28594: Morse(comment) CBGB's is closing

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

_oloffsonram@aol.com_ (mailto:oloffsonram@aol.com)

What does CBGB's closing have to do with Haiti?

When I started out in music there were very few places in the New York/ New
Jersey area where one could go and play original music. My four favorites:
Max's Kansas City in Manhattan, CBGB's in Manhattan, King Tut's City Gardens
in

Trenton and the Fast Lane in Asbury Park.

 I was in two bands (<Groceries> and <Lunchmeat  2000>).  My band mates went
off to other musical projects (Henry  Rollins Band, Ween and Ministry). I went
to Haiti and formed RAM. My former  musical cohorts can go play New York
anytime they want. Me, because I have a  Haitian band, am at the mercy of
lawyers
and government bureaucrats anytime I  want to go to New York.

I visited Cuba a few times, with RAM, and towards the end of the second  trip
we met with one of the local Communist leaders to have a <chat>. He
explained to us the way things <work> in Cuba and one of the things that
struck
me
the most was that if you want to start a band in Cuba you had to go  before a
committee of the Communist Party and they would give you a <yes>  or a <no>.

I thought that was pretty ridiculous. Imagine going before government
bureaucrats and having them give an <ok> to artistic endeavors. And yet  here I
am a
few years later listening to people in the American consulate,  asking my
musicians ridiculous questions and making random decisions as to which
musicians
can go and which must stay in Haiti.

 Another time I wanted to bring a musician to a studio in New  Jersey but no
visas were being granted. Bureaucrats telling me, <its the  law>. I'll bet you
the families of bureaucrats don't have visa  problems.

In any case, <long live the spirit of CBGB's and the idea of original
music>. Musical direction chosen by the musicians. And...watch out for your
freedoms, whether you're American, Haitian or Cuban or whatever, because
people
like
to take your freedoms away. It gives them a sense of importance.
Richard Morse

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