EXPLOITATION/TRUTH IN MUSIC

Someone asked me the other day aren't you to young to have been with
The Drifters and why are there so many drifter groups around?

Obvious they all could not have really been The Drifters or that of the original
group from the 50s.
Now of cost the answer to that is yes, but you must ask what period are you talking
about and which songs are you referring to. As there are many......
Songs like Steamboat and Money Honey, you have to leave to the early 50s era.
Yet some of the greatest songs of the group were in the latter 50s through 60s
into the 70s.

By the 70s the lineup had changed a few times, an over the years as many as fifty or
more members had entered to it's roster some more prominent that others.
There were those who were there for only one or two shows and then let go.

Many never made it to photo sessions, books and media in general.....

The 50s you didn't see black faces on album covers as that was taboo during the
racially charged period.

The question here why so many groups? The Drifters resemble the 70s group Menudo
in many respects with the ever changing lineup. The only difference Menudo
were young kids an only represented a certain age status with there fans which
were teen boppers. But the concept a method of exploitation....

The Drifters on the other hand much older yet the same concept exploitation...

Management not only represented the group but looked at itself as the group
with no distinction. Members were know more than payed employees with know
say so in there current future and were bound by there agreements with the
organization to be nothing after leaving.....

Yes there were exceptions like Ben E, King who went on to create a career of his own.

Out of all of this started the spiral of many groups with former members struggling
to survive in the music industry......as with so many other acts of the period.

It also created another industry of wannabe groups who's members had never had
any connection with the group and it's history at all....

The truth in music bill which has been circulating in the USA is a product of these
phony acts which are being produced.

But the real truth is the industry an it's federations really need to look at the root
causes of these problems an seek to lobby for legislation to protect artist from
such exploitation which everyone seems to turn a blind eye to. (CORNER TALK REPORT)