BLUES INDUSTRY AND RACE RELATIONS

There is one color in this Industry of ours and it is GREEN!

I guess I started in this business in 1960 as a bass player. At the time I was a kid listening to Lightning Hopkins, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Reed. I never paid much attention to skin color, as a matter of fact I was first exposed to racial differences  when I enrolled in an integrated high school in 1966. That is where I got my first look at the ugly beast. I hated the whole idea of it and still do.

I went to college for two years and just took up space. I wanted to do something more for society so I joined the Navy. Serving my country is the greatest honor I have ever experienced. I learned more about racial prejudice in the 12 week boot camp than most could in a lifetime. 110 guys from all parts of the country. I hate those that try to pigeon hole people.

I was exposed to a wide variety of cultures while sailing the seven seas and yes there are seven. Prejudgment seems to be an underlining theme in all cultures. I was personally discriminated against in one country because I was white. I do not profess that to be similar in anyway to what some people have experienced here. It is an “Ugly Beast.” I hate it still.

How one deals with the beast is an individual choice. I choose to live my life in the moment, because that is where life happens. Two days of the week as far as I am concerned do not exist, tomorrow and yesterday. 


I treat everyone I meet with an equal amount of respect. I no longer see color unless someone else brings it up. I learned a long time ago that I can not please everybody. If you are a jerk it doesn't really matter about color. I take it as gospel that 50% of the people will love you and the other 50% will hate you. I choose to hang with the ones who love me.

I once had aspired to play the blues, but those who know me personally know why I have not continued on that course. The next logical step was the record business. I do not have a clear cut reason why I am in that business. I guess it is the love of music and the fact an artist can relay emotions that can not be experienced through any other media.

There has been a recent discussion about the blues music industry and race relations.  There is no denying the sacrifices made by people that have gone before, but to limit it does the genre a great injustice.  One of our major label owners has recently been slammed for an interview he did. The reporter paraphrased what was said. This man has done more for "The  Biz" than most artists have in their lifetimes.

 All of us in the industry know where blues music comes from. The key word here is industry. A record label is a business.  Nothing more, nothing less. In order for us to record artists, we have to make MONEY. A record label functions as a no interest bank. We record the music in hopes of seeing a return. If label owners did not love this music we would not record it. 

It does not matter the artist's color, religion or economic status. We do not choose because of the aforementioned, but rather we look for a business person first.
The things mentioned below are not what I would call good solid business practices.

If an artist falls down drunk on stage or is too drunk to perform, I do not want them.
If an artist does not return my phone calls in a timely manner, I do not want them. 
If an artist has to get high to perform, I do not want them. 
If an artist feels it's OK to blow off a job that they agreed to for another job that pays a couple of bucks more, I do not want them.
If an artist plays if front of an audience and does not mention who they are or what label they record for, I do not want them.
If an artist reneges on payment for CD's that were loaned to him and claims that the label should take it out of their royalties, which by the way do not exist, I do not want them.
If an artist can not make it to a gig because their vehicle breaks down, I do not want them. 
If an artist demands a vehicle and a trailer loaded with equipment before lining up one job and before they will sign a recording contract, I do not want them.
If I have to call an artist to remind them to wake up so they can get to the place they have to be, than I do not want them.

Once one realizes that they are making art and history at the same time it all becomes crystal clear.  All of us must understand that we are in the entertainment business. People this is not brain surgery. If we do not play the right note at the right time or record the right artist no one will die. We must support one another and believe in each other, because sometimes that's all we have!.  

No Black! No White! Just Blues.

(A little green also. Could not hurt, could it?)

Terrance Lape

President

www.electrogliderecords.com

PS

People who know me personally know that I hate  discrimination no matter the source.  My great grandmother on my mothers side was an Native American born in the 1880's. I had a distant relative that fought during the Civil War on the Union Side at Antietam. That battle gave Lincoln the “victory” he needed before delivering the Emancipation Proclamation. Thanks Abe.