Thursday, July 20, 2006

fuck interviews

i did today another interview with a swedish radio about my music in general and about the "starry night" piece. it was good to talk about music for a while.

i am receiving a lot of propositions for other interviews.
i hate to do that. especially in theses times.
i feel that the attention my work is given is somehow unjustified. in normal times, i would have sent my blog address to my mailing list (around 400 people), and would have got some 1000 people visiting after 2 or 3 years. today, it went pretty fast out of control. in 4 days there was already more than 1000 readers. god knows how much there is now. i hope a lot. and i hope that others are coming.
the thing is that today i feel a sort of responsibility, and it is like i have to make my voice heard to continue the job i am already doing on the blog. i am doing it and will still do it. but it put me in the position of a sort of hero defending the lebanese citizens with my art, while the sad reality is that i can do nothing to even protect myself. people are dying under the bombs and i am giving interviews!!!
anyways, i'll continue drawing, fraking out, playing music and blogging (i hate this word) until i find something more intelligent/helpful to do.

25 comments:

  1. CONTINUE.

    Never lose faith in the importance of what you do.

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  2. So Mazen, you arranged this whole thing just to get a little publicity, eh? Go ahead and do the interviews. You have a very pleasant radio voice, and you also have much to say with it! Don't stop now...
    mz

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  3. michael you fucker, you caught me!
    a good old war is the best way to make yourself known. i call all the artists from the world to come to beirut make themselves a name. even the bad ones, it doesn't matter.
    keep it going michael and stay next to your radio. maybe my melodious voice will reach your ears in chicago soon.

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  4. Every interview is a possibility to say your truth. And every day is a day of telling again and again: your truth!
    With all the power you have.
    Thank you!

    HBW, Germany

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  5. Bonjour Mazen,

    Un mot pour te dire que je n'ai pas eu la chance d'entendre une de tes entrevues mais sois assuré qu'avec tous les crétins qui se permettent de dire leur opinion dans les médias quant à cette guerre, une voix comme la tienne sur les ondes sera un souffle d'air frais des plus nécessaires!

    Continue le bon travail. C'est une lourde responsabilité sans doute, mais nous t'en sommes reconnaissant!

    Merci pour tout et bon courage!

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  6. Don't feel that way. Your blog is refreshing, it's free of political bullshit that more often than not gets in the way of what the media should be focusing on, and thats the people caught in the middle. Who cares what side your on? Death is death for whatever reason. Its a no-win situation and your exceptionally good at showing that through your drawings.

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  7. Hey Mazen,
    It is hard to stay enthused during such difficult times, but do not give up. Take any interviews you get, and make your word heard. Its people like you that can make a difference.

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  8. it’s so important your voice in this moment,
    we’re hearing you and learning from you with this blog
    it’s necessary to let people know the ways you have
    your drawings are wonderful

    this war will end soon

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  9. Keep up the Good Work Mazen, the interviews spread your words and pictures throughout the world, if it wasn't for one on Australian radion staion Triple J, I wouldn't have known your blog existed.

    It's nice to get a real point of view, instead of the stupid news articles that are all politically motivated to provide the news source with publicity.

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  10. Keep up the good work! You were reported on the "Cartoon Brew" blog a while ago.

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  11. i downloaded "starry night" thank you.

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  12. this IS helpful and intelligent!

    I posted your spongebob/bomb drawing on my website

    Margaret

    California

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  13. Mazen:
    Today I played the bass, for about three hours. It somehow was related with the bombs and everything.
    TV says they're dropping fucking bombs while I write this and i can't do anything but play my bass.

    Anyway, i'm listening, i guess that's something. I guess I need to play with what i hear, or something...

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  14. Your work is already very well regarded by those who know it so I can't see that more people being aware is a problem. I was aware of your work previously because I had heard you played well from other musicians when you were in the US, and thought of you right away when this started.
    The fact that your work is good and important already and the fact that you are responding to this with your work means it is now part of it.
    This is a heavy thing for anyone to go through and I do not think the depth it can will be exaggerated.
    It certainly makes my musical high points feel small!
    Anyway, I sent your amazing mp3 to many lists and indivduals, amoung them Bill Dixon.
    stay strong and safe.

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  15. Hi Mazen!

