Glasgow DJ Sarra Wild Confronts Boiler Room About Editing Her Criticism Of White Men Out Of Their Doc

On Monday, Glaswegian DJ and promoter Sarra Wild took to Facebook to call out Boiler Room for editing out comments she made in their recent Glasgow’s New Wave documentary.

In the post she argues that her questions about the removal of comments from the doc that she had made about the racial makeup of the scene being primarily white men, had gone unanswered by the Boiler Room team. She added “[It was] litterally (sic) the only bit in the documentary that could have started a conversation that needs to be had in Glasgow and they took it out.”

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Here’s the full text of her post:

“Been waiting on a response from boiler room as to why they edited the words “white man” out of my bit in the Glasgow doc for days now. I want to know who in the decision making process was offended by a WOC saying those words when it’s a fact. And the level of editing they would have had to do to take that bit out and air my words before and after in the one sentence is mad. Litterally the only bit in the documentary that could have started a conversation that needs to be had in Glasgow and they took it out. I need answers.”

Following her public post, Joe Alexander, Head of Film at Boiler Room finally responded to Wild via email, saying “We at no point set out to highlight any negativity” and that “the ‘white men’ phrase would’ve been divisive within this film and would have caused all sorts of political repercussions that I’m sure you’re aware of.”

The next day he clarified his statements on her actual Facebook post, adding “There is clearly a vital topic to explore here (around race and gender within electronic music culture) but we’d like to find a focussed[(sic] format to be able to explore it properly. We’d love to work with you to discuss what that might be. If you would be up for working together on it, please let me know.”

https://twitter.com/joe_p_alexander/status/892346120164302854

Wild fired back at Alexander, saying “You and others like you in your position have the option to ignore this. I as a WOC don’t. Never have. The sooner you all accept that this scene is not equal and that minorities need to be represented and most importantly heard, the sooner we can all go back to enjoying the f*cking music and being one.”

https://twitter.com/sarrawild/status/892454220846301184

Others in the electronic music scene have since taken to social media to express their own disappointment with Boiler Room’s choice.

https://twitter.com/LaurelHalo/status/892666963108999168

You can watch the full documentary in question below.