Gavin Report, March 25, 1988: Difference between revisions
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Though | Though Rubén Blades had already released ''Buscando America'' and ''Escenas'' on a major label, it was in his first movie, ''Crossover Dreams'', that he first astonished English-speaking audiences with his commanding presence. Rubén portrayed a Latin singer who hungered for Anglo acceptance, only to be devoured by the music industry and left devoid of his musical freedom and sense of community. While the movie contained few autobiographical parallels, Rubén's experiences with Willie Colon and Fania Records provided him with authentic life experiences to flesh out his character. | ||
Rubén's appearance at this year's Gavin Seminar revealed the man behind that role — a mixture of steadfast idealism regarding music and politics and healthy self- mockery. Ruefully, he described how an offhand remark led ''60 Minutes'' to bill him as the self-proclaimed "future president of Panama." Nevertheless, the Harvard law graduate left no doubt about his political engagement, affirming that his future is in his native land, and not just as a musician. | Rubén's appearance at this year's Gavin Seminar revealed the man behind that role — a mixture of steadfast idealism regarding music and politics and healthy self- mockery. Ruefully, he described how an offhand remark led ''60 Minutes'' to bill him as the self-proclaimed "future president of Panama." Nevertheless, the Harvard law graduate left no doubt about his political engagement, affirming that his future is in his native land, and not just as a musician. | ||
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''Nothing But The Truth'' is a collection of solo efforts and collaborations with artists like Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Sting — each of them contributing vital material and ideas. Unlike standard songwriting sessions, each Rubén Blades collaboration is the result of deep soul searching. It was easy to get Rubén to go into emphatic detail on a few of the album's many highlights. | ''Nothing But The Truth'' is a collection of solo efforts and collaborations with artists like Lou Reed, Elvis Costello and Sting — each of them contributing vital material and ideas. Unlike standard songwriting sessions, each Rubén Blades collaboration is the result of deep soul searching. It was easy to get Rubén to go into emphatic detail on a few of the album's many highlights. | ||
Juggling a successful musical reputation and an exploding acting career (he opens this week in Robert Redford's film adaptation of John Nichols' ''Milagro Beanfield Wars''), Rubén Blades appears | Juggling a successful musical reputation and an exploding acting career (he opens this week in Robert Redford's film adaptation of John Nichols' ''Milagro Beanfield Wars''), Rubén Blades appears to be enjoying his time in the sun. Yet, as his homeland is racked by turmoil, this could also be Ruben's "calm before the storm." | ||
to be enjoying his time in the sun. Yet, as his homeland is racked by turmoil, this could also be Ruben's "calm before the storm." | |||
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''"The Letter" deals with AIDS. How did that song come about? | ''"The Letter" deals with AIDS. How did that song come about? | ||
If you consider the fact that AIDS is not only testing our immunological systems, but testing character and our capacity to have compassion, you will find that the problem that this disease presents is twofold. On the one hand it can kill the body, on the other hand it can poison the spirit. You cannot approach the problem of AIDS thinking, 'Well, the people that get it deserve it because of their lifestyle" When you make that type of judgment, you are not being compassionate. You are not understanding the human and emotional level of the problem. | If you consider the fact that AIDS is not only testing our immunological systems, but testing character and our capacity to have compassion, you will find that the problem that this disease presents is twofold. On the one hand it can kill the body, on the other hand it can poison the spirit. You cannot approach the problem of AIDS thinking, 'Well, the people that get it deserve it because of their lifestyle" When you make that type of judgment, you are not being compassionate. You are not understanding the human and emotional level of the problem. If you make a judgment at the expense of the compassion that we should have for all human beings, then how can you show emotional concern for the people that ''you'' care about? I mention AIDS because it illustrates something that is happening right now. It really could have been anything. | ||
''"Letters To The Vatican" attacks another tough problem — the homeless. | ''"Letters To The Vatican" attacks another tough problem — the homeless. | ||
