|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preface: I sent out an email to over 50 people whom I have come to know over the eight years I've been involved with Wind and Wire. These folks occupy various roles in the ambient and new age music world: artists, heads of labels, promoters, DJs, and reviewers. Sadly, I only got responses back from less than one-fifth of the people I contacted. This was the task I charged them with:
As a result of the above entreaty, some people wrote a lot, some wrote a little. Many people kindly praised Wind and Wire and my efforts and I'm sincerely grateful for those compliments (even though I feel sheepish printing them). So, without further editorializing on my part, here are the UNEDITED emails (in no particular order) which I received in response to the above request. *** "Thank you for the sincere and valuable contribution you have made in reviewing 'our' music over the past years. I wish you well with your walkabout and trust that before too long of a gap your writing will again find expression in a medium that pleases you and reaches us. My hopes and dreams? From the Real Music perspective I would like to see the wrangle over the category name end. This music emerged at the genesis of the New Age, a time when people began making a conscious choice to become more empowered. The early music was, and still for many is, composed with heartfelt intentions. New Age has been a Billboard category for decades and identified by the majority of record buyers under that heading . . . let it be what it truly is, no one's trying to rename Rock. I've always appreciated the timeless saying "wealth is not the pursuit of a sage, but is their inevitable companion". If musicians and labels have a passion and a sprinkling of genius for what they do there's a very good chance that the public will recognize it. If those ingredients are not there then promotional dollars are unlikely to be a substitute. My wish is for some new extraordinary talent to emerge and tour. Although so much of our music is now by necessity somewhat homogenized into various sub categories as spa, sacred and yoga I would love to see new personalities heralding our particular expression of the muse. When I promoted large West Coast concerts for Andreas Vollenweider, Kitaro, Yanni and others they drew large enthusiastic audiences. It would be great to have the opportunity of seeing a contemporary Vangelis perform live (no disrespect intended to those fine musicians currently touring and promoting our music). I could keep going Bill but that's no doubt enough for now. Good luck and may the muse be with you. Terence
***** When I started doing music in the late 70's, music was dominated by big record companies, who were the only ones who could afford to send their artists to the expensive studios. Multitrack recording technology was just starting to develop a 'low end' of inexpensive gear, a trend I was thrilled to take advantage of. Now, technology for making music has truly 'democratized', with almost anyone's home computer capable of making reasonable recordings. This has been an obvious blessing, and also a bit of a curse, adding to an incredible glut of available music, all competing for our ears. Just because we CAN make music, doesn't always mean we SHOULD. Meanwhile, the 'business' of music is also being revolutionized, with the giant corporations no longer having a monopoly on the dissemination of music. With the possibilities of the internet, both in marketing and distribution, it's a good time to be an independent musician, and an independent listener. Though the fight to be heard is difficult as ever, I'm convinced that the cream will continue to rise to the top, that good music will always find an audience. With 'Wind and Wire', Bill Binkelman did his fair share, and more, to help guide his audience through that tangle of music releases. With a tenacity and a work ethic that I can only admire, he did us all a great service, artist and listener alike. Bill certainly has my sincere thanks, and best wishes for the future... Tim Story ***** Bill Binkelman is a man who's name will always be associated with electronic music in my mind. A man who has always been in the right place at the right time, a man who has played a major role in the development of the electronic music ideal. He is a mover, a shaker, a lover and a fighter. And he's got a really good sense of humour which makes him even cooler in my book. Now I know that alot of you think that Bill's contributions to electronic music began in 1997 with the first issue of his essential Wind and Wire zine. And that's what he'd like you to believe. But I have it on good authority that Bill's been much more influential than you might think. Back in the early 60s, Bill gave his childhood friend Brian a theremin for his birthday, saying that it was this cool instrument that made wierd kinda "Pet Sounds". Around the same time Bill convinced his dorm roommate Walter that kazoo and oboe didn't have very much commercial appeal, and instead suggested that he get together with that Moog guy down the hall to "see what they could come up with..." Bill's influence didn't end there. While staying in a hostel in Prague during a European trip in the summer of 1972 Bill had a conversation with a fellow traveller, speculating