Atlanta

One of the reasons for going to Atlanta was to test one of my many hypotheses. Although I didn't get to test it fully as I had other business to attend to in this green Georgian city, (and by 'green' I don't mean the buzzword to get folks to become environmentally conscious or hybridize their cars and washing machines–on the contrary, I mean it has a lot of trees) I got a whiff of some stale creative air.

Here's my hypothesis: Speaking broadly, if DIY Punks, striving for an "underground" sound and scene make homemade covers that demonstrate a network of people involved in the process, would it follow that Hip Hop artists would produce a similar thing, i.e. homemade record covers? Since I'm not involved with that scene, I figured that Atlanta would be a good place to start, as it's known as a mecca for that kind of music.

Here's what a cursory investigation found out: (very cursory, mind you, but I thought I would share some observations anyway)
The major Atlanta Hip Hop record store, Ear Wax, shut down recently. A record store closing is never a good indicator of a lively scene to begin with. After going to a few stores, I found a some cool homemade covers; most of it found in the local, indie and punk sections and most of it from Athens, Georgia, I might add.

Then I went to Moods Music, specializing in Acid Jazz and Soul and asked the attendant, Dave (who has been a working DJ for the last 12 years) if the store had any homemade items. He pointed me to a cover of a local singer, Stacy Epps, who, for a promotional CD pasted a commercially printed cover on a brown card stock CD case. It was the closest thing to anything homemade, and Dave lamented the sorry state of music and creativity in the homemade realm of Soul and Hip Hop. He said that everyone was just trying to make a quick buck off their material and didn't have time to do anything super creative and involved. Rachel, my couchsurfing host and native Atlantan, commented on my findings and Dave's opinions, saying that many artists are trying really hard to "make it" in Atlanta, contrasting the "anti-marketing marketing" Mike Wisti spoke of last fall. Dave also commented on digital music on iPods and cell phones making it possible for people to listen to music and just go about their business. No longer is listening to music and reading the liner notes an activity by itself–something for your soul, he said.

Like I said, this was a cursory investigation, but a much needed one nevertheless. I may need some time to mull it over, but I feel some good follow-ups are necessary–just like how I felt after the first time I visited a record store with the intent to photograph records in Minneapolis last fall, which is to say a barrage of questions and curiosities have assaulted my brain! You know, its like when you go to Wikipedia for an informational interview on "UFOs" and you to leave its cyberspace office with a desire to track down and interview some folks who claim to have had extraterrestrial encounters.

Anyway, I uploaded some more photos from Atlanta and got into Baltimore this morning to witness the decked-out folk going to the Anime Convention. I would have attended the Masquerade Ball, but registration is at least $100, so "balls." There's always the Visionary Art Museum! I asked some costumed Anime-heads to pose for some photos, so check out the Picasa link!

Peaces,
James