More Lessons from the Museum

There are many reasons to be grateful for the museum: being surrounded by all of these important items, meeting and connecting with so many unexpected people who have a love for this ground breaking period of music (Rise Against visited yesterday!). But one unexpected gift from this time has been my understanding that I have NO IDEA what is going to hypnotise people, what item is going to stop someone in their tracks and resonate with them. That has changed me in my approach to people outside the museum too.

Let me explain it: 
Wendy Day visited perhaps a year ago and I was there as a guide to point out the important stuff and tell some stories. Wendy stood in front of a piece of the Ministry section as I gently tried to move her along to other important displays, ‘and moving right along…’ But Wendy stayed fixed in place – not in front of the skull, or the cage pieces, or the 2″ of Burning Inside, or the unfinished song with me & Bill from 1989 – but in front of a 4″ x 3″ black and white ad torn from a Montreal newspaper in 1990. “I was at this show’ said Wendy – I paused to allow some space for the memories. Several days later she sent me an e mail – still thrilled to have that small memory prompt in a corner of a display.

A few weeks later I am doing the same thing – “over here is my drum kit from Head Like A Hole and Ministry and and and, and over here is the sign from the American Bandstand dressing room door and ….”  I forget exactly who I was giving a tour to, but nothing really seemed to grab them. None of the blockbuster pieces grabbed a hold – until, walking to the door in the foyer and wrapping things up, this guy stopped in his tracks, “Oh my goodness! Wow,” etc etc…I was looking around for the item so that I could fill in the space with a story… but I didn’t see where he was focusing. “Oh my goodness 91X!!’ a faded sticker for a small radio station in San Diego stuck to the side of a flight case. He went off into memories and to a place where he was discovering new music. This faded worn and weathered sticker was his big shiny object. Part of me wanted to say, “Yes but, look at Trents passport photographs ! , or, these Throbbing Gristle buttons!” but, I just shut up and let the memories come.

The fact is, you dont know shit about fuck all really, and especially about what is important to other people or their memories and events that have signposted their lives. A good lesson to learn and a better attitude to have moving forwards. 
Thankyou museum. 

This story was prompted by the third instance of all of this – I’ll tell that story next week.

Free Shirt Friday!

Don’t forget – it’s still Free Shirt Friday!! 

Every once in a while we have ‘Free Shirt Friday’ basically a free shirt of OUR choice – you go to the store, choose your size, pay shipping and a small handling charge and we send you a shirt!

Also consider checking out the new $100 “please don’t even send me a shirt,” shirt where you can buy a shirt that doesn’t exist, that you don’t want, that we won’t make – as a way of showing support and helping to keep all of this going! It’s also something I like to show students – the evidence that music business is so very different than business business! 

Get Yours Here!

Tickets Here!

Auctions Ending TODAY

Check out this round of auctions to benefit the Museum of Post Punk and Industrial Music! There are a lot of amazing, original items! This might be one of our best rounds, yet! Some featured items are the PiL Paris au Printemps Pack which includes the vinyl, a copy of the original itinerary, and the original 1980 ad, Very rare Wax Trax! Records + TVT Records release of Chris Connelly + William Tucker’s 7″ blue vinyl single Songs For Swingin’ Junkies, Dot Screen Madonna’s using the original screen from the Pigface Preaching to the Perverted tour scenery, 12″ and 14″ spray-painted drum heads, and so much more! Head on over to eBay to check them out!

Auctions Here

Pigface – Gub from Cleopatra Records

Reissue of the 1990 debut album from industrial supergroup spearheaded by legendary PiL drummer Martin Atkins!

Includes contributions from Trent Reznor, Revolting Cocks’ Chris Connelly, The Jesus Lizard’s David Yow, Skinny Puppy’s Nivek Ogre, Ministry’s William Rieflin & Paul Barker, KMFDM’s En Esch, Steve Albini and more!

Wildly experimental, this genre-defying masterpiece has earned its reputation as one of the most adventurous sound recordings ever made!

Contains the original version of “Suck” that Trent Reznor would later re-record for his 1992 Broken EP as well as several bonus remixes!

Check it out Here!

Midwest Music Expo VI
Saturday, April 15, 12P-5P CST
Decatur, IL

Now in its fifth year, MmX is a music industry conference with a deep focus on the midwest music scene and the communities that shape it. It draws equally on local leaders and international experts to deliver compelling panels, thoughtful discussions, inspiring keynotes, and new connections.

The 2023 Expo in Decatur also brings the first ever Get Signed Contest where artists will present 1 minute of their best song to a panel of industry professionals for critique. The prize package includes a 100-unit pressing of 12″ vinyl from Smashed Plastic, a MIDI Keyboard, and a signing deal with Millikin’s First Step Records. To learn more about and enter the contest, go here!

Rooted in a punk-rock, DIY, hard work, no-nonsense, get-things-done mentality, both events will spark creativity and connection throughout the Midwest region.

Tickets are $20, but you can get yours free with code MartinSentMe !

Full Conference Details Here

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Invisible,All rights reserved.