I live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Right next to Williamsburg which may be one of the hottest real estate strips of land in the country. I've been here for about 2 years and have seen many businesses come and go already, almost all of the artist driven out being replaced with 'artist lofts' for some mysterious wealthy 'artist' to work in. I wasn't here 20 years ago when this was a sleepy, sketchy little strip of land so I did not witness the biggest change, I was living in Portland Oregon at the time where I got to take part in gentrifying the Alberta Street neighborhood, fled to the Mississippi district where my friends and I swore the developers couldn't find us but they did. This is a nationwide trend. What I saw in Portland brought a lot of mixed feelings, some joy (I ain't gonna lie, the Fresh Pot rocked and I love good coffee) and a lot of heartbreak (there is nothing like waiting to get that knock on your door telling you the reality: you don't own your place and it's time to go, you have been priced out. Not to mention you were a pioneer in a neighborhood where people didn't really want you. Oh some were nice, others had understandable resentment).
So I live in a Polish neighborhood mixed with folks from Kashmir, Turkey, Guatemala, Ecuador etc. But largely Polish. I feel safe for now. I can rest a bit until September when the lease is up. That's a big question mark. Can I take on the lease or does the owner want to renovate and get more money. I'll be the best tenant that I can but this is just a part of the shuffle. I'm comfortable on many levels but I know the reality in Williamsburg is happening everywhere, even in Greenpoint.
So I'm not writing this to slam people for wanting to make money, I consider myself a capitalist, I am a part of this system. So if you want a big pile of negativity about the rich on this post, please look at someone else's blog. I am writing this to present a series of soul searching questions. What exactly is happening and what does it all mean? I will admit I don't like it though I have come to accept it. One day I shall die and my voice won't matter. It may not matter at all now. I am powerless over it and there is little I can do except live my life to it's fullest and enjoy it as much as I can in my remaining time.
So I'll start here. The other night I was out with a friend. I wouldn't really call it a date but that's a nice word and this has come up on other dates too. See, I don't really drink much any more and the people I tend to attract don't drink much either. So say the movie is over or the concert is over and you aren't ready to go home with that person but you still want to hang out and vibe with one another, enjoy the company. Going home is too intimate, but neither of you wants a drink. What do you do? Where do you go? There is an abundance of bars here, but so far I have not found one late night tea house or smoothie joint. And if there is a late night non booze joint its usually brightly lit and set up for college kids. No vibe, no atmosphere, bad music. You want the dim lights and romantic atmosphere the temples of booze present but without the vibe of drunk people. See, in my experience bars are just that: you drink and drink more for the possibility of getting laid. I'm being honest here, that was how I used them years ago. The boundaries go down then so do you. That used to work, good and shallow, at times fun but almost always regrettable. So what do folks interested in sobriety do? What do folks interested in something else do? Something creative?
Further more could such a place survive? Rent needs to be paid monthly on the first. I've seen many good hearted people try to open all ages spots for music only to be hit with reality: booze is instant cash flow, a lot more than tea or smoothies. It creates a division: no one under 21 can come in any longer further dampening that young persons ability to hang out with older people who have lived longer. Younger people stay younger, influence each other and youth music stagnates. Doubt me? Teach kids like I do. Every time a youngster wants to learn something contemporary it's the same song as the last song I taught. Same chords, same melody, same emotionally manipulative arc, same beat. It's frightening the lack of diversity, the lack of risk....
And that's what this article is about. Risk. I don't see money as a killer of creativity. I do see the compulsive need to massively increase the bottom line as the killer of creativity. Case in point is the music I just spoke of. 30 years ago top 40 radio was diverse. Today it's horridly fascist. Did anyone watch when Putin put the Medvedev in power? His acceptance speech? The music in the background was the same as the Olympic games. 120BPM 4 to the floor cheese ball house beat. I make music. It really freaked me out to see that. What are we doing to our little brains? Political speech boom bum bum bum boom bum bum bum......
