It’s funny how the music industry works. One day I’m listening to Mac Cocker on JJJ playing this fabulous new record by Nona Hendryx, the next, I find I’m selling it because I’m working at RCA.
Nona Hendryx Mutastis Mutandis
Fast forward a few years to being in New York with my mate Andrew Crampton meeting her manager, the legendary Vicki Wickham. Now, I don’t use the word “legendary” as often as a lot of people do, but, if you were the producer of Ready Steady Go, managed Dusty Springfield and was actually on the rooftop when everyone below was stopping to listen to “Get Back”-then the term “legendary” definitely applies.
But I digress…..Nona Hendryx formerly of Labelle has been a musician for over 50 years. She is vital, passionate, intelligent, and had Keef play on her records. She’s just released a new record called “Mutatis Mutandis” (translation: “Changing those things which need to be changed”).
I, like thousands of other people who believe in artists and their music helped pay for the album via “Pledge Music”. It’s an angry, outspoken, heart on a sleeve piece of work based around the current U.S. political climate and timed to coincide with the upcoming election. As such, it probably won’t sell a lot of copies in Australia, but because there are still great distribution networks, in this case via Sebastian Chase’s MGM people here still have access to it.
There’s room, and there should always be room, for every kind of music. One day we might even hear radio presenters being freed up to play stuff like this so we, the general public, get to hear the variety that is out there but hey, ain’t that idea a can of worms?
It’s one of the advantages I have being in retail, I can play, promote, bag the crap out of, and get into people’s ears about the kind of music that keeps the industry fun, ever-changing….and relevant.
Have a listen and tell me what you think-then tell everyone. People listen to you.
Cheers,
Frog
Songland Records
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Songland-Records/
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