tvmoot.htm: Tribal Voices Moot 10 ^th /11 ^th January 1998

The January 1998 Tribal Voices winter moot was hosted by Future Earth at Chingford Mill - a recycled water tower in North London. The setting itself was inspirational and perfect - an Eco - playground with a large meeting space in which we thrashed out these issues as follows; between playing lots of wonderful music, watching videos and listening through the tapes as well as catching up on each other's antics since the autumn.

The meeting, predictably enough, brought up more questions than it answered - we could easily have spent all week talking about the issues that came up. As a means of cutting down time spent sitting in formal circles, the results of our brainstorming have been condensed down paraphrased and reorganised a bit to make it easier for you to read and think over. The important part of this process is that you get back to us and give us some feedback about these proposals. If you don't get in touch, we'll assume that you're happy for other people to make decisions about your life for you.

Does everyone agree that it is necessary to protect ourselves and our songs from being taken advantage of by the music industry? Can we afford it? Do we want to become a Co-op, a Charity or some other form of legally constituted body? If not - what kind of collective? Can we continue without taking on legalities until we are ready?

If Tribal Voices is to become a group Entity we would need some kind of management structure - a constitution / business plan / positive vision / mission statement / people to fill roles : Accounts/Treasurer, Secretary, Fundraiser, Promotions, Information Central & Tape Sales

A group of Acoustic Musicians and artists bound by a belief in nature and community, with a range of feelings and experiences through our relationship with the earth in common, with its base in the protest movement and the inspiration to revitalise traditional seasonal gatherings. We are seeking to promote environmental awareness, sustainable lifestyles with a DIY approach, an expanding self-sufficient family / community taking collective responsibility on the frontiers of something new, a multicultural, living tradition, not bound by mainstream views with a common sense of dress / low cost clothing and common mutual understanding / independent thinking, an organisation that is going to spread our music all over the world and encourage others to do the same.

A bunch of dreamers who believe dreams can become manifest in a world where people realise that we are one with all things.

There was much debate about defining the word "Tribal" in relationship to what we are doing, does the "Indigenous" music label deny all our other influences?

At the moment TV is growing organically through the network and our connections

We need to start with clearly defined roles and be clear what they involve. A structure needs to be firmly in place, making sure we don't split the group between musicians and administrators.

Can anyone ask to be on the next tribal voices tape and who do they ask? How many people is too much? - It seems to be relative to how much energy / how many people there are for the administrative support roles - the number we have right now may be all we can handle - Does the Tribal Voices label define more than just the music on the Tapes? Do we need to form Criteria for people's involvement - what needs to be pledged by each member in terms of money / energy?

If the structure is self- sustaining then it will be able to be replicated. Tribal Voices can be spread by encouraging others, through independent media and forming regional groups for distribution, contact, gathering and music, to which we could invite new interested people and ask them to help with distribution, admin &c.

To promote acoustic music and go for getting it put back on the agenda at mainstream events
To spread the word - Care for the planet, Ourselves & Each other, Respect for all beings, Raising Environmental awareness, Social change and educational values in music, Radical, non-violent, working through educational means for change, Promoting community culture, Living tradition, roots, merging of cultures, Contributing to society. Promoting diversity in musical tastes to appeal to a wider audience.
To record music.
To promote our own creative expression whilst retaining our creative autonomy, and the right to reinvent our selves
To be self funding - money making in order to allow ourselves to become independent of the welfare state.
To share the responsibility for running Tribal Voices amongst everyone.
To set up a structure that can be passed on to help other groups set themselves up.
To nurture less established artists and provide an alternative to mainstream music.
To spread Tribal Voices Music all over the world.
To build up an Archive of all recorded material ( British Tribal Music) which can be easily accessed by all members in 2 or 3 common formats (DAT, Cassette, and DCC?) which will be stored at Central Information.
To help members with artistic management, equal opportunities, performing and publishing rights.
To be open to learn, a cauldron for people to jump in and out of , a source of mutual empowerment

To be able to perform & Organise our own gigs, Spread the message, Support Direct Action, Self Employment, Networking, Contacts, Cultural Exchange, Workshops, Exhibitions, Film, raising money for the collective, Inspiring other groups, The chance to learn skills and music, Legal Advice and support, Recording training weekend.

Dreams into creation! - the satisfaction that our creature message may get across through the strength of the collective. Getting it out there - Take the music out to other places - not just preaching to the converted - World Tour, Being Free, The satisfaction of seeing a revolutionary organisation helping to change the world, An excuse to gather together, to be with a nice big fluffy family, Logo stickers - Tribal Voices - Freedom - Peace - Music, Reawakening the land

Land, a living, working example of Permaculture, Winter quarters including animals, growing food, Gathering Space, Something to give the kids

Tribal Voices needs at least Half a dozen dedicated people to run it properly

A panel was elected to debate Quality / Consistency of the music / poetry
Letters will be written giving reasons for non-inclusion
Selection criteria for Tapes: Balance - Of Sexes - Of Issues - Recording Quality - Instrumentals/vocals - Length of track

General:
Music, Love, Joyful totally cynical poems, An encouraging love, spreading out the feeling that everyone is worthwhile to be, and to life, to heal and to shake up everyone's lives, Artistic input - music & other wise, Kids Space, Create a "Tribal Homeland" for Tribal Voices, Benefit gigs, Crafts and workshop, Dance workshops, Compile a calendar of local traditional Fayres and festivals.