I went on a nice long walk the other day, the weather was heaven on earth and I have been working too much so it was great to have a day off. I looked at some of the many massive condos going into the neighborhood. A few of them have this retro 60's theme. I kinda like that. Nice colors, nice modern design past the first floor. The first floor however looks like the projects. Dull, dreary, blocky, almost 3rd world communist cheap. Then I start wondering about the insides of the rest of the building. The first floor represents that bottom line. Why not make it beautiful and welcoming? Why so cheap and ugly? Where is the opulence something I expect from a place that cost so much money to live in? I like a good hotel room, I love a good restaurant. I love the Chrysler Building. That is a true work of art. Is it really that much more expensive to make something really beautiful and lasting?
And I guess it's like that. Ferraris were once beautiful cars. They are hideous to me now but at one point they had such class. The new ones, well at least they are ugly, they say something. I was pointed out this: You can buy an Acura or something else that performs as well as a Ferrari for much, much less so why not just buy the cheaper one? Well, the Ferrari has an ego attached to it. It has a designer who created that hideous thing. It makes a bold statement. It says 'risk'. It says perhaps "I am a douchebag, stay out of my way!" The Acura was formed by a committee. People coming together concerned about selling as many as they can. "We can shift more units of this baby if we just tame this down a bit" etc, and they are right. People don't like to stand out. The same comparative principle applies to buildings, bars, art and music. If we are going to sell a lot of these we can't take the risk of trying something new or too radical. People aren't going to like it so we need to stick with what works.
So back to my date bit. Is it possible to build a temple of beauty, love, art, a place where people go and feel really good on a saturday night that has a great vibe but no booze? Is that too honest? Would there be a need for it? Would anyone but my crazy self frequent it? Would I frequent it? Could it make enough money to grow?
Is there a temple to music that has no booze, where people of all ages are welcome that is beautiful, smells good, has a great vibe, nice lighting, isn't a church and doesn't feel like it's run by resentful communist? (I've played more than my share of punk rock DIY spaces and free improv houses and never, ever felt welcome though I do appreciate the spirit and the intent, just not my vibe). Would people really support it? Would I support it? Is there an audience for such places?
One last note. Something I'm glad I witnessed. I played a little bar in Belgium years ago. When we arrived it was packed with high school kids who just finished their day. They were having a beer after class and had all of their book bags in a pile on the floor. Most of them went home, some stayed to see the band. None appeared drunk. There was such a trusting vibe there. I really liked that. So maybe the problem isn't booze but how we here in America use it (yes, I'm speaking of myself too). So maybe a non alcoholic spot isn't the solution, but more trust, more love, more faith in each others maturity. It's possible I think. Possible.
-Jef
So I live in a Polish neighborhood mixed with folks from Kashmir, Turkey, Guatemala, Ecuador etc. But largely Polish. I feel safe for now. I can rest a bit until September when the lease is up. That's a big question mark. Can I take on the lease or does the owner want to renovate and get more money. I'll be the best tenant that I can but this is just a part of the shuffle. I'm comfortable on many levels but I know the reality in Williamsburg is happening everywhere, even in Greenpoint.
So I'm not writing this to slam people for wanting to make money, I consider myself a capitalist, I am a part of this system. So if you want a big pile of negativity about the rich on this post, please look at someone else's blog. I am writing this to present a series of soul searching questions. What exactly is happening and what does it all mean? I will admit I don't like it though I have come to accept it. One day I shall die and my voice won't matter. It may not matter at all now. I am powerless over it and there is little I can do except live my life to it's fullest and enjoy it as much as I can in my remaining time.
So I'll start here. The other night I was out with a friend. I wouldn't really call it a date but that's a nice word and this has come up on other dates too. See, I don't really drink much any more and the people I tend to attract don't drink much either. So say the movie is over or the concert is over and you aren't ready to go home with that person but you still want to hang out and vibe with one another, enjoy the company. Going home is too intimate, but neither of you wants a drink. What do you do? Where do you go? There is an abundance of bars here, but so far I have not found one late night tea house or smoothie joint. And if there is a late night non booze joint its usually brightly lit and set up for college kids. No vibe, no atmosphere, bad music. You want the dim lights and romantic atmosphere the temples of booze present but without the vibe of drunk people. See, in my experience bars are just that: you drink and drink more for the possibility of getting laid. I'm being honest here, that was how I used them years ago. The boundaries go down then so do you. That used to work, good and shallow, at times fun but almost always regrettable. So what do folks interested in sobriety do? What do folks interested in something else do? Something creative?
