely a profesional level income.
I just hope Melbourn's live music scene stays as vibrant as it is and even expands, as I don't think Melbourne will go the way of Detriot as a city.....if it does, .... see ya later........ I'm off in my boat!

[Chris H]

.................. to Tasmania !

[Djembe]

.....and in the news today - Sydney music venue, The Basement is for sale.
Let's hope the new owners keep it as a music venue. Would be a huge loss.

[Chris H]

Nooooooo! That place is THE musical institution of Sydney IMHO. It would be the worst news if it's to go. I'll bet it's a real estate driven move. If it closes i hope they reopen in another venue.

Here is to my mind one of the best live recordings I have heard from an Australian venue; John Cleary Live at The Basement - Help Me Somebody , recorded by Keith Walker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jhWeJP1Th0&feature=plcp

[audioio]

John Cleary Live at The Basement - Help Me Somebody

I saw that line-up at The Continental in Melbourne... another long-lost and lamented venue.

[jkhuri44]

that was a damn good gig. those cats were high as a kite too. good show.