Guest Editorial

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Holly was Held Back"

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A relatively new phenomenon on the women's music scene the appearance in large cities of women's music performers sponsored by male producers. Recently, Cleveland was selected as one of the cities for an appearance by Holly Near, promoting her new album, "Don't Hold Back". Redwood Records manages Holly Near and is responsible for hiring bookers for her tours in various parts of the country. This concert was booked through Belkin Procuctions, one of the largest male producers in Cleveland. Produections feels that the issues involved in this concert are important for supporters of women's music, among other things. As the result of joint efforts among several people, the concert date and place were changed. But the issue of the integrity of women's culture remain.

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Holly Near has appeared in Cleveland several times since 1975, and has worked both with Oven Productions and MBS Productions, women producers. Every event has been a financial and artistic success and Redwood Records seemed satisfied with the work of the Cleveland women. Unfortunately, our collective reputation did not match the criteria of the agency handling bookings for Cleveland, and the concert was offered to Belkin before Oven Productions knew about it. Oven first learned of the concert from the first ad that appeared in the PD.

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No one who has worked in the women's music industry would deny that there is a hard reality to maintaining political integrity and succeeding in mainstream culture. Redwood and Oven Productions have developed together over the past 13 years struggling with the same kinds problems and successes. Several issues were important to Oven about how this concert was produced in Cleveland, the first being the date. We knew that the original date chosen conflicted with another fundraising event in Cleveland and we always try to work around these events when we can. Redwood was quick to respond to our concern and rescheduled the concert. The issue of the date was only one of our concerns. Two other large issues manded our attention.

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The history of union involvement with the Hanna and Belkin Productions raised some questions about the validity of the contract signed by Redwood. For two years three different unions have picketed the Hanna Theater in their struggle to negotiate a contract with this hall. As the largest producer using the Hanna, Belkin wields much power to recognize and hire union labor in this hall, as well as in other non-union halls in Cleveland. a matter of political integrity, Oven assumed that Redwood, or at least Holly Near, having knowledge of the ongoing labor dispute, would not honor such a contract. Oven felt it was our obligation to support other activists by educating Redwood about the real nature of the situation here, so that they would have all the facts in dealing with Belkin. Our intent was to raise some issues with Redwood from several different points of view to give them grounds to cancel, postpone, or renegotiate the contract with another group.

Last but not least, is Oven's commitment to the growth and principles of feminist culture. We have worked for 13 years to incorporate childcare, sliding-scale ticket prices, interpreter services for the hearing impaired, and hall accessibility for the handicapped into our production values. We are one of the few, if not the only, Cleveland producer consistently offering these features at our events. Holly Near has been one of the leaders in women's music in insisting on these features in her contracts since early in her career. Do these values and the work, time, energy, and money involved apply only to events produced by women producers? Our community has fostered the career of several very talented performers; it is painful to watch our culture go "mainstream" and sacrifice so many things in the name of album sales.

As of this date Oven has been informed that the Jan. 5 concert was cancelled at the Hanna Theater, and has been rescheduled for later this month at Peabody's, a local club. Belkin Productions will produce this show. The location and date were changed in response to pressure from several individuals and groups in addition to Oven. Redwood Records, however, has not responded to our concern about their work with mainstream producers and what we can expect in the future. We can only hope for honest, straightforward communication. We would like to thank our supporters who called Redwood and wrote letters in support of our concern.

Susan Woodworth

AIDS Collection Available at Cleveland State Library

For those whose lives have been touched by AIDS, and for those who would like more information on the subject, an extensive collection of books, pamphlets, clippings, films, audiotapes, reference materials and government publications is now available at Cleveland State University Libraries. The majority of the collection is located at the Reserve Desk, on the first floor of the library. The collection at Reserve includes over 100 book titles, all of which circulate for a 3-day period.

Also located at Reserve is an extensive pamphlet file which includes over 1500 clippings from 10cal, regional, national and Gay newspapers and magazines, as well as key articles that have appeared in a miscellany of journals and periodi-

cals. Materials in the pamphlet file do not circulate, but can be photocopied in the library. Non-Cleveland State members of the Cleveland Community are free to come into the library to use the material, and may also apply for a non-university borrower's card, which allow them to check out any of the material on 3-day reserve.

The AIDS Collection, developed and maintained by Dr. Edmund SantaVicca, Head of Collection Management Services and former Chair of the university ad hoc Committee on AIDS, brings together a variety of material focussed on medical and other aspects of AIDS. Among the topics included int the pamphlet file and book collection are: employment/workplace issues, discrimination issues, legal aspects, moral and ethical aspects, psychosocial issues; AIDS and minorities, AIDS and women, AIDS and children; religious and church issues; issues in schools and colleges; AIDS education initiatives for adults and for children, fundraising, political aspects, policy statements, etc.

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collection is continually growing, as new titles on AIDS published, and as new material pears in the newspaper and periodical press. Other materials on AIDS--some of which are unique, are located in other areas of the library. Among these are audiotapes on AIDS ministry, from a conference of Metropolitan Community Church; a videotape titled AIDS: A Bad Way to Die,

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duced by and for the inmates at Sing Sing; and a variety of curriculumrelated materials for elementary and secondary schools. A number of AIDS bibliographies are also part of the Reference Collection at the Library.

A bibliography of these materials is available at the first floor reference desk. The bibliography is continually updated as new materials added to the collection. For information on the collection, or if you are interested in donating materials to the collection, contact Dr. SantaVicca directly at (216) 6872365.

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Obituaries

Bjorn Pernelk. Passed away Thursday, 12/16/87. The family suggests contributions be made to the North Coast Hospice Association; c/o Dimitri Kotzananiz, Esq., Suite 910, Statler office Tower, 1127 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115.