that while the face of the full moon might be bright, the other side that faced away from us was probably very very dark. It should be noted that the hotels registry shows a certain Mr. R. Waters was staying there that very same evening. Coincidence? I think not... A few years later during a chance meeting with Brian Eno, Bill gave him the advice that "Music doesn't have to be about rockin' out, sometimes it has to be about, I dunno, setting a mood, y'know, ambience, like wallpaper..." Rumour has it that Brian just nodded and smiled. He's like that. In 1977 while working as a travel consultant in New York City Bill advised a distraught and upset David Bowie that a trip to Berlin would do him a world of good. That same year a romantic liason between Bill and an up and coming disco queen would be the basis for the hit "I Feel Love". The rest they say, is history. I could go on, I mean, pretty well every important juncture in electronic music history was somehow influenced by Bill. His significance in the genre has been very noteworthy and I think it's safe to say that electronic music as we know it wouldn't be the same today without Bill's role. But we're not here to talk about Bill. We're here to pay tribute to Wind and Wire, one of the most significant and influential zines of the last few years. Since it's beginning in 1997 Wind and Wire has been an incredible resource both for fans and creators of electronic music. I look back fondly on the days when new issues would be posted (I've always been an online kinda guy) so that I could read all the reviews and discover wonderful new music that I might not have had the chance to hear otherwise. Bill's reviews were always so well thought, so refined, so descriptive. There were times I could almost hear the music through his words, and always Always ALWAYS when I finally did hear it, Bill had always hit the nail on the head, gotten right to the core of the work. To this day a positive review by Bill Binkelman stands as an indication of quality to me. My relationship with Wind and Wire doesn't end with being a reader. When I started making music of my own I was not only thrilled and flattered to be reviewed, but I was honoured to be treated with just as much respect and interest as artists considerably more established than I was. Bill championed my cause just like he's supported countless other musicians, and I'm quite sure that part of my success today is a result of his well chosen and thoughtful words. Thank you Bill, those early reviews really meant alot to me. I think I speak on behalf of a number of artists today when I say that Wind and Wire will be missed. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that hopes that this is just a hiatus or a leave of absence for Bill, that he'll be back some day writing new reviews about new projects that will continue to delight and inspire us. Thanks Bill, all of your hard work and effort and love really made a difference. Oh, and by the way, I'm not supposed to say this, but Klaatu? It was Bill all along... written by rik maclean of mara's torment *** Hi Bill, Sad to see you finally leave the online issue. From my side I'd like to say a heartfelt thanks to you and the troubles you did for EM and the mag. itself, also as you were willing to accept my David Parsons feature years back for the last printed issue. [Those] were great days then, thanks for being there, hope you will stay healthy & prosper, & see you return somewhere in the future. Vriendelijke groet / Best Regards, Bert Strolenberg Journalist E-dition Magazine http://www.e-ditionmag.com/start_nl.php *** I sure wish I wasn't writing this. That Wind and Wire would still be around tomorrow (and in twenty years) -- vibrant, making me think and turning me on to great new music. But I am writing this and that's truly a shame. Of course, being the optimist that I am (or try to be) I like to think there'll be a Wind and Wire 2.0 somewhere down the road (please Bill, sooner rather than later!). That this is just a respite and that the same energy and insight that Wind and Wire brought to listeners (and benefited artists including myself) will be back stronger and healthier than ever. Best of luck Bill! Your friend, Jamie Jamie Bonk *** ODE TO A BINKELMAN CALLED BILL So what is it about Bill that makes him tick? Well we all know a piece of him but I am sure the only one that can really sum that up is Billy Bob or maybe Saint Kathryn. But seriously what is it about Bill that makes him Binkelman? Let's go back a little. About 3 years ago I was in search of a good website that was catering to the New Age genre. Having already peaked commercially, the music seemed to be on a decline so finding a site that was servicing the genre had been fruitless or so it seemed. Until I found this unusually titled site called Wind & Wire. After checking it out I was so impressed with the work that the webmaster had put into his site I decided to drop the man a line of encouragement. Needless to say I received a prompt reply, as the man was anxious to correspond which is probably one of the reasons why his site has been so successful. Considering I was a fellow reviewer who at the time was reviewing for a rock site called Northern Light, we exchanged thoughts and before I knew it the man had checked out my reviews at Northern Light