From my position in the front lines, the overall situation appears to be greatly improved. Thick fog lifts; the might of rational ideas so desperately needed to pull together the lost and disillusioned has arrived from all directions. These once disparate elements known as artists, musicians, technicians and business professionals have slowly been working toward what may well be the birth of a new and important movement. They have been working toward each other, with intent of common ground.

Homeless Multimedia was born in the hot trenches of work on Airwave Rituals, the first Paper Bag: release in over 16 years. Myself, George, Greg and master Bag:man Kenny Ryman began to form an idea, a way to make available not only the Paper Bag: catalog, but all of the music us four had concocted over the ensuing years. The list soon became a catalog, containing dozens of releases. Each of those led to recordings by the other folks we’d worked with, all of which were busting their backs trying to accomplish the same goals as the immediate Bag:family. At this time, George had an entrepreneurial epiphany, typical of his adventurous nature.

He envisioned an umbrella organization online, offering a massive catalog of work and merchandising. One would merely click a thumbnail of the item and it would link directly to that bands’ site. He saw a shared data base of world wide contacts, a massive web ring to advertise gigs to thousands of fans of non-mainstream and ‘unsigned’ music. Small group investments toward print and online advertising would make people aware of its existence.
Unlike many a spiritual style awakening, this notion of George’s was rooted firmly in reality; it was tangible, possible, do-able…

With Kenny leading the charge and Marc Mylar and Anthony firmly on board, the wheels began to turn, wheels that should have turned for all of us long ago.
There hasn’t been a thread of unity in the music community for years. All of us have been knocking ourselves out alone, rarely getting any payoff in money, audience or CD sales. Perhaps as a united front, large and visible through the power of numbers and presence, the stagnant state of L.A. art might change for the better. Some strategies just don’t work- battlefield testing has proven this out. Among them are: ‘pay to play’, play on 15 band cattle calls that are poorly executed, play for free, play for assholes for free, accept ill treatment in exchange for professionalism. Let us not forget the system of venues that leave all promotion in the hands of the performers or the dismal exercise of sitting on a thousand CD’s you’ve no idea how to distribute.

Long ago during the hippie heyday, shows were eclectic, variety was rampant. All of the venues (I hope you’re sitting) actually paid the performers! A band like Love, The Doors, The Byrds and Frank Zappa’s Mothers made enough through gigs alone to pay the bills and still have time to build an audience and perfect their art. By today’s standards, decent CD sales and well promoted shows might well accomplish the same.
Soon we will be hosting a king-sized meeting, featuring some of the most superb and determined of creative minds in Los Angeles. We will try to make Homeless Multimedia a reality. More news will get to you soon about all of this. Yes indeed, the wheels are finally turning.

And now the news…
The light at the end of the tunnel is no longer an oncoming locomotive. There are venues (The Thunderbird in North Hollywood, The Liquid Den in Huntington Beach, Mr. T.’s in Highland Park, and The Buccaneer in Sierra Madre, The Echo in Echo Park) that have made themselves available for truly new music. 
A new Bag: Theory release is in the works. It will be recorded by Kenny and produced by the band, and you can expect some brilliant guest artists to pop up on a few tracks. 
We have an upcoming gig at The Liquid Den, Huntington Beach in Orange County. It’s an all improve show Wed. night, June 23rd. We’ll be posting a flyer and promoting the show this week.
Just to remind our friends, I’ll be continuing to perform with The Motorcycle Black Madonnas, - badass rocking good stuff with Jonathan Hall, his wife Marea and the legendary Steve Reed, The Page Turner Band, new jazz deluxe fronted by Mr. Mylar, and the wonderful Music for Chameleons, featuring perhaps the most superb, polished professionals to ever grace one band. 
Well it’s time for a quick meal and a short cigar of dubious origin, then back to the good fight.

Will correspond with you soon,

M.

mdsegal@earthlink.net

Old News:
11/26/03
11/18/02
10/10/02