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From: krf7527@ritcv.UUCP (Keith Fieldhouse)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: "USA for Africa" trash...
Message-ID: <4@ritcv.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 9-Apr-85 19:32:04 EST
Article-I.D.: ritcv.4
Posted: Tue Apr  9 19:32:04 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 12-Apr-85 05:23:53 EST
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Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
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> 	This note is concerning the recent USA for Africa recording...
> 
> 	First off, it really pisses me off that they did this first
> in England, and the American artists copied the English and NOW 
> the only version you hear (not to mention that pit of video dreck, MTV)
> is the USA for Africa one.  Grrrr...


As I recall, the British Band Aid recording was called something
like "Do They Know it's Christmas?".  Most radio stations don't
play Christmas music in April, although in Rochester, NY with the 
temperature and all, they might just as well.

> 
> 	Secondly, and more to the point, I am not at all impressed 
> by the fact that these artists got together and pressed a disc - so
> that the poor American consumer is left actually footing the bill
> for whatever aid we send to Africa....why didn't these rich slobs
> (read especially folks like M. Jackson Inc.) just GIVE some of their
> millions?  

I would not be suprised if some of them actually *did* donate some
of their "millions".  As I'll point out in a moment I don't think that
matters much anyway.


>Noooo!  They just visit a recording studio for an hour
> (with all sorts of expensive catering, I've heard) and sing . . .

From all reports that I've read, the session was more like all
night long and not particularly "easy".  But that's not really the
point, the fact is, singing/performing is what those people do for
a *living*.  That is how they put bread on the table, send their kids
to school and make payments on their cars.  Granted, they do make a 
lot of money and it does look like an awful lot of fun but methinks
that for most of them it was not an easy road to the glories of MTV.
While some might argue that they aren't worth what they make, I might
argue that computer programmers aren't either.  In my view a good
high school teacher should get paid what M. Jackson does but the
world doesn't seem to revolve that way.  In any event, by working
(yes, working) and redirecting their expected compensation to
a charitable cause they *are*  (in my view) donating money
out of their own pockets.


> 	The worst thing is, the music is pretty pathetic...and the
> video reminds me a lot of the self-indulgent Police junk - a 'gee,
> isn't it neat to see us at work?' sort of attitude!

I'm not overly thrilled with the music either especially after I've
identified all the singers.  As to the video: yes, I did think it was
kind of neat to see them work.  I don't think I'd want to see it more 
than once or twice though.


That's just my 14 cents worth,

Keith Fieldhouse
@ The Rochester Institute of Technology
{allegra | seismo}!rochester!ritcv!krf7527