and wanted to know if I wanted to come on board. That wasn't my plan but I thought "what the heck lets give it a try". That was nearly 3 years ago. I found out quickly that reviewing instrumental music was a little more difficult than rock music. I mean there is very little lyrical content and whom do you compare them with? Still I proceeded into the deep waters of the unknown and after some encouraging words from my webmaster I slowly got the hang of it...I think. Soon after joining Wind & Wire, Bill began to mention quitting. Yes, he has been meaning to do it for a long time. I mean this guy has been supporting Contemporary Instrumental music for so many years that it was probably time for a break. So that's what he made it...a sabbatical. That was about 2 years ago and finally he is actually putting his words into action and getting his well-deserved rest. If there is one thing that I will say about Bill is that he is passionate and he doesn't like to quit. As for that first review that I completed for Wind & Wire nearly 3 years ago, it was Jim Brickman's "Love Songs & Lullabies". Meanwhile, I have just joined Solo Piano Publications this month and my first review posted there is Jim Brickman's "Grace". And my new partner is former Wind & Wire reviewer Kathy Parsons. Isn't life strange? And recently I made the decision to concentrate my efforts on one genre only. And New Age/ Adult Contemporary/ Contemporary Instrumental/Lifestyles or whatever you want to call it won. So Bill, thank you for Wind & Wire, for giving me a chance, for teaching me to be passionate with my words, and teaching me how to focus my energy by making a choice instead of serving two masters. And whether your break from Wind & Wire is temporary or permanent either way you deserve it mate. Sincerely Mike Debbage Music reviewer http://solopianopublications.com/ *** Rolling with the Changes
Hi Bill, I remember sitting in my apartment in New Jersey , staring at my roommate's newly-acquired computer screen, wondering what in the world she was going to do with a computer. She showed me AOL. It was 1993 and there were under a million users on the service at that time. My roommate was entering into "chat rooms" and engaging in "conversation" that she typed in real time. There was a whole world of newsgroups, libraries, and music to be explored. Musicians embraced the technology readily and while I was never a "plug-in" kind of gal, I knew a good thing when I saw it. I was dating a guy who worked for Mac at the time...well, indirectly. He worked the 800 help line during the day and took acting classes at night. Together we scoured the ads in the back of MacWorld magazine and found an SE-30 machine...one of those black and white tiny boxes made my Apple . It was on sale as a refurbished machine. I bought it; he upgraded it. We plugged it in to my electronic keyboard and it was in that moment I entered the world of "midi" , AOL and the super information highway. Within days I was up and running but where I was going I had no idea. I learned to "surf" the web. I stumbled upon a few web sites for radio stations that were listing their play lists. When I found stations that played music in the "new age" genre, I wrote to ask if they would be interested in hearing my music. Several stations replied yes...and before I knew it, I was getting air play around the globe through this research. I learned html. I launched a web site for my music complete with sound samples and graphics. I typed to people in music chatrooms. Met my husband in one. (He only lived a mile away from me at the time, but it took the internet to literally hook us up.) It was 1993, the year I made my debut CD. I drove around to stores and sold them out of the trunk of my car before landing a record deal in '94. The sales of my recordings paid the rent and eventually made me enough money to buy a house. Then came Amazon, ebay, mp3.com, napster, digital sound recordings. The music world was changing. Good things were happening---the independents were on a level playing field with the majors thanks to the internet and the ease of use and file exchange. Bad things were happening too: CDs sounded so good and were so easily replicated that piracy ran rampant overseas and and at home. I'll never forget the first time I ran into this. I was performing outside San Francisco in early '98. After the show, on the CD signing line, a young man approached and asked me to sign the copy of HEAL OF THE HAND that he brought with him to the show. His copy looked a little weird. The cover looked like a color photocopy and the disc itself was lacking the imprint design I had myself approved. He told me he bought the CD back home in Viet Nam. "That interesting," I remarked..."I didn't think I had distribution in Viet Nam." "Oh," he said, "You are very popular. Bigger than Michael Jackson! Your CDs sold on the street for one dollar! Good price! Very popular!" I didn't know whether to be appalled or flattered , so I chose the latter. Napster. Music was being stolen. Others claimed music was being SHARED. CD sales started going down. The little indie store that was the first to carry my music, closed its doors after twenty five years of business. Distribution networks ceased to work. Record labels were being inundated with returns. A lot of companies went