Desire Avenue

I've decided I want to discuss this (maybe) somewhat controversial topic a little bit, so I'm coming out of lurksville to get a bit of a (good humoured) argument going.

I've noticed that some peeps here on the board - maybe most, but correct me if I'm wrong - resent Stina Nordenstam's lack of communication with her fans, this board in particular. Especially recently - the last year or 2). (Dave and Alex, please don't feel I'm targetting you, but it was your recent comments on the online reviews thread, that got me thinking...)

I don't think there's anything wrong with that, apart from, like, you're wrong. I've defended the 'mystery' that V and the others on the old board maintained, I think it gives a little spice to things. But I've recently decided that my objection is maybe more complex. Consider the following questions:

What do you think that Stina owes us?

Why should she communicate with us directly, rather than through her songs?

As a private individual, like us, does she have a 'duty' to talk to us because we like her?

If she doesn't communicate directly, is this anything worse than being modest, or shy, or flighty?

How much of any resentment is because we admire her persona, as opposed to her song-writing ability?

Do those of you on the board who write, play and perform music go out of your way to be nice to audience/fans?

and would you (do you ) do the same if you sold as many records as Stina?

Hello Red,

Of course it is your right to express your opinion here. No offense taken.

I don't think that Stina owes us very much. In fact nothing.
Although it would be nice if she would keep us informed on her music-career. That's all I ask. Why do I want to be informed? Because I adore her songwriting and want to buy every new album she releases.

So there's my two cents. I'm part of the old clique but don't recognize myself in the description you've written.

Take care,
Paul

Maybe i'm right, maybe i'm wrong...who knows ?
Some fans need food some others don't.
I want to know what my fave artists are planning to release at first.
Also an official website is the minimum requested to communicate.

Yeah, I guess I'd like information too. And an official website (hopefully this one! ) would be nice. But you know that if there was a new album being released, there is guaranteed to be an official announcement in advance.

Paul, I don't recognise you in the description I've written either.. :D And for the record, while I'm not exactly part of the gang here, I've been lurking with all of you for many years. Which is neither here nor there, but I understand the frustration at the lack of communication. And even 'mystery' needs an occasional tidbit of info to keep interest up...

A lot of artists have the same thing...over on another board I post at for a different singer. there are at least 10 topics a day about the lack of a new album or news.

Glad you've raised this point,red.
I think some of my own frustration arises not because of Stina directly,but because of some still-lurking resentment at the way the only avenue of news available to us,viz CQD,came to an abrupt halt with few (or no) explanations as to why.I suppose I naively expected something to take its place pretty quickly,not just a forum like this,but let's say a few news items from the V2 site or similar.A few more than we've been getting,anyway.So let's say not frustration with Stina but with the people working with/for her publicity.They,or her management (if there is one!!) might have let us know about her projects like the Tarantula theatre music rather than leaving it to our devoted bunch of individuals to discover for themselves.
Behind that frustration is the fact that it sounded a death-knell of sorts for our lively little community at CQD,which was a very happy forum where people were nice to each other for the most part and had a lot of laughs (well I did anyway) I think a lot of folk felt really kind of betrayed by that and so have either left or taken a step backwards.Because I've been rereading a lot of that old stuff of late,it's made me wallow in nostalgic feelings...
I don't think Stina owes us anything,except that she must have been aware of what a friendly and loyal bunch we were-V?ronique definitely kept her abreast of our comments.It's horses for courses,I suppose,but I think if I were her I'd have been inclined to be a little more unbending towards us lot.In answer to your question no.6,I'm a musician,and I'm quite concerned to give my audience some respect/communication.But that's me; and I'm not at all famous or likely to be stalked or anything like that so I fully respect Stina's wishes.In fact I think her reasons for not performing live,for example, are first class musical/artistic reasons.
Anyway,a good discussion point.
I would LOVE to hear V?ronique's take on all this!!

The lack of communication from Stina herself has never bothered me at all, really. Artists don't owe the people who follow their work that kind of direct engagement - that's what the work is for. An artist's only responsibility is to his or her own creative process.

I think many of the CQD crowd enjoyed and appreciated the contact with Veronique and Yves, who we knew were in touch with Stina personally, and that's what they miss, more than anything. That sense of a common bond.

I dont't think Stina ows us anything personally since she's giving so much of herself away already with her music; It's quite understandable for someone like me who quite enjoys being on myself at times to not be too involved with public attention and such...

But on the other hand it does bother me when artists don't share their work and art in a proper way; of course there are ways of obtaining the albums; but some of the other stuff, the more obscure singles, b-sides, videos are so hard to come by and may cost a lot of money when available on like Ebay.

So for this aspect of an artist's work i would like to see something like a website where you could obtain these things; even for a small price or for members who are known with the works of the artist and have their albums.

