Hey Pieter, I'm very glad you have found our modest archive of messages
interesting and
useful. For me at least, the approaching summer promises a lot more free time to
devote
to Basho stuff. For the past many months I've been in a kind of self-imposed
Basho exile
(it's way too distracting!) and today was the first time I've properly sat down
and listened
and engaged musically with it for a long time. In fact, today I hardly got past
the first 3
bars of Babs (I presume you have already heard this one... if not, oooh just
wait till you
do!), so hypnotised was I by the wonderful overtones and colours (metaphorically
speaking). So, in this spirit of revival, I am especially happy to read your
message. I hope I
can be of some help.

1) I'd be happy to share the BFBS interview. I'll have a crack at Rapidshare
tomorrow. I
have no qualms on this one, seeing as that's how it came to me, and it would
only be
correct to pass it on in that way.

2) I'm afraid I fall short regarding this issue on at least two counts. The
first being my lack
of interest and expertise in soulseek and the like- it has only been thanks to
others
people's interest that I have come across some of the bootlegs you speak of, the
BFBS
interview and Contemporary Guitar Sampler. to name but two. Doubtless there are
more
gems already floating around the internet that we're still unaware of.

Secondly, I feel especially unprepared and unsophisticated in discussions of
legal
copyright issues, sharing, ethics, commercial interests, and the like. It seems
clear first of
all that personal views are shaped by personal experience, consisting of both
interests and
insights. For example, those here who have a foot (or more) in the industry may
have a
better grasp of the impact of internet sharing than those who are avid and
independent
'seekers' on the internet and beyond. It's also clear that both sides have a
contribution to
make in the discussion. I'd say too that recent more or less out of the blue
(but extremely
welcome) releases of his work, namely Vanguard's India II and Bo' Weavil's Bonn
concert,
are signs that official releases are possible (hopefully viable) and do happen.
I'm sure none
of us would wish to inhibit future releases of this kind. But then again, I'm
not capable of
pointing out the exact impact that internet sharing has on these kinds of
endeavours-
whether it is a wholly negative impact or a positive one (i.e. publicity). I
suppose it boils
down to a matter of space- whether official and unofficial vie for the same
space or
compliment each other. And again- in Basho's case the 'official'/'unofficial'
divide is also
problematic. I for one wish I knew more about the issues and processes by which
a
company like Bo' Weavil (or Tompkins Square, for another example) comes to
release a
recording, and simultaneously comes to acquire something of 'official' status
along the
way. What are the elements that begin to distinguish (let alone serve to create
the
offical/unoffical opposition) informal internet sharing on the one hand, and a
commercial
release on the other (no matter how small).

What am I trying to say? Probably, perhaps half-intentionally, nothing. It is
with a very
guilty conscience that I admit to having spent so long getting round to
purchasing either
of the above recent releases (in the case of the former, it is largely down to
it not being
available in itunes shops outside of the U.S., in the latter largely to my
pennilessness and
sheer laziness.) But then again, having had every intention of buying the Bonn
issue from
the start, would I have acted faster had I not heard the concert in bootleg form
beforehand? I guess no one can ever rely on the consumer's good will.

But, as is probably quite evident by now, I am not the best person to be
addressing this
issue at all, I am naiive and ignorant in these matters (wilfully perhaps). I
agree with your
caution as regards sharing stuff that is already buyable, but the rapidity with
which that
release appeared surely teaches us that we can't second guess the direction
things will
take in the future. If the Bonn concert bootleg had been more widely circulated,
would it
have inhibited this release, and perhaps more provocatively, was it the Bonn
recording in
drifting internet bootleg form that made itself known to Bo' Weavil in the first
place?

I guess these issues all contribute to a view of the problematic contemporary
condition of
the music industry as a whole. I remember, a few years ago when I was deeply
into
Captain Beefheart and I discovered the longstanding commercial unavailability of
his Lick
My Decals record, I held my breath waiting for a reissue, which I was sure was
imminent-
but as the years have drifted on there's been no change, despite the obviously
growing
interest in Beefheart since that time, with the success of the Magic Band and
numerous
shoddy and not-so-shoddy cd rarities releases. To this day I still haven't heard
that
album, even thought I'm sure by now it's available on soulseek. If one of
Beefheart's most
acclaimed records can languish for so long, surely the future commercial
availability of
Basho's music is all the more precarious and unpredictable?

And it's also not just a case of setting up a system for dispensing his music to
the
interested few (for an academic interest, say), as if this has a negative impact
on other
concerns even in the slightest, it is already corrupt. Not everyone would agree
with this,
but I would say that one of our main interests should be to increase popular
awareness
and understanding of Basho and Basho's music- to make him, his music, and
everything
about him openly available. In this endeavour, commercial releases are extremely
valuable,
as well as being part and parcel of his ongoing living legacy in a way that
research
databases, say, aren't to the same extent. A guarded and jealous possessiveness
of his
music would be, I would say, a very negative outcome.

In any case, I apologise for not having yet really approached your invitation to
think about
"ways to upload and share some of the rarer material". To be more direct, four
things
come to mind:

1) to learn a little bit more about actual circumstances with regards to the
legal ownership
of his music, from the Takoma days through Vanguard and Windham Hill, and also
to
those of his later cassettes.

2) plans for future releases, if any. I know Fantasy (later Concord?) spent a
number of
years of intensive Fahey reissues, which continues at a slower pace. What about
Basho?

