Despite previous assurances, some people still appear to be under the impression we at Ears To The House have a problem with the #ForTheMusic campaign against sexual harassment in dance music. So let’s get this on the record yet again – we think #ForTheMusic is a brilliant idea and it deserves to succeed.
But the fact we support an idea does not mean we’re not going to ask questions – and for some time, we had concerns about how founder Rebekah Teasdale was going to have the time to run this campaign and be a busy touring DJ. We last wrote on the subject of #ForTheMusic in June, and thought it was time for a progress report.
Well, the first thing we noticed was this Instagram post, which was published yesterday…
And like much with this campaign, it’s left us divided. On the one hand, we’re pleased to see work is going on to help people. And we hope that the large followings of Rebekah Teasdale and Kristen Knight, who shared this, will bring them the person they’re looking for.
But on the other hand, the fact they need to recruit is beyond depressing. More and more, it looks like all that reflection which went on in the early days of Covid-19 has already been forgotten – and Ears To The House is far from alone in noticing a few DJs with allegations around them that haven’t yet made the press are doing quite well for themselves.
Is it any wonder, though? Just look at the pathetic state of some of those playing the records. This is a scene where DJ Pierre claims he “misses” alleged rapist Erick Morillo – and launches into a week long attack on Mr C when he dared pull him up on it.
And this is a scene where the likes of Carl Craig and Alexander Omar Smith feel comfortable launching online attacks against a journalist who exposed the allegations surrounding their friend Derrick May. To which the gutless dance music press refused to call out, presumably because the prospect of a future interview with one of them was too good to resist.
It’s no wonder #ForTheMusic needs more resources. A fish does rot from the head, after all…
