Troubling developments
Printed From: Madeleine Peyroux
Category: General
Forum Name: Madeleine
Forum Discription: Discussion of all things Madeleine
URL: http://www.madeleinepeyroux.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=105
Printed Date: April 25 2024 at 3:21pm
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Topic: Troubling developments
Posted By: Suzelliott
Subject: Troubling developments
Date Posted: June 15 2005 at 4:38pm
I have been a die-hard Madeleine Peyroux fan since her early days with Lilith fair. I have all three of her recordings; Dreamland, Careless Love and (two versions of) Got You On my Mind and they are among my favorite CD's. Madeleine is an exceptional artist and I have long admired her personal story.
I saw Madeleine play at the Turning Point about two years ago and it was an thoroughly delightful show. Full of joy and fabulous music. (William Galison was playing guitar and harmonica and saxophone and sort of MCing.) I bought the original seven song Got You On My Mind there. I am looking forward to seeing Madeleine at the Rochester show this week.
However: I have been following the progress of this controversy about Got You On My Mind with increasing interest and concern. I have carefully read the articles in the Jazz Police and the Valley Advocate as well as recent postings on this site and I must say that I agree with Judith. There is something deeply troubling going on.
As a woman who has had personal experience with abuse as a victim and a part-time counselor, I am troubled by the claims of abuse made by Madeleine's lawyer against Galison. (I imagine he could have not made these claims without Madeleine's consent.)
My only knowledge of the nature of the claims come from the Valley Advocate article and Galison's recent posting, but if Galison is misrepresenting the facts in the press, I can only assume that Madeleine's lawyer(s) would have corrected the record by now. If what Galison says is true, and the grounds of the allegations are angry words or non-endangering actions in the course of a heated argument, then characterizing them as "physical abuse" trivializes the term and compromises the credibility of the countless battered women who report brutal and potentially fatal incidents of actual physical abuse.
Calling cases of nonviolent disputes "physical abuse" is like calling catcalling "rape" or calling a gentle spanking "child abuse". If the definition of the term "physical abuse" is diluted to include threatening to break one's own guitar, the public will understandably care less about its prevalence and do less about its prevention.
Frivolous accusations of abuse not only damage the credibility of true victims and prejudice the judgement of judges and juries- they also tie up the overburdened court system and deny women who are genuinely in danger the chance for redress and safety. Not to mention the damage false accusations can do the accused.
Madeleine should know that the proper response to serious physical abuse is to contact the authorities immediately and have the abuser restrained/ and or punished. Apparently neither Madeleine nor her lawyer or manager saw fit to take either of these actions when the alleged abuse occurred. If, as it appears, these allegations of abuse were contrived or exaggerated primarily to gain advantage in a commercial dispute, this action is deeply cynical, dangerous and abjectly anti-feminist.
I assume it was Madeleine's lawyer who described Galison's behavior as "physical abuse" because it a lawyer's job to know the definition of these terms. If it was him that accused Galison of physical abuse based on non-physically abusive actions reported by Madeleine, then he should be disciplined. If Madeleine was a party to such a scheme, she should distance herself from his accusations at once. If she has ever had experience with serious domestic violence she will understand why.
If I am mistaken about Madeleine's experience, then I apologize in advance, but my every instinct(and those of my colleagues) tells me that this is not a legitimate claim of serious abuse, but somehow relates to the dispute over the CD with Mr. Galison. So many aspects of this situation make no sense whatsoever, and neither Rounder Records nor Ms. Peyroux have done anything to allay the confusion. Fo
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Replies:
Posted By: willgalison
Date Posted: June 15 2005 at 11:26pm
Posted By: judith
Date Posted: June 16 2005 at 12:46pm
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Brava Susannah!
You wrote exactly what I have been feeling for quite a while, but you expressed it more eloquently than I ever could. I refrained from writing more in my post because I was afraid I would be censored. I'm so pleased that you have not been!
The only thing I would add is that I hope that somehow Ms. Peyroux is not as mixed up in this as she appears to be.
