Rock Hard

Recently, Communication Breakdown posted this commentary on the issue of the western music making its way into China and its impact. It had to do with a lot of music sales being down and out largely due to the rise of shareware programs like torrents, IRC, limewire, etc and how western artists are seeking new artists and opportunities in the East:

Western music is looking to the East to play live shows, and capitalize from merchandise and technology. Peter Grosslight, worldwide head of music for the William Morris Agency believes that “China is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. There are 1.3 billion people there. It’s becoming a much wealthier place. How can we ignore that?” According to “For all the Rock in China” printed in Sunday’s New York Times, China has come to embrace Western music again as they “were once largely closed to foreign music, but the country has gradually loosened it’s restrictions,” and has thereby become a necessary destination for pop music.

This is no problem at all. In fact, it's smart business and this isn't the first time (or the last) that western industries seek bigger pastures on the other side of the yard. A notable example that comes in mind for me is professional American sports organizations such as the MLB and the NBA going over to China to expand its business and take advantage of the rising population and wealth there. In terms of music, I think the best and most recent example of (though it went further than just east) would be Michael Jackson and the sheer number of concerts, album sales, etc, that were acquired outside the U.S. Similarly, due to opportunity AND necessity, western artists seem to be heading east.



At the same time, China is still under a repressive regime, and unsurprisingly the authority extends to concerts, music, lyrics, you name it. So on the one hand, we have artists from the west, more specifically, America, such as Linkin Park, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beyonce, etc, etc, seeking new opportunities in the east, including China. But on the other hand, China offers nothing but its authoritarian regime who decides everything from the lyrics, to set list, to venue, sound, etc. Communication Breakdown offers a very real perspective on the issues that obviously arise out of the conflict:

What is more important to a musician- playing sold out concerts in China where lyrics and every minutia of your set is scrutinized or playing in a small club where you are free to play your music as you intended it? As an artist I cannot easily understand why so many US music groups are willing to hand over their creativity to the Chinese Ministry. The discrepancy between the band’s China sponsors and the music they actually sell illustrates the point that China is only out to make a profit… even if that means disrupting a global marketing plan along the way.

This is especially interesting because in a recent article entitled, Concert Without Strings, the New York times talked about a similar issue in North Korea. The article refers to the New York Philharmonic considering performing in Pyongyang, North Korea. The article further commentates about how just like in China, everything from the guest list, to the venue, set list and everything is determined by the government, in this case, it would be Kim Jong-Il. The article also refers to examples of when there has been any detraction in terms of unwavering allegiance to the North's music, program and organization as to what is to be listened to. One such example was the story of a Ji Hae Nam who was imprisoned for 3 years and suffered physical abuse to the point she couldn't walk for a month. With all this said, the authors offered a sort of an open ended challenge:

If, as some starry-eyed commentators have suggested, the dictator’s willingness to let the Philharmonic perform demonstrates a new level of “openness,” then the orchestra should be able to make reasonable demands: that the orchestra alone set its program; that the performance be broadcast on state radio for everyone to hear; that the concert hall be open to the public, not just the elite; and that the Western press be allowed to attend. If the regime refuses these conditions, the Philharmonic should, in the name of artistic freedom, decline to perform in North Korea.

In considering this case as well as the Communications Breakdown post from earlier, it is indeed important to ask ourselves, especially musicians, if business ventures and breaking through to China, North Korea, wherever, if it is at the cost of artistic integrity. Indeed, I would say that it's not really breaking through if you are not allowed to do it on your terms. Just because an artist may be performing in China or North Korea doesn't mean that their music is going to progress any further than that. The interesting question at this point is if the artist stays or goes, and if the artist stays are they really willing to be at the mercy of the local government's imposing will? Or, if the artist leaves, they face a set of entirely different and similar problems back home, especially in America with its RIAA and downloading epidemic. Either way, it's clear that there are questions everywhere, both at home and abroad for western musicians.