People who have been taking responsibility so far

Shane
Mail Order Distribution - happy to carry on 'til Big Green Gathering
Treasurer and Cheque signatory
Liaison for tape distribution

Clive & Chrissy
Have been doing pretty much every thing else would like to take a back seat for a bit and concentrate on film production

Mandala Records
Mastering of TV 3 + 4

The new Team

Information Central - Tim & Vicki (and rest of G'bury posse)
Newsletter
Website
Colour posters (laminated) to sell tapes
Advertising, Publicity & PR Info Pack (with Twiddly)
Mailing list & Database
Tape Covers
Archiving
Look into Glastonbury Office/meeting space
Booklet
Sending promo copies to journalists and shops

Organisational assistance
Lainy, John Bowman, Melski, Fergus, Gaea

Artwork
Sophie, Laura, Klover

Pixie Publicity
Poc & Laura Sky

Recordings Team -
Jonno, Jez, Paul, Klover, Fraggle, Gaea, Fergus, Laura, Nik Tort, John Bowman, Mandy
Fraggle & Mandy - Quality control and Tape reproduction
Melski, Paul, Gaea and Jonno - Editorial Panel

Regional Distribution
Melski in Bristol + Office?

Equipment -
Paul DCC & Mic
Chris Troth - Mini Disc
Maya - Stereo mic
Max - Stereo mic
Nik - Truck, Stage, Marquee
Ingrid - Slideshow

Events Co-ordination and Workshops
Jonno - TV Moots (spring & summer camp at Coombe farm), Big Green, Buddha Field
Laura, Melski, Stella - Workshops
Fergus - spirit of music Camp
Clive - Ecotrip/Tribal Voices Stage at Glastonbury

Legal research
Copyright/PRS/Licensing/Publishing guidelines leaflet - Stevie P. & Maya
Constitution - ? Fergus ?

Land Group
Jim, Ruth, Ben, Nick, Clive, Max, Shane & Paul

Set target of how much we aim to raise

Bail fund / Direct Action Fund - agreed % of surplus every year

Buying Tribal Homeland to create comfortable sustainable lifestyle including land for Permaculture and low impact dwellings, trees, gardening, to sustain and spiritually feed ourselves.

Good recording equipment, Support Administration and Further projects, Funding new albums with new people, Video equipment and recording, Solar & Wind power, and other equipment for Festivals, Kick-start fund for new projects and good ideas, Setting up Independent Label, Publishing and distribution

Realising Dreams, World Peace, Holiday for Clive & Chrissy

FUNDRAISING

Talk about Film

Track down other footage, ideas for funding and distribution. Get some clear idea about royalties from PRS

Clive &Chrissy are separating themselves as a film / production unit from TV, but are remaining available to us.

Quotes needed for printing, Format/Artwork

Words are still needed from many people involved in tapes 1&2 and there are still some we don't have for TV 3, we can always use more artwork.

More space available through Swiss site, Matt Saz to load up soundfiles

Input needed

There are two different kinds of copyright - Songwriters & Recording, MCPS Collect mechanical reproduction Royalties and check licensing agreements - PRS collect songwriters and composers royalties.

Consent forms need to be signed in order to counteract arguments about material being used - the form is in the newsletter. PRS need a definite full name and up to two pseudonyms - they need the same name as your bank/PO/Building society account as they pay by cheque. We need to know your name as you want it to appear on the cover. It is possible to set up a club/ society account with yourself as treasurer if it is necessary to get round legal/financial/credit difficulties.

Clive and Chrissy have donated loads of time to the collective with no contracts ever being signed. Where people want to release their own albums and use TV recordings Clive & Chrissy need to be credited properly and some form of remuneration, they would be happy to negotiate. Individuals will be easy to sort out, dealing with record companies could be more complex, the issue needs group discussion and put into the constitution. We need to come up with a clear contract with conditions that allow Tribal Voices to continue producing tapes regardless of other deals on the same material. Could licensing for distribution be run from the Glastonbury Office?

The simplest way of proving copyright is to send a copy of the piece to yourself and keep it sealed. Stevie P. and Maya to research Copyright guidelines leaflet, Vicki and Tim to Edit, Collate and Produce.

Where possible it is advised that People use Original or provably Traditional tunes i.e. by PRS standards (Constitution Point? ) Be aware that many Traditional tunes have been bought up By record companies and individuals.

Send info to Website, Pictures, stories, lyrics, info on other projects, Buying & selling tapes - fun and profitable, Distribute posters and promote in shops, Organise events, Fundraising, Distribute songbook and film, Info stalls at festivals/ gigs/ parties, Network personal tapes. Trade, exchange or sell to TV People e.g. Selena's Poster

TV Musicians Co-op, Self Promotion/Gigs, Working with Star People? Café/Stage Performance space at Glastonbury / Green Gathering / Kingston Green Fair etc., What Equipment is available? Video? Groups, Individuals, Poets, Info Rants, Displays, branching out to do performance workshops.

Tree Planting work & Camp in west Wales
Star People Dancing in Glastonbury
Earth Circus 26 ^th to 1 ^st March at Future Earth, Chingford Mill

Tribal Voices Spring Camp at Coombe Farm - not confirmed yet. Will involve being together and a certain amount of work on the farm and sorting the land out.
Spirit of Music Spring Camp

Glastonbury Festival - Eco Trip / Tribal Voices Stage
Big Green Gathering
Buddha Field
Spirit of music Summer Camp

Further contacts in music industry / film distribution / funding bodies / info on group organisations

Send all your info to Information Central...