bankrupt. A lot of artists were hurting. Some blamed overpricing. Some blamed video. Some blamed the talent. Some blamed the entire industry. Some blamed the internet. People in the music industry have always been whiners, but now the complaints were very loud. Something had to be done, but what? I define myself as a music artist. I don't know much about the music industry other than what I have personally experienced and observed, but I do know that when you don't like the situation you are in, you need to make some changes. Complaining never really helps. I stopped reading newsgroup postings. They were too depressing. Here I am, twelve years and thirteen CDs later still learning and testing and growing and making music. Disappointed with the subsequent record deals I was offered after the independent distribution fallouts, I started my own label. Dissatisfied with the way my publishing arrangement turned out, I started my own print publishing business. And forever perplexed and simply annoyed with the world of agents and managers, I started my own entertainment booking agency. All on borrowed funds, I might add, because success is never really possible if risk is not taken. I've gone through that SE-30, a Performa 636, and an iMac in lime green...and this year bought a server for ease of communication with my co-workers. Upload, download, upload...all day long. People often ask me how I started these companies. Quite frankly, I didn't know what else to do. Starting them was in direct response to the mistakes I saw the industry making and my attempt to navigate through the craziness. Making music is my life; I don't have something else to fall back on. If pressed for an answer though, suppose it all really started with the acquisition of that SE-30 computer. I love what I do. I know not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, but they don't call it the music BUSINESS for nothing. To survive the changes and the storms in this business, today's artists need to roll with the changes, and be able to make changes and set sights on the long term...and these things sometimes have little to do with the notes composed or played. I've had hits and misses, days of deep discouragement and despair and days of tremendous joy and inspiration. Ultimately, I am so grateful to be making a living making music.I am so grateful to folks like Bill Binkelman for supporting the music I have made and of those of my peers----giving each and every CD, every track, a solid listen and critique. To me, the heroes in this business have been the lawyers who have looked over contracts for minimal cost, the piano teachers who have shared my music with their students, the presenters who took a chance on a solo artist, the radio djs who were so passionate about promoting new instrumental music, and the writers who spread the word about what they've heard. The industry is ever-changing. It is a comfort to know that as long as there are artists who create and people in the world willing to listen, there will always be music. *** As an INDIE label for over 25 years, Maggie's Music and its recording artists want to express our appreciation to Wind and Wire for its wonderful time, effort and positive energy in its promoting and supporting our music and the INDIE community over the years. Sincerely, Maggie Sansone, President, Maggie's Music http://www.maggiesmusic.com *** You can say a lot about BB and his W&W but not that he doesn't have an opinion. Oh no... in fact BB has an opinion about (music related) everything. He probably has opinions about non music related things too but we won't go into that now. ;-) I always liked reading Bill's views about things. It's not that I agree with him always, but I liked the fact that he was clear, enthusiastic and committed. And I also liked the fact that when he was wrong, (yes that happened), that he also was able to admit it. Often in the same way that he gave his first opinion. And I respect that. I wish that people would listen more to each other, and allow themselves to change their opinion. There's nothing wrong with that. BB is W&W and I will miss him. I can understand his motives but still I regret him leaving the scene. 3 years ago I also decided to quit the music business but after 3 months I really start missing it so I came back. I hope the same applies to Bill. And if not then he's always welcome to join the writers of E-dition magazine. I know the magazine is not completely his style but with his (lengthy) writings he can try to convince me that the magazine should change. Who knows, maybe I'll change my opinion...And if he really want to retire then I wish him all the best too. Happiness in life is important... with whatever you do. Best regards / Vriendelijke groeten, Kees Aerts Groove Unlimited *** While Bill and I have disagreed - sometimes vehemently - on many things over the years, we have always agreed that the music that we love and honor is extremely underappreciated and absolutely essential in our confused times. No one has done more than Bill to promote ambient, electronic and new age music. (many have done as much, none more.) The retirement of Wind and Wire just passes the torch to others. Bill's contributions will be missed but not forgotten! Fare thee well, Bill! May God bless you and yours in everything that you do!