With admiration,
Judith
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Posted By: gyomm
Date Posted: June 20 2005 at 11:47pm
Dear Suze and Judith,
These are strange times, and stranger still are the ways we react to
conflict in the wake of confusion; sometimes it happens among people on
the same side of the fence, and it is sad and unfortunate.
For many reasons, I have been unable and remain unable to respond to
the questions that fans may have at this time in a public setting
regarding the issues in this posting. Yet, I would be glad to answer any
questions in a private setting. If there is some way I can enlighten and
detangle any confusion about myself, please feel free to contact me
personally via the webmaster.
madeleine peyroux
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Posted By: judith
Date Posted: June 22 2005 at 2:01pm
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Dear Ms. Peyroux,
I spent quite a while writing a response to your post of June 15 but when I tried to post it, it disappeared. I dearly hope this was a computer error of some kind and not a sign that I have been “blacklisted”.
Without trying to repeat myself verbatim, I will take the time to post again:
First of all, thank you for your offer to finally clear up questions that have been raised on this forum. Your somewhat cryptic response, however, seems to imply that Ms. Elliott’s reaction is “strange”. I find her concern quite understandable, given the circumstances.
While I appreciate that this forum may not be the place to discuss your personal relationship with Mr. Galison- there are two simple questions on the mind of every fan that has enjoyed “Got You On my Mind”:
1) Who is responsible for the effort to keep “Got You On My Mind” off the market? Is it you? Rounder? Your lawyers?
2) Why in the world would anyone want to deprive the world of this wonderful album?
Surely you were proud of the seven-song version of ”Got You On My Mind” when you sold it to me in Philadelphia. Could it be that you so object to the four delightful pieces by Mr. Galison that you are ashamed to sell the eleven-song version? Most of the critics seem to agree with me that the pieces by Galison are very fine and only enhance the album.
Regarding the more sensitive matters discussed by Ms. Elliott in her posting; I would be happy to hear your response to the apparent inconsistencies raised in Mr. Galison’s postings and interviews.
I will welcome a private message regarding these issues, though I wonder why you can share information with your fans individually that you cannot share with them as a group.
Ultimately, I would like to believe that Mr. Galison (whom I greatly admire as a musician) is innocent of any sort of abusiveness and I equally hope that you are entirely innocent of making false accusations. If you have been pressured to make such accusations by other parties, it is your moral duty to distance yourself from such a loathsome strategy.
On the other hand, if there are facts that you would like to share with me that support your allegations, I will consider them with an open mind. However, I cannot promise to keep secrets that serve to harm others.
No one expects you to argue your case on this forum, but simply to tell us why "Got You On My Mind" is the subject of such controversy and unhappiness? As I understand it. you are suing Mr. Galison to make him stop selling it. In my opinion you should be as proud of "Got You On My Mind" as either of your other albums.
Also, I for on, intend to buy more copies of this album over the years for friends and family. Why are you asking that I should be deprived of this opportunity?
Most of all, I want to believe in your integrity and to admire you as much as a person as I admire you as an artist. Unfortunately, my dear, your prolonged silence in these matters has only served to compromise your credibility.
Yours very truly,
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Posted By: WebMaster
Date Posted: June 22 2005 at 6:46pm
I can assure everyone that no one has been blacklisted.
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Rich Hanson
http://www.madeleinepeyroux.org - www.madeleinepeyroux.org
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Posted By: judith
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 4:38pm
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I feel obliged to report that despite her offer, Ms. Peyroux has not responded to my simple questions on this discussion forum or by private message. I am disappointed and saddened but somehow not surprised.
There seems to be a shadow falling across Ms. Peyroux's character, and those of her associates. It is painful to watch this shadow deepen with no response from Ms. Peyroux or the people that look after her. I fear she is walking down a dark, lonely and dangerous path and I so wish there was something we fans could do to help.
The suppression of the CD "Got You On My Mind", the charges of libelous accusations against Mr. Galison and the recent accounts of "unprofessional performances" are all troubling, but the total absence of explanation and accountability makes Ms. Peyroux and her entourage seem "unwholesome", (as Suzelliot said).
