Monday 19 October 2020

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

  

Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, writes:

"Thom the World poet is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Thom's poetry tapes and guest appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied within seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?"

'PIRACY OF ABUNDANCE"
7 million books self-published last year
largely on Amazon.com-for little audience/less income
Arts Access democratized but demonetized.INSTANT ENGAGEMENT demands
entertainment over contemplative art.Paid subscriptions vs donations.
To be a professional artist ,one must be  self-managed and self-sustaining.Young,healthy ,childless.
Hence PASSION PROJECTS as sidelines for employed workers,
and COMMUNITY ART for burgeoning amateurs and auteurs.
SPOTIFY and SOUNDCLOUD starve their musicians.Ask Taylor Swift.
Royalties are rare and dwindling.Corporations take no risks.Self-publishing Rules!
Covid has accelerated the demise of the "music industry".With no venues-no income.KANSAS broke up.
You cannot tour without a mass audience.Elton John delays his Retirement.
Independent outlets like SUNDANCE now sell their films to NETFLIX.
Consider MULAN franchised to Disney Plus,now also PRIME for profit.
There are no artist/writers slums/ghettos.Rent rises.Income dwindles.Patrons shrink ,with no profits.
In this art,music,writing and the arts generally are at one-live performances impossible-
hence PAYPAL and VENMO for house concerts and online Festivals.Our eyes are overloaded,
our pockets emptied.Art must keep itself alive in these pandemic times,or become history.
History never repeats

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