68 - The Michigan Daily Weekend Magazine - Thursday, November 5, 1998
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Indy label Gadfly appeals to the strange, unusual
'O Rfao-r of the week
A world of art 1is not a world away,
By Curtis Zimmermann
Daily Arts Writer
In the cutthroat and unforgiving
music industry, there are few - if
any - record companies that can be
described as noble. Mainstream
labels control most of the popular,
market. Many of the nation's small-
time ndependent ilabels, however.
ofr t l ome credibility to an
I iel~rln'to \eiiotha
Gadfly Records was founded by
Residential College graduate Mitch
Cantor. The label started releasing
CDs in 1990.
Describing his company in a
recent interview with The Michigan
Daily, Cantor quoted one of
Gadfly's more well-known artists,
Graham Parker, by stating "We
don't appeal to the masses, and they
don't appeal to usi"
Cantor explained how the labL's
goal is simple - it only releases
albums that are unique and offbeat.
He expressed his concern about the
future of mainstream music by rec-
ognizing how there is no longer the
variety on the radio that there once
was. By following this revolution-
ary philosophy, even without using
a formula for mainstream success,
the Gadfly label has managed to
grow sign ificantly since its incep-
tion.
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Cantor pointed out that the most
important aspect of running a suc-
cessful independent label is its dis-
tribution. He explained how if DNA
(a national distributor) hadn't
picked up the label in its early
years, it would have probably gone
out of business. In addition, Gadfly
has set up an effective catalog sys-
tem that does most of its sales on
the Internet at 1,1 gadflv-
records1com.
Cantor also pointed oat that the
best way fr him to set his raeords
is by wrd of mouth since the com-
pony doesn't have the resources to
promote its material to the general
public in the same ways the major
labels do.
Another major d ilemma that the
conmpany's artists somctimes face is
the high cost of touring. Since no
one record released by Gadfly has
sold more than 10,000 albums on
any one release, many artists lose
money while out on the road. The
lack of promotional funds hurts the
labels and artists and creates a
downward spiraling effect. Without
the proper publicity people don't
hear about the records, which
reduces sales and touring opportuni-
ties, thus leading to even lower
sales.
The over-saturation of the music
industry by major labels has
prompted many of these indepen-
dent labels to create their own mar-
kets without attempting to gain
crossover appeal. Cantor pointed
out that success is simply a matter
of finding out who your audience is
and trying to appeal to it.
Cantor has assembled a wide v ar-
ely in the Gadfly catalog. The mamn
type of music produced I the label
is that of singer/songwriters like
Parker, Tom Chapin, Kate Wolf and
Stan Rogers. Beyond them, Gadfly
offers a rather odd selection of nth-
nc music and spoken ord. In this
realm, Gadfly boasts one of the
largest selections of Karelian Folk
music, which includes Russia's
largest country/bluegrass band
Kukuruza.
In a time when multinational con-
glomerates often control what
clothes we wear, what food we eat
and what we listen to, it's encourag-
ing for young entrepreneurs to see
Gadfly, and the nation's thousands
of other independent labels, fight
this trend.
By Alexandra Arch
For the Daily
The Detroit Institute of Art, the fifth
largest fine arts museum in the country,
retains a commanding international paint-
ing collection ranging from prehistoric to
contemporary eras. With special exhibits
and an impressive display of all art forms,
the DTA can provide something to interest
every taste and level of expertise, from the
novice admirer to the serious art critic.
eginning tomorrow the DIA wil stay
open u 9 pm o e rsFra nig
F er mm' prOvding another option
for p opie -ho are busy or workin, zl 1
week. while the museum is usually open.
Vi-itors can enjoy the DI's permanent
collection, visiting exhibits, dinners and
special activities, including various guest
speakers, music and workshops that teach
ways in which to examine different forms
of art.
"A Passion For Glass: The Avia and
Jack Robinson Studio Glass Collection,"
a 78-piece collection of studio glass
donated by the Robinsons in 1995, cur-
rently is showing at the DIA. This exhib-
it offers an interesting insight into glass
making's 5,000-year-old tradition, and
also has a touch-screen video allowing
visitors inside the artists' studio to
observe the process of glass blowing first-
hand.
The exhibit attributes the popularity of
glass-making to a man named Harvey
Littleton, who brought glass making into
an artistic sphere in the '60s. He launched
glass-making as a popular art form, sub-
sequently perpetuating a fascinating his-
tory of glasswork.