Further more could such a place survive? Rent needs to be paid monthly on the first. I've seen many good hearted people try to open all ages spots for music only to be hit with reality: booze is instant cash flow, a lot more than tea or smoothies. It creates a division: no one under 21 can come in any longer further dampening that young persons ability to hang out with older people who have lived longer. Younger people stay younger, influence each other and youth music stagnates. Doubt me? Teach kids like I do. Every time a youngster wants to learn something contemporary it's the same song as the last song I taught. Same chords, same melody, same emotionally manipulative arc, same beat. It's frightening the lack of diversity, the lack of risk....
And that's what this article is about. Risk. I don't see money as a killer of creativity. I do see the compulsive need to massively increase the bottom line as the killer of creativity. Case in point is the music I just spoke of. 30 years ago top 40 radio was diverse. Today it's horridly fascist. Did anyone watch when Putin put the Medvedev in power? His acceptance speech? The music in the background was the same as the Olympic games. 120BPM 4 to the floor cheese ball house beat. I make music. It really freaked me out to see that. What are we doing to our little brains? Political speech boom bum bum bum boom bum bum bum......
I went on a nice long walk the other day, the weather was heaven on earth and I have been working too much so it was great to have a day off. I looked at some of the many massive condos going into the neighborhood. A few of them have this retro 60's theme. I kinda like that. Nice colors, nice modern design past the first floor. The first floor however looks like the projects. Dull, dreary, blocky, almost 3rd world communist cheap. Then I start wondering about the insides of the rest of the building. The first floor represents that bottom line. Why not make it beautiful and welcoming? Why so cheap and ugly? Where is the opulence something I expect from a place that cost so much money to live in? I like a good hotel room, I love a good restaurant. I love the Chrysler Building. That is a true work of art. Is it really that much more expensive to make something really beautiful and lasting?
And I guess it's like that. Ferraris were once beautiful cars. They are hideous to me now but at one point they had such class. The new ones, well at least they are ugly, they say something. I was pointed out this: You can buy an Acura or something else that performs as well as a Ferrari for much, much less so why not just buy the cheaper one? Well, the Ferrari has an ego attached to it. It has a designer who created that hideous thing. It makes a bold statement. It says 'risk'. It says perhaps "I am a douchebag, stay out of my way!" The Acura was formed by a committee. People coming together concerned about selling as many as they can. "We can shift more units of this baby if we just tame this down a bit" etc, and they are right. People don't like to stand out. The same comparative principle applies to buildings, bars, art and music. If we are going to sell a lot of these we can't take the risk of trying something new or too radical. People aren't going to like it so we need to stick with what works.
So back to my date bit. Is it possible to build a temple of beauty, love, art, a place where people go and feel really good on a saturday night that has a great vibe but no booze? Is that too honest? Would there be a need for it? Would anyone but my crazy self frequent it? Would I frequent it? Could it make enough money to grow?
Is there a temple to music that has no booze, where people of all ages are welcome that is beautiful, smells good, has a great vibe, nice lighting, isn't a church and doesn't feel like it's run by resentful communist? (I've played more than my share of punk rock DIY spaces and free improv houses and never, ever felt welcome though I do appreciate the spirit and the intent, just not my vibe). Would people really support it? Would I support it? Is there an audience for such places?
One last note. Something I'm glad I witnessed. I played a little bar in Belgium years ago. When we arrived it was packed with high school kids who just finished their day. They were having a beer after class and had all of their book bags in a pile on the floor. Most of them went home, some stayed to see the band. None appeared drunk. There was such a trusting vibe there. I really liked that. So maybe the problem isn't booze but how we here in America use it (yes, I'm speaking of myself too). So maybe a non alcoholic spot isn't the solution, but more trust, more love, more faith in each others maturity. It's possible I think. Possible.
-Jef
