I had the privilege to interview Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses and 50 Foot Wave this month for Being There.   I greatly enjoyed our conversation, but there’s one thing that came up in our conversation that keeps floating around in my head, one idea that just won’t leave me alone.  And that is that art should not be compromised for sales.  Ever. 

When Hersh was still with Throwing Muses on Warner Bros., a representative of the label told her that she needed to try to be “less Kristin Hersh” for the next record.  His argument was that they could more easily promote the band if she sounded more commercial.  But what does that mean, exactly?  How do you ask an artist to be less themselves, especially when their art flows from their individuality?  It doesn’t take much to see that what he was asking for would be impossible for anyone who actually cared about their craft, whether a musician, an actor, a writer…whatever. 

I’m astounded by the idiocy of that request.  I probably shouldn’t be, since it’s not like her situation is unique.  The watering down of art has been a rampant problem for decades.  Mass production provides wonderful benefits for humanity—cheap, quickly produced furniture, affordable housing and transportation, and access to technological advancements in medicines our ancestors never dreamed possible.  But mass production and commercialization is death to art.  As soon as art is reduced to a consumable product, artistry takes a backseat to sales.  It’s been this way as long as I can remember.  That’s why there is so much disposable pop drivel on the radio, so much crap at the box office, and so much pulp in the fiction section of your local bookstore.  Of all the films, albums, and books released in a calendar year, only a handful are worth your time and money.  And chances are that what’s huge now will be forgotten in short order.

A cursory glance at the Billboard top 40 charts from five or ten years ago confirms this.  As of the time of this writing, 50 Cent, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Lopez, and 3 Doors Down are in the top 20.  Want to know who was in the catbird seat five years ago?  Bone Thugs N Harmony, Sisqo, Smashing Pumpkins, and Kid Rock.  What about 10 years ago?  Hootie and the Blowfish, Garth Brooks, TLC, and Boyz II Men were all hot.  White hot.  Fifteen years ago, Milli Vanilli and Michael Bolton were giving Paula Abdul a run for her money.  Today, Hootie’s doing Burger King commercials, and Paula’s helping people like Kelly Clarkson become the latest throw-away American idols.  Now I’m sure that some of you probably like some of those artists.  I have a couple of Smashing Pumpkins records myself.  So without singling any of them out, let’s just agree that most of those albums deserve to be forgotten.  They were always crap;  Even when we bought them. 

So why did they ever get bought?  Because they were promoted over and over again, played endlessly on the radio, MTV, and on shopping mall loudspeakers until we heard the songs in our sleep.  What’s worse is that the people doing the promotion don’t think this stuff is any good either.  And they don’t care one way or the other.  In their book, if it sells, it’s great.  If the corporations were really interested in quality, they’d have cancelled Nash Bridges instead of Homicide.  They’d have never made the first Dumb and Dumber, much less the sequel.  And Britney, Christina, and Avril wouldn’t have careers.  I know I’m telling you what you already know, but I’ve always been confused as to why this continues to be true.

At least I was confused before speaking with Kristin Hersh.  But something she told me makes it all clear.  She once pointed out to a record executive that his desk was covered in CDs that were crap.  She asked why.  And his response was that crap sells.  He said that the buying public is musically ignorant and will buy whatever they put out there.  Kristin replied that even if that was true, it was no excuse.  If people will buy anything that is promoted, then companies should still only promote worthy music.  If people will buy whatever crap is on the shelves, the companies should refuse to stock the shelves with crap.  My kids will eat just about anything I put out for them.  They don’t know better than to consume Twinkies and Kool Aid.  But I would be an irresponsible parent to feed them nothing but junk food.  It’s my job to give them something healthy.  So what if people are willing to buy garbage.  The companies should stop selling it.  But of course they won’t.  They’ll keep cranking out the crap because it’s easier than looking for genuine talent and sticking with it. 

So what’s to be done?  If the corporations won’t change (and they won’t), we’ll have to try to change the rules from the outside.  They’ll produce whatever sells, even if it’s junk.  So stop buying the crap.  Don’t buy records just because they’re getting played a lot.  Ignore the sales charts.  Who cares what’s selling the most?  Seek out independent radio.  Look for independent record stores (there are a few left) and support them.  And most of all, support the artists you admire and respect.  Buy records from the artists directly whenever possible (try their web site).  Go see them live when you can.  Take a friend.  And while you’re at it, try to find and support independent film and theater.  The suits can only keep the system going as long as everyone is willing to play along.  They can’t sell what we refuse to buy. 

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