As one of the first to join this forum, I now dread visiting it, because it is so frustrating and tragic to watch this happen. I want to be able to listen to my "Madeleine" records with with the feeling of respect and admiration I have had for the brilliant woman behind this magnificent voice. Two years ago, at the Tin Angel, I saw Ms. Peyroux sparkle with an innocence, enthusiasm and charm that I will never forget. But the magic seems to be fading. Is this the price of "success"?
Ms. Peyroux, I warmly welcome your offer to "detangle the confusion" about you. By now it is perfectly clear what that confusion entails. Your fans want to love you and we want you and your career to thrive.
My final appeal is to Ms. Peyroux's manager and record company;don't you have anything at all to say on Madeleine's behalf? Can't you see she is sinking? Whatever the motivation behind it, your silence is actually sickening.
Yours very truly,
Judith
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Posted By: Byron
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 6:58pm
It is generally standard to refrain from public comment on legal matters pending a possible trial.It would be my assumption that Madeleine is simply following that common procedure.It doesn't seem to me that any of this casts any bad or "unwholesome" light on Madeleine or her associates. It is just the way things work. I have no problem at all listening to Madeleine's records with respect and admiration. She is an exceptional artist, and a very fine person.Have faith in your first impression, it was correct.
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Geoff
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Posted By: WebMaster
Date Posted: July 05 2005 at 8:24pm
Judith,
Please be patient, Madeleine is on the road touring and I'm not sure
how much time she has to get on the net to check messages. It may take
some time to get back to you.
Rich Hanson
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Rich Hanson
http://www.madeleinepeyroux.org - www.madeleinepeyroux.org
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Posted By: judith
Date Posted: July 20 2005 at 6:46am
Still no response from Ms/ Peyroux. I am quite certain that no answer
to my simple questions are forthcoming. My understanding is that Ms.
Elliott (suzelliott) also never received any answer from Ms. Peyroux.
In light of the gracious posting by Viviana it is now clear why no
answers can be provided.
Regardless of the status of the lawsuit, my question of whether it was
Rounder or Ms. Peyroux (or both) that are trying to keep "Got You On My
Mind" off the market, could be answered with one short sentence.
Mr. Galison's explanation of what is going on is self consistent and
logical, though shocking in its implications. In the absence of any
explanation from Rounder Records or Ms. Peyroux (or even the courtesy
of a reply) I now accept Mr. Galison's explanation at face value.
Shame on Rounder Records and shame on Ms. Peyroux. You have
harmed Mr. Galison, you have harmed Ms. Peyroux's fans, and worst of
all, you have harmed battered women around the world.
I hope this case gets the publicity it deserves and that you receive
the penalties that will prevent you from commiting further outrages.
Clearly we cannot depend on you conscience or character for that.
Judith
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Posted By: Byron
Date Posted: July 22 2005 at 8:58am
I think it was on the program, "Gunsmoke" years ago that I can remember the line. " Let's give'em a fair trial, and Hang'em" All this is beginning to remind me of that. This is not a court of law, folks. It's a musical fan site. Anyone wanting my own opinion can refer to my earlier postings.I have no desire to add anything further to this ongoing strife.
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Geoff
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: December 27 2006 at 9:27am
Wow! I had no idea that there was such a drama with Got You on my
mind. What ever happened with this court case? Did it get resolved? I
know Got y0ou on my mind is still for sale, so did Galison win?
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: December 27 2006 at 9:34am
Was there ever a response from Madeleine about these postings. They
were posted over a year ago. I did a search but maybe I missed it. Any
info on this lawsuit?
Curious!
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Posted By: saramadi
Date Posted: December 28 2006 at 7:05am
So far as I know, Madeleine has never responded. Also, so far as I know, the case has never been resolved. That's our American legal system at work. Read about it on wikipedia - it's even more bizarre (although I take wikipedia info with a grain of salt.)
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Cheers!
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Posted By: lulu
Date Posted: December 28 2006 at 9:47am
Chester
This is an old old topic that has quite frankly been flogged to death in
this forum. Those of us that have been reading this forum for some time
have little interest in revisiting this topic. Madeleine has wisely declined
to comment on this topic.