This diverse exhibit illustrates the dif-
ferent styles and techniques used in mak-
ing glass. Pieces by Littleton are included
in the exhibit along with those of several
other principal artists working in the stu-
dio glass movement. Each piece is classi-
fied by size, appropriation, nature,
abstraction, color, and functional value
- such as its use as fuiture or baskets.
Objects on display in "A Passion For
Glass" explore color and light. These
pieces are visually stunning and must be
obsev ed from al angles in order to
appreciate the entirety of the artwork. The
ass wdork wt 1ss and use space to
defne hwthe color, shape arid texture
interact in each piece.
The exhibit is supplemented by fantas-
tic permanent coliction housed in the
DIA.
Highlighting the permanent collection
are the Rivera murals. In 1932, Diego
Rivera, an internationally renowned
Mexican muralist, was commissioned to
paint a room now called the Rivera Court.
The DIA hails this spectacular room as
one of its most popular attractions. Diego
Rivera's fresco murals span an entire
room conveying a special significance to
the city of Detroit. With laborious atten-
tion to details, Rivera creates a dynamic
room that features Detroit's industry in
the '30s.
Additional highlights of the DIA
include a substantial Italian art collection,
an American painting collection and the
French impressionist collection featuring
works by Monet, Van Gogh, Manet and
Cezanne. In addition, there are Flemish
and Dutch paintings, Native American
Art, African American Art and a large
Asian Art collection. These diverse col-
lections offer something to satisfy almost
every artistic taste.
"The DIA is a world-class museum,
rated in the top 10 of the country," said
volunteer tour guide Judy Knowles. "In
addition to its encyclopedic collections,
the DIA also represents the diversity of art
from all time periods."
Knowles not only cites the vast and
impressive collection of the DIA, but also
mentions the unique way in which the art
is arranged and the collections are housed
in the architecture. Renovations to the
DIA enhance the idividual collctions
and offers a simulatig atmosphere
Knowles also pointed out that conm-
bicaii with the neighboring African
American museum, the Science Museum
and the Historical Museum, the DIA is
situated in the cultural center of Detroit.
Nov. 5: Motown
/What: The Detroit Instit
/Where: Downtown Detr
/How: Take I-94 East pa
215C at Woodward Aven
Detroit's city hail and oth
/How Long: 45 minutes
/What's There: The DIA,
of fine arts, tomorrow wi
it open until 9 p m. every
to attract would-be musE
ing during the day and d(
a lttle culture - or stud
make a trip to Detroit in
for one reason only, go ti
murals, located in the CE
Court, or experience one
only $4 for hours of visJ
GRADUATE PROGR
SCHOOL OF EDUC
Want to make a difference in the lives of you
undergraduate degree or will you have one by
month Masters' Degree AND certification to t
School of Education is now accepting app
Elementary MAC, which begins in July 1999.
during 1999-2000 school year in two urban
schools; academic courses integrated with ea
ence.
Some fellowship support is expected for quali
For applications, contact Office of Stu(
soe.oss@umich.edu or phone 764-7563. For
Professor Stuart Rankin, email srankin@un
(Mention you saw this ad in the Daily.)
Vienna Virtuosi
Principal Members of the Vienna Philharmonic
Thu, Nov 5 .8 P.M.
Rackham Auditorium
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1-1 s l =f-A =90
Ann Arbor m
241 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor
998-0008
Fax 998-0303
Mon.-Sat. 11-12 AM
Sun. 12 noon- 10 PM
i .- I f
u
jj' Plymouth
447 Forest
(Behind the Mayflower Hotel)
459-3332
Fax 459-3113
Mon.-Sat 11 AM-11 PM
Sun. 12 noon-10 PM
1) Value Meals
Only 3.99
Soup or Cold Drink, Egg Roll, Entree & Fried Rice
Lunch Only
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2) Buy one dinner entree and get a second
at half priceI
3) $2 off for purchase of $10 or more
4) $5 off for purchase of $25 or more
Jazz Tap Summit:
An All-Star Celebration of Tap Dancing
Sat, Nov 7, 8 P.M.
Hill Auditorium
American String Quartet
Beethoven the Contemporary Series
Sun, Nov 8, 4 P.M.
Rackham Auditorium
Mitsuko Uchida, piano
Wed, Nov 11, 8 P.M.
Hill Auditorium L.
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Limit one offer per visit. Coupon must be presented
at time of purchase, expiration 11/30/98
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LYMOUT
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Central Campus Rush Outlet
Michigan Union Ticket Office
on the day of the event, 9 A.M.-
5 P.M., Monday through Friday
(Friday for weekend events).
University Music
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