*** New Age Music Thoughts and Trends by Suzanne Doucet http://www.newagemusic.com/sd.html New Age Music has evolved from ancient times being always considered having it's roots in meditation music, spiritual and sacred music, healing music or music to expand consciousness or ritualistic music. Since the late '60s which included a movement of increased interest in metaphysics, new age music became the companion of a new paradigm, lifestyle which is today loosely termed the Cultural Creatives lifestyle or the New Age Movement. according to some scientists there are approximately 150 million Cultural Creatives world wide. New Age Music sells to that international market very well under it's own label but also under other labels such as Ambient Music, Meditation Music, Sacred Music, Healing Music and more. A lot of indigenous music is part of the New Age Music scene as well as Trance-Dance Electronica and New Acoustic Music. There are now many more vocals available through a boom in Yoga and Eastern Metaphysical Techniques such as Tai Chi, Feng Shui etc. A lot of Westerners love devotional Indian chants or other sacred Asian chants. Chants in general based on the popularity since ancient times of Sacred Chanting has seen an enormous popularity with artists such as Deva Premal, Krishna Das and Jai Uttal. But of course artists such as Enya and the Benedictinian Monks have laid the groundwork for New Age Vocals. I believe the Chanting Trend has reached its Peak and we will hear more New Age Singer Songwriters picking up where Donavan and George Harrison left off and we will probably see a renaissance of New Age Pop. But the latest Trend I have been able to observe as coming up being favored by listeners and the media as well as download charts and CD sales is ambient, contemplative and meditative electronic/acoustic music. Brian Eno who started way back in the late '70s early '80s with his ambient series has a big come back as well as Harold Budd. Artists of the New Ambient generation such as Liquid Mind or Ray (Ray Leonard) are taking the ambient approach to new levels. This development is very encouraging, because it shows that the real Essence of New Age Music which was always beyond Entertainment, is being appreciated and recognized. Despite the fact that the mainstream media tried to mold New Age into another "Pop" category, just because a popular new age artist such as Yanni or Andreas Vollenweider would head up the charts. New Age Music is probably the most diverse musical genre in existence and gives the most freedom to those artists, who want to express their talent in this genre. But it takes a bit more than just talent. There is a certain consciousness involved in creating New Age Music but also in understanding it. This element has been puzzling the industry for years and the mainstream media was never able to grasp it (Or they did not want to grasp it!) In any case, all New Age success stories are probably the most under reported success stories in the entertainment industry. New Age Music outsells most of Pop, Jazz and even Country music, but nobody talks about it in the media. I would like to encourage and support the idea to make New Age Music success stories more visible in the media. New Age Music listeners and lovers will find eventually the music they are looking for on-line or in quality book and record stores, but it is still difficult sometimes and the search can be very frustrating especially when uninformed sales people do not make any effort to make it easier for their customers. I hear stories from frustrated customers every day! The New Age Music industry in return has not tried hard enough to recognize itself as a community and find ways to enhance visibility for New Age Music in general. I have produced 3 international Conferences more than 10 years ago and I feel it is time to gather our industry once more to get together and recognize where we are and where we could be going... New Age Music is well and more alive than ever! |