Actually China is the place were the biggest amount of piracy of music/films goes on.

yes, but what does it have to do with the topic?

You said that there are countries in which they don't like music that is not in their language and you used China as an example. It's the complete opposite in China is my point.

I think what it has to do with the subject is that in China there are lots of people who would rather experience American popular culture than their own. We could talk about Communist repression if it were not true that a large part of the Japanese people similar similar sentiments.

It's actually more accurate to say that the majority of other countries have those that listen to music not in their own language. But than many of these people speak more than their own langague.

It's really more in the U.S. that this is not the case. Many Americans have enough problems with the English language as it is.

Yes, the language barrier does seem more prevalent in the U.S. I've found that when trying to introduce friends to the music of Brazil, the fact that it's in Portugese is the single greatest limiting factor.

I actually find the language barrier-thing not to be a problem. I only speak English and I am currently going to classes to learn a second language, but I get turned on straight away by the energy of the music and then sometimes I go out of my way to try and get the lyrics translated, if I love it that much. For example, Jose Merce blows my socks off completely but I don't speak a word of Spanish and I play him every single day.

I was also puzzled by why it is that world music hasn't been taking off the way I feel it should have been. But then again I also look to genre marketing for this. It is very important that people can find what they are looking for. But on the flip-side, I find it also difficult as an artist who is doing something that no one can fit into a genre. Maybe there is something in the more poppy artists using world influences and bringing more awareness into the listeners (of pop charts).

Something else that I have found quite interesting..... I move around a lot and live out of my suitcase. I am in Israel today as I write. There is a station that is popular here called Galgalatz. They play all sorts of stuff from the UK and the USA and of course, lots of Israeli stuff. The Israeli people have a lot of culture in their music, and have great folk music too. There is a lot of Oriental (Middle Eastern) music, of course. The young artists here being played on Galgalatz are very pop, rock and hip hop. That's all good too, but I love more the traditional stuff that I hear, or at least the older generation of artists here, that come up on Galgalatz. It opened my eyes (and ears) to the direction that the youth are going in, and how heavily influenced they are from the USA, etc.

I guess I can say that this is all good, but even better, if a loop 'back' to the homelands is created, with all cultures looking to one another for inspiration. I am from the UK originally but I have found myself making an album in the Middle East and using all kinds of influences from here on my record. So, I hope to be a part of creating the loop back, just as the youth here are creating a loop to the western world. ...oh, I could go on and on...sorry

Madamadajah, you just answered most of the questions I asked you on your thread about music in Israel. I would love to hear that album you're working on. Sounds like something wonderful. What are your plans for it?

I have just realised that I am running on two different threads (lol). Sorry Reverend Rock to run you in circles!

I have been working on this record for a long time now. It has taken some funny twists and turns. The album consists of polished demos right now, which is very studio based with a touch of human instrumentation. The plan now is to wait until our studio is finished being built (by the Dead Sea) and then get together with some great musicians out here. I have discovered that here in Israel there are musicians from various roots around the world. People travelled here from all kinds of backgrounds.

I plan to have various Middle Eastern percussionists work with us and play with using traditional instruments. Also, on the modern tip, there is a huge electronic scene here. My music is quite electronic on a production level. The producer is Israeli too. I know a great programmer here in Jerusalem who will be working with us. He is off the wall!

I plan to release the album here in Israel and in my home country, the UK. Also, as I will be releasing it predominantly online as I hope to reach people from overseas. I am organising the album-process to be filmed for a documentary, so that will be so much fun!

We will be using a Middle Eastern percussionist on stage with us when we go live (also for belldancing- drum solo in the middle of the set).

I have some music samples on my site and I'll be putting up some more. They are far from what they will sound like once we go into the studio (eg, Wyte Love will have lots of guitar and accordian). I haven't put them all on line yet because I am in the middle of clearing samples. I am clearing samples with an Arabic company. Do you know the track Maza Aqool Wa Qad Himt, by Talal El Madah? I have sampled the strings. It's very old Arabic music, probaly from thirty or more years back. ....I'm going on again..and sorry to sound too promotion-ish. Just excited

Easy, the music industry is corupt.

Radio stations are now bribed by the highest bidder to play songs. Record stores sell prime shelf space as well.

This means that the labels have to spend more money. So they must put forth what will sell the most as apposed to what is the best or more cutting edge. When millions of dollars of promotion are spent just to get their product to the ears of listeners, the labels are less likely to take risks.

Most labels have sold out to big corporations as well. It's not just the company anymore, it's Coke who owns them who in turn is owned by Seagrams, etc. etc. The parent companies don't care about the quality, they just want to know how much money it's making.

In America, most of the world music you used to hear was on public radio, which also takes kick backs for play, and some stations are actually programed outside the stations by promoters who are paid by the record labels.

It's an easy test, because they play Afrocelt, but not the 10's of other artists that so similar eventhough Afrocelt has sold a phenomenal amount of CD's. You'd think that would be reason to play similar artists fusing trad and electronic, but those in control won't play them because the other artists labels don't have enough money to pay off the radio stations.

Of course the language thing is something, Americans are very narrow minded on the whole, and don't listen past the cliche' message.

To me it is the next big thing, but it's up to folk like us to spread the word grass roots style, that's why I started my radio station.