Search - Peopletree :: New Electronic Folk Music

Setting the Record Straight

George L. Turin | Berkeley, CA USA | 01/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's the flip side of the story that is related inaccurately, second and third hand, in some of the other reviews here. Although one may discount my version (I am obviously biased, as David Turin's father), one cannot ignore it, since I do have first-hand, real-time knowledge about the whole affair. Here are some of the facts I know:



The CD's genesis was almost ten years ago, when Perry Ferrell, with whom David was working closely at the time, mentioned that David and Milla Jovovich might do a track for an album he was putting together. David and Milla went to dinner at Perry's house to discuss this, but Perry ultimately had second thoughts about the track.



David and Milla then decided to continue working on tracks together, and did so on and off for about two months. She was as excited as he about what was to become the Peopletree Sessions, even offering to pay for them to be produced as an art album for the "underground" market (online and in independent record shops). David subsequently put much time and money into creating a CD that would show this other side of Milla. She personally approved the final master CD and its packaging. Shortly after its release (August 1998), Milla's associate Chris Brenner was quoted online as saying "We had a lot of fun creating ideas with its producer David Turin ... and we are both pleased with the result."



About a year later, the tone started changing, with Milla and Chris eventually completely disowning the CD. We conjecture that people in the movie and fashion industries that surround Milla felt it was bad for her image. Chris's latest rewriting of history - there were many - is given in a quotation attributed to him in another review here. (One can discern the volatility of Chris's nature by reading his obscene and out-of-control comment on the positive review given by Justin Me on 11/19/04, below; that volatility has been a hallmark of this dispute.) David has been absolutely astonished by the ever-increasing misrepresentations and calumnies. Given Milla's latter-day opposition, however, he limited production to the first 2000 CDs pressed, and attempted (unsuccessfully) to get Cherry Red to discontinue an ongoing plan for a separate release to the UK "underground" market.



Because of the constraints on production and distribution, David made no money from the CD. He nonetheless dutifully paid Milla royalties twice: a check on 2/1/00 that she cashed, and a check on 2/21/01 paid to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at her request. (One may bemusedly ask: if Milla, as now claimed, didn't authorize the CD, why would she accept royalties on it?)



What goads me into writing this so many years after the original controversy? It's because I see my son continuing to be defamed - as recently as 11/28/06 on this Amazon page - by those who unthinkingly and uncritically parrot Milla and Chris's revisionist mudslinging. Let me again set the record straight for the Amazon community: David entered into a project with Milla in good faith and fulfilled his original agreement with her. Milla is entitled to a change of heart, but not to a change of history.



I have given this CD an admittedly biased five-star rating, but at least I agree with the Guardian newspaper in London, which on 2/11/00 called it "so barking it's great."

"

Not a liscensed Milla album.

Daniel | 11/09/2003

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This album, while containing vocal tracks by Milla Jovovich, was not done with her permission. While the music is good, it was not made with Milla or with her permission. All music was added to her recordings without her knowledge.Therefore, if you would like to support Milla, buy "The Divine Comedy", the only album actually made by her.However, if you wish to support the exploitation of a talented artist, buy this album. While the vocals are done by her, that's where her work stopped."

Not for everyone but still great.

D. Brown | Colorado | 03/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an odd CD. The music is eclectic and hard to define. That does not mean that it's bad though. I really liked it. I would describe most tracks with the phrase, 'free style techno-jazz.' I only bought the CD because I am a huge Milla fan. So I am probably a little biased towards her work. But I still think that most people who enjoy strange off-beat, free style music will appreciate 'The Peopletree Sessions.' So if you are a fan of Milla or of this musical genre you should check this CD out. Also check out Milla's 'The Divine Comedy' CD. It is more conventional than Peopletree, but it is an amazing CD. ..."