You have the issue of love when those people in that bar know they can't resolve Rosie's problem, but on the other hand, they don't abandon her. And that's what we see here with the homeless. We are not going to resolve the problem of the homeless by giving someone a dollar on the street or looking the other way, pretending they don't exist. There is a big lesson in "Letters To The Vatican" These people who are also down and out did not abandon one of their own, although they | You have the issue of love when those people in that bar know they can't resolve Rosie's problem, but on the other hand, they don't abandon her. And that's what we see here with the homeless. We are not going to resolve the problem of the homeless by giving someone a dollar on the street or looking the other way, pretending they don't exist. There is a big lesson in "Letters To The Vatican" These people who are also down and out did not abandon one of their own, although they knew they could never resolve the problem that her madness presented. They held her until she stopped shaking. They were showing her the compassion that we seem to lack today for the people around us. That's what the whole record continues to stress. | ||
''What about in "The Hit," where you sing about "Papo the Hitman, Sweet Tyrone and the Perez Boys"? | ''What about in "The Hit," where you sing about "Papo the Hitman, Sweet Tyrone and the Perez Boys"? | ||
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''You and Elvis Costello tackle stereotypes in "The Miranda Syndrome." | ''You and Elvis Costello tackle stereotypes in "The Miranda Syndrome." | ||
We tried to show that people who are entertained and distracted by stereotypes become the victims as well. While you are busy being entertained by stereotypes created by people who are in control and want to remain in control, you lose control of the truth. That loss of control is then utilized by the people in the room without windows" to extract reactions that will benefit | We tried to show that people who are entertained and distracted by stereotypes become the victims as well. While you are busy being entertained by stereotypes created by people who are in control and want to remain in control, you lose control of the truth. That loss of control is then utilized by the people in "the room without windows" to extract reactions that will benefit their view and their control. "Rooms without windows" can be the government agencies or anything that acts to advance special interests that don't necessarily correspond with the general interest. That's why we used the line, "Why don't you speak the way she spoke? There is obviously a lack of understanding over what is a stereotype and what is reality. So you lose control of your own life. If you don't use your brain, somebody else is going to use it for you. If you cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality, although you may be distracted by the fantasy, you also become a victim of the fantasy. Eventually, those in control are questioned. You think you're John Wayne? Where are your spurs? You won't buy a mutt, so you bought a police dog? Where is its police badge? This is the land of rich and honey. Where is your oil well, pal? | ||
''Was "The Miranda Syndrome" born out of a serious discussion between you and Elvis Costello? | ''Was "The Miranda Syndrome" born out of a serious discussion between you and Elvis Costello? | ||
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''How did Sting's song end up on this album? | ''How did Sting's song end up on this album? | ||
I was supposed to get together with him and write, but he's very busy doing movies, records, and it's very difficult for him. I didn't hear back from him until almost a year after the letters were sent to people asking if they would consider collaborating on this record. To Sting's credit, he answered, sending a song he'd written and saying, "Re-write it if you want. Write additional passages if you want. I would be honored if you did that" But I heard the song and didn't feel there was anything for me to touch. I wasn't going to force myself to write something for the sake of saying, ' | I was supposed to get together with him and write, but he's very busy doing movies, records, and it's very difficult for him. I didn't hear back from him until almost a year after the letters were sent to people asking if they would consider collaborating on this record. To Sting's credit, he answered, sending a song he'd written and saying, "Re-write it if you want. Write additional passages if you want. I would be honored if you did that" But I heard the song and didn't feel there was anything for me to touch. I wasn't going to force myself to write something for the sake of saying, 'Oh, yeah, Sting and I wrote a song." If we ever write together — and I hope we someday will — I'd like to do it ''with'' him, as I did with Lou and Elvis. | ||
''You sound shockingly like Elvis Costello when you begin singing "Shamed Into Love." | ''You sound shockingly like Elvis Costello when you begin singing "Shamed Into Love." | ||
''(laughs)'' I think it has to do with the fact that it's very definitely an Elvis Costello melody. He thinks I have a better voice than he does. But he was influential in the final shape of "The Miranda Syndrome" and "Shamed Into Love." In retrospect, I should have made | ''(laughs)'' I think it has to do with the fact that it's very definitely an Elvis Costello melody. He thinks I have a better voice than he does. But he was influential in the final shape of "The Miranda Syndrome" and "Shamed Into Love." In retrospect, I should have made Elvis the producer of those two songs, as I did with the other people I wrote with. Maybe next time. But he was very instrumental in defining the shape of the arrangements. Please make note of that. | ||
''You sound like a different singer when you sing in English. | ''You sound like a different singer when you sing in English. |
Revision as of 02:04, 15 March 2018
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