It's really too bad when you can't see videos anymore or cannot find a track you've heard of but isn't for sale anywhere. Of course it's also very nice then when you find something after a long time

It's true that Stina owes us nothing, afterall we buy the product she issues quite voluntarily.

But although Stina doesn't have to communicate with us, it wouldn't do her any harm if she did so. In life we all have to do things that perhaps we'd rather not do given the choice but we still do it anyway because its the right thing to do.

wirbel wrote:But on the other hand it does bother me when artists don't share their work and art in a proper way; of course there are ways of obtaining the albums; but some of the other stuff, the more obscure singles, b-sides, videos are so hard to come by and may cost a lot of money when available on like Ebay.

So for this aspect of an artist's work i would like to see something like a website where you could obtain these things; even for a small price or for members who are known with the works of the artist and have their albums.

It's really too bad when you can't see videos anymore or cannot find a track you've heard of but isn't for sale anywhere. Of course it's also very nice then when you find something after a long time

Trouble is,Wirbel,Stina doesn't own much of her material so she's not at liberty to make it available to us,unless her management team were able to work some kind of deal with the record companies involved.But it seems like she doesn't even have a manager right now...

RobB wrote:But although Stina doesn't have to communicate with us, it wouldn't do her any harm if she did so. In life we all have to do things that perhaps we'd rather not do given the choice but we still do it anyway because its the right thing to do.

Hey RobB,not sure if those two statements necessarily follow on from each other,old chap.
I don't think Stina 'has' to do anything for us guys and gals,nor is it 'the right thing to do'.But you're right in saying that she has a free choice,just a shame she doesn't choose to.
Although...she has in the past.
I found this one during my recent trawls through the CQD archives-the last time she ever communicated directly with this messageboard,back in '03 .It's quite revealing,and shows that she does take note of nice things we say about her (in this case,Fog's Greek article about her)....


" hello,

v?ronique mailed me and was upset as with 'the tracklisting' info was again out before the site was informed. well. life is a mess and the order was not right anyway. things will always leak out. there are like 20 or so different occasions along the way where someone could have wanted to leak. i remember ten years ago i was for some time aware of possible hidden cameras. in hotels, things like that. it was a bit ahead of time, i know. but there is a point. we can't control what gets out. as much as i have always tried ... of course the choices i make enables me to have some control. maybe 70%, 50%? over what exactly? i cannot control what people make of me, from hearing the music or general comments. this is tricky ...

apart from that. i read a post recently, the greek article. i want to say i was really moved by it. everything just stopped for a second, and i was, proud. it is not easy, professionally, being stina nordenstam these days, i can tell you ... i feel that for some time now i have been open for new scenarios,challenges ... news. i am frustrated cause my current professional setup does not help much in this. i will consider every comment on this,

best

stina"

I don't feel that Stina owes us anything by way of communication with us.
We choose to discuss her and her music (and her wigs, videos etc etc); that's our choice.
Her choice is to let us get on with it while she gets on with what she does best - the important stuff: making the music, taking the photos, making the videos - that's how most artists reach their fans.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't really like to feel obliged to communicate with a huge mass of fans, some of whom may or may not be a teeny bit obsessive....
Besides, it all adds to the mystique, doesn't it?
If we all knew what she liked for breakfast or that she spent last Sunday night clipping her toenails, we'd probably be a little disappointed.

Well, that's my two pennorth.

trainsurfer wrote:I don't feel that Stina owes us anything by way of communication with us.
We choose to discuss her and her music (and her wigs, videos etc etc); that's our choice.
Her choice is to let us get on with it while she gets on with what she does best - the important stuff: making the music, taking the photos, making the videos - that's how most artists reach their fans.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't really like to feel obliged to communicate with a huge mass of fans, some of whom may or may not be a teeny bit obsessive....
Besides, it all adds to the mystique, doesn't it?
If we all knew what she liked for breakfast or that she spent last Sunday night clipping her toenails, we'd probably be a little disappointed.

Well, that's my two pennorth.

For some reason I can't picture Stina having obsessive fans.

Huge pop artists - especially those catering the teenage marked - that constantly whore themselves in the media may have their share.

I hardly think anyone here is obsessed - just visit some Tori Amos or even Bj?rk forums and you'll see what I mean.

And what is it to be that obsessed about?

The music sure. But Stina - the person - is someone we know little about.

I guess many of us here are even too shy to ask an autograph to Stina.

sound world wrote:Trouble is,Wirbel,Stina doesn't own much of her material so she's not at liberty to make it available to us,unless her management team were able to work some kind of deal with the record companies involved.But it seems like she doesn't even have a manager right now...

Remember that Stina is managed by her lawyer and by a certain Helen of V2 Music. I guess that a fellow recordcompany can give some advice on how to handle with other recordcompanies.