    Andreas Lindahl Swedish radio. It's fantastic to read your thaughts on interviews, and I also think it's showing how difficult it is to read what is going on in a different persons mind. In my story and in my eyes me you are not (you are- but thats not the point)a hero defending your people, but a way for me to understand, through human fellings, what a war is alla about. Emotions and horror not headlines and politicians. I hope to show that in my story in a few minutes.
    /Andreas

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  16. again and again, thanks for your comments. it keeps us all going since i know a lot of lebanese are reading them. unforunately the 500.000 refugges from the south do not have internet access. THEY need to know that the world is with them.

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  17. hey damon,
    i also know you by a lot of musicians we both played with or know. i am glad we finally meet, even in these tough times.
    i would be very glad to know if bill dixon can get access to the trumpet piece. he is one of my greatest musicians and i chose to go on honeymoon to berlin in 1999 just to see him playing there (w/oxley, matthias shubert and another bass player).it is the gig that got out on FMP "berlin abozzi". tell this guy that i was here to see him. and that it was me shouting at the end with the 40 people or so who stayed until the end (the music was so good that at least 200 persons left during the concert).
    bill dixon is the father of all the trumpet improvisers
    (i count franz hautzinger, axel dörner and greg kelley as the big brothers - franz specially; we sound like brothers somehow, with all the ressmblance and the huge differences you find in any brothers)
    this message transformed in an international trumpet manifesto. i am sorry for that, but it feels good to talk for a while of these very interesting things. i wish i could have more time and write an article about the history of trumpet improvisation. but i just realized where and when i was. there is work to do. keep posted

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  18. Hi Mazen,
    continue. It's people like you the world needs. Thanks.
    Charlotte

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  19. Hi Mazen,

    At a small techno party tonight in Melbourne Australia, the music was stopped at 11:00pm for an (almost) silent vigil for the situation in Lebanon and Israel. Almost silent because we had "starry night" playing in the background. I had stumbled across your track a day or so back - but the decision to use it tonight was quite spontaneous.

    People said afterwards it made everything much more real to be listening to what is happening there. There is a public gathering tomorrow in support of a ceasefire - some people from the party will be going - and many have learnt a lot more about what is happening through their experience tonight.

    Thanks for the honesty of your art - keep blowing. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the rest of Lebanon.

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  20. Hey, if we are going to talk about the trumpet we must talk about Miss Birgit Ulher from Hamburg!
    There is a track with her on my myspace page:
    http://myspace.com/smithdamon
    As far as Bill Dixon, it is not just the trumpet he the father of but also of the way we play together today.
    The other bass player on the berlin concert was the amazing East German virtuoso Klaus Koch. He died a few years ago.

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  21. hey mark,
    that sounds great.
    too bad the rhythm is slow for dancing!

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  22. klaus koch that's it!
    sad to hear he "made it".
    yes i totally occulted the "sisters" birgit and ruth barberan and liz albee and all the others. i actually played a couple of times with birgt and we recorded together (+sharif sehnaoui on guitar) a month ago in hamburg. and i forgot a lot of brothers too (sebastien, nate, matt, and all the others). but the fact is that the three guys were the only ones i knew in the beginning and therefore.
    i don't know how i did to forget rajesh mehta!!!

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  23. where may I find and listen to the Mazen interview (s) and "starry night" on the net?

    Cant somebody post this?

    It would be a good idea to have the interview and "starry night" clickable accessible on the main KERBLOG's page - what do you think Mazen?

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  24. Sure Mazen, I can fully understand your feelings of suddendly being known for something which is nothing but a side-effect of this madness, nothing but the expression of your day to day existence and its current hardship. (like someone in pain being repeatedly asked 'does it hurt?' when all s/he wants is to get something soothing). When I typed 'kerblog' in google and all the references that came up where about your blog (search-engines working by frequency of hits and that) I kinda pictured the situation!
    Well, I am happy 'cause it shows that when it comes down to individuals some express their concern and worry... but at other times I wonder: couldn't that very expression manage to make a difference in the out-there world? Is it so difficult to cry out?
    And, yet, at other times, I feel more optimistic and believe that the please-stop-all-this-madness cry will make a difference and finally be heard. FUCK!

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  25. you are getting publicity and that's good for you, but it's even better for the cause.

    it doesn't hurt if you are getting something out of it.

    keep up the good work

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