3) to learn more about who in this group owns and has heard what (and when), and
in
what format.

4) to look into the ins and outs of creating a database for those interested in
the music
(for study or whatever). I am obviously not suggesting here that this group has
any
authority in this matter at all. It would just be interesting to know how things
like this
work, outside as they are of mainstream (or not so mainstream) commercial
developments.
I personally think it's a great shame that those interested in Basho's music are
inhibited by
the rarity (and later cost) of acquiring the music individually each time. Many
of us have
presumably (one way or another) invested some time and money into hearing
Basho's
music- surely there's some argument for pooling the fruits of these endeavours,
just as
there is in bringing together the (less quantifiable) wealth of personal memory
and
experience? But then again, would it ever be desirable for us to discount the
value of this
personal investment, to the advantage of those with only a more passing
interest? But
again, it is of this last vaguely exclusive attitude that I am personally very
wary.

I thank you for getting my thoughts moving on this topic again, and I hope that
what I've
come up with is of some interest (and sense!) to you.


Robbie



--- In robbiebasho_forum@yahoogroups.com, "Pieter Appels" <pieterappels@...>
wrote:
>
> Hello Robbie and co.,
>
> I recently discovered this forum and spend an enjoyable evening going
> through the many insightful posts, the inside stories and the useful
> tunings. Since encountering Basho's music some two years ago, I've been
> looking for more biographical and other background information (and for
> recordings as well!). I was especially thrilled by discovering the
> 1974interview, streamable from the internet archive.
>
> Two questions though:
> 1 - could you provide some link to the "digital version of the recording
> of the BFBS interview" on rapidshare you mentioned earlier? I can't seem
> to manage to find it...
>
> 2 - in some of the earlier posts there was discussion about the
> appropriateness of sharing Basho-material online, via soulseek,
> rapidshare or by other means. I have obtained most of the Takoma and
> Vanguard albums through filesharing programs, but can´t get a hold of
> later records, let alone the cassettes or bootleg material. The albums I
> do have are of poor, lossy quality.
> Is anyone interested in reviving this discussion and in thinking about
> ways to upload and share some of the rarer material (it goes without
> saying I´m not talking about the buyable stuff like the Bonn
> concert), - or am I the only one in this sad position?
>
> Bye from Belgium,
> Pieter
>
>
> --- In robbiebasho_forum@yahoogroups.com, "Robbie Dawson"
> <robbie.dawson@> wrote:
> >
> > a couple of things that may or may not be known already about the
> availability of these
> > recordings-
> >
> > 1) a digital version of the recording of the BFBS interview was kindly
> uploaded to
> > rapidshare last year by Will Dawson for the group's consumption. This
> version begins with
> > a recording of grail and the lotus and ends with cathedrals, both off
> art of acoustic. It is
> > exactly 1 hour long
> >
> > 2) I seem to be in possession of the first Bonn live recording, 11
> songs, starting with
> > redwood ramble and ending with california raga.
> >
> > As far as I know, the online version of BFBS does not have anything
> about Basho's roadie-
> > this sounds like a VERY interesting extra on your tape.
> >
> > If anyone here hasn't already got hold of these recordings and would
> like to here them, i'd
> > be happy to attempt to upload them both to rapidshare.
> >
> > Likewise, if anyone has managed to find some other basho rarity
> lurking around and you
> > want to tell everybody about it, this is the place...
> >
> > Finally, good luck to Robin in his mammoth (and very worthwhile)
> transcription task!
> >
> >
> > RD
> >
> > --- In robbiebasho_forum@yahoogroups.com, "altmark47" robin_ward@
> wrote:
> > >
> > > --- In robbiebasho_forum@yahoogroups.com, "artpaws" <artpaws@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Robin,
> > > >
> > > > thanks for your kind offer. I think I share with you some
> > > misgivings
> > > > about even the remote possibility of losing a rather unique
> > > cassette
> > > > tape. Therefore, your kind offer of working up a transcription of
> > > > certain sections of the interview as a file for the forum sounds
> > > like a
> > > > super idea.
> > > >
> > > > FWIW, I found the German radio station mentioned on-line and e-
> > > mailed
> > > > an inquiry about the decades old interviews and performances. Who
> > > > knows, maybe they've got a great archivist. One can hope that the
> > > > German penchant for organization might produce some interesting
> > > results.
> > > >
> > > > Several years ago, when I first met Glenn Jones on-line through
> > > one of
> > > > those strange internet connections, I made a few attempts to crack
> > > the
> > > > Sufi connection to Basho, with the particular order Robbie
> > > belonged to
> > > > up in Walnut Creek. It is a separate splinter from mainstream
> > > Sufism
> > > > in America, because of its belief in Meher Baba. I was only able
> > > to
> > > > scare up a couple of people who knew Robbie back in the 1980's in
> > > the
> > > > Sufi order, but no real substantive information.
> > > >
> > > > all the best,
> > > > Rich
> > >
> > >
> > > Hello again,
> > >
> > > Great, I'll start working on a transcription and will be in touch
> > > again, as soon as I've got a section finished I'll post it on the
> > > forum.
> > >
> > > BFBS isn't actually a German station, though I think it's based here
> > > somewhere (it stands for British Forces Broadcasting Service). Must
> > > have been quite a coup for them to land an interview with Robbie
> ....
> > >
> > > If you do hear anything from BFBS about this broadcast, let me know!
> > >
> > > Bye for now -
> > > Robin
> > >
> >
>