As fans I think we are all thankful that Got You on My Mind was recorded
and is available. It is a gem of a record. However, let sleeping dogs lie
and lets not open up old rancorous discussions.
best - lulu
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: December 28 2006 at 12:43pm
Gee, i was just curious- you sound a little defensive. I'm sure I'm not the
only fan who's interested in what kind of person Madeleine is outside of
her music.
I'm surprised she didn't answer Judith, because NOT answering makes her
look bad.
Is there any more information oabout the case outside of this forum?
Chess
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: December 28 2006 at 12:49pm
Okay, one last question...I don't want to wake up any sleeping dogs!
Is Madeleine suing Galison for selling GYOMM? Does she get paid when I
buy it (I hope she does, I bought three copies for Christmas presents!).
If she is, and she does, anybody know why she's suing?
Gee, if I can't ask here, where can I ask?
PS. Does Madeleine read these postings?
Chess
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Posted By: saramadi
Date Posted: December 28 2006 at 6:36pm
Search Wikipedia.
Use Google.
Enuf said here.
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Cheers!
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: December 28 2006 at 11:38pm
Holy smoke!
I just looked at wikopedia. Who wrote that masterpiece? It's highly
bizzarro - something about a "woman in Florida" and lawyers hacking
into a computer???? Yikes!
So much for that. It looks likes somebody is using Wikopedia to bash
Galison, but if he did, it went over my head.
There was some interesting info on the case, however. According to the
article, Madeleine originally told Rounder that Got You... belonged only to
her and then changed her mind and is now suing Galison for selling it. Is
that true?
Is it my imaginiation, or have I hit a collective nerve by asking about this?
The topic seems to make people here very uncomfortable. but this is a
site about Madeleine Peyroux after all, and my curiousity has been
peaked, or piqued, or aroused at least. I mean, i learned about this
lawsuit here when I did a search for Got You on my Mind, which is one of
my favorite records.
All of a sudden I feel like a heretic in the Spanish inquisition.
Doesn't anybody have anything to say other than telling me to go
@^%$#*& myself? One would think that madeleine peyroux 's website
might be a better place to learn about Madeleine Peyroux than wikopedia,
I assume the guy who runs the site must know something about this.
There is all sorts of other inside info on Madeleine.
I'm not dissing Ms. Peyroux, just curious about who she is. I think that's
normal. The letters from last year are pretty harsh, and I would like to
know what Peyroux has to say in her defense- she says she will explain
privatrely . Hey- she can wrote me a private message!
Am I the only fan in the world who is intersted on who this young lady is
apart from a voice? I dig the Beatles, and I have read about a dozen books
about them as a group and individuals. Read a few on Elvis, too- also
Billie, Duke, bird- all the musicians I love.
There is all this speculation about peyroux's behavior at shows, but
nobody is interested in a million dollar lawsuit with another musician?
Doesn't anybody like a good mystery at least?
Can I get an amen???.......
Guess I'm old school.
Chess
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Posted By: saramadi
Date Posted: December 29 2006 at 7:27am
It was discussed ad infinitum when it was happening.
Nothing has happened since.
The lawsuit is languishing in the courts.
There's nothing else to say.
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Cheers!
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Posted By: kobe
Date Posted: December 29 2006 at 12:42pm
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Hello Chester,
I feel that because I am interested in who this young lady is apart from her voice I have decided not to listen to the he said/she said rumors simply because until any verdict is given everything said is hearsay. I for one have been the victim of hesrsay and for that reason alone I feel it is not in the interest of this forum to discuss this subject until a verdict has been reached. Saramadi is right about this being over discussed.
I for one am glad to see you in this forum and hope we can find ways to find out more about the fabulous Ms. Madeleine without going down the lawsuit road. It will be resolved sometime and lets wait until then to find our answers. It will be very interesting when the books come out about Ms. Madeleine and I'm sure they will provide good reading and even some facts.
Until that time congratulations on your good taste in Christmas presents. Happy New Year
Kobe
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ronkobe
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