Newspaper Page Text
LETTERS p.o. box 1027. Athens, ga zogoz
alma ru “Yoking
MATER
I am writing in response to your review of
a Dave Matthews Band album [Reviews. May
20\. I personally do not care for Dave
Matthews’ music at all. pretty much for the
same reasons you stated. However, when I
came to the line where you said the drum
mer played in a "joyless. Beiklee School of
Music" style, with “emphasis on technique
and complete lack of feel." I was infuriated It
amazes me that you. the editor of this maga
zine. would make such a stupid, childish,
indie-boy reference. After all these years.
Flagpole has obviously not let go of their bit
ter opinion that any musician who is educat
ed. or has the slightest understanding of
music, has no soul and as a result, they ain’t
got the rock At this point I’d like to ask you:
what year did you flunk out?
I attended and did. in fact, graduate from
Berkiee, not because I wanted to lose my
soul, but because I loved music more than
anything, and wanted to learn more about it
In the four years I was there. I learned a hell
of a lot. and I can assure you that at no time
did anyone instruct me to play in a soulless,
joyless manner Nor did anybody, at any
time, suggest that I put technique before
feeling. Music can express many emotions,
and sometimes a little technique will help
you get the emotion across You can’t write a
letter unless you learn the language, right?
Same thing here
I think of the many times that Flagpole
has praised the ineptitude of a band as if
they had invented some j>ure form of art or
as if they were “breaking ground " It's kind of
like putting a finger painting by a chimp into
an art museum Kveryone rushes out to see
tins “brilliance." and they usually wind up
getting some piece of shit group slamming
guitars that they can’t tune, let alone barely
crawl on
In the five years I have lived in Athens. I
have played in many bands in many different
styles of music, from jazz and pop all the
way up to flagpole's coveted complaint rock
I've starved, sweated on the road, and
played empty bars. I've also had *he good
fortune to sometimes get to play for packed
houses, pay my rent with bar cash, record
some great bands, announce on the radio.
and generally have a good time with many
wonderful musicians. Gee. I wonder how I
got this far with no soul
It is incredibly insulting that you would go
so far as to suggest that anyone who likes
music enough to study it would have no idea
of what the true essence of music is. We’ve
probably gotten a lot closer than you ever will,
dickhead Why don’t you come down and
watch a show sometime, and tell me I have no
feeling, then feel your way back to your office
and work out your little master plan
I realize that in writing this letter. I am now
at risk of becoming the next target in the ABC
column, where I’m sure I’ll now be referred to
as “smart-guy" or whatever, whenever a band I
play with hits a local bar Obvious and pre
dictable. just like Flagpole always has been
Goodnight Richard, you can now go fuck
yourself
Matthew White
Athens
White plays guitar tor local band King
Daddy Zeb
BUST UR THE
SQUARE
Congratulations all around on the suc
cess of the 20th Annual Human Rights
Fest val I hope to see in festivals to come
grasi-stained feet of all sizes rather than feet
stain'd black from the jietroleum residue of
asphalt It’s time to “bust up" this silly road
and remake Athens' divided and dangerous
College Square as College Green
Steven Scurry
Athens
BIKE LICENSES
We have elected officials that think licens
ing bicyclists is a good idea’’ Why don't
these people try to think in terms of reality
instead of their ignorant and overzealous
political motives’’ If licensing bicyclists is a
good idea, then we need to license pedestri
ans too. Iiecause there are a lot more (>edes-
trians blocking traffic and doing dangerous
things m Athens than cyclists While we re at
it. we should license users of human Ixidies
Ijecause humans are often dangerous to peo-
ple as well
• the correct mailing address tor Festival of Failure, the indie Label that released the Sounds to Soothe A Nervous
Robot CO, was listed incorrectly last week. The correct address is P.O. Box 668. Athens, GA 30603-0668.
• In last week’s Publisher's Notes, Pete McCommons erroneously mentioned that the Republican primary is in
August Actually, the primary is July 21.
Write to FLAGPOLE at LETTERS. P. 0. Box 1027, Athens. GA 30603; or via the Internet at mail(S>fUgpole.com.
Letters may be edited for style, clarity and space considerations
What these elected ignoramuses don’t
understand is that if laws are being broken
and they don’t like it. they should ENFORCE
THEM, not make new laws
Adrian Pritchett
via the Internet
ROAD RULES
After reading the article in your April 29
edition regarding Ms. Elizabeth Crisfield
("Pedal at Your Own Risk”] I was very
relieved for her that she wasn't injured. In
addition. I have some questions about the
bicycling laws in the state of Georgia. Could
you please educate me on a few concerns?
First, according to Ms. Crisfield. she caught
the vehicle at a traffic light and confronted
them about the incident. I was under the
impression that bicycles should operate like
automobiles. If that is the case, then she
shouldn’t have been able to catch up with
the vehicle at the traffic light; she should
have waited in the line of traffic along with
the other automobiles
I travel through downtown twice a day. to
and from work, and 1 encounter numerous
bicyclists This is sort of frustrating for me
because of the fact that after I have an
opportunity to pass the bicyclist, they sub
sequently catch up with me later on when I
have to stop at a traffic light They edge their
way past my vehicle and consequently. I
have to find an opportunity to pass them
again — thus creating more frustration
I totally support bicycle lanes in Athens-
Clarke County and would even Ik* willing to
ride my bike to and from work, but as of the
present time. I don't feel that it is a sale alter
native Thanks.
Gary Bond
via the Internet
ACC police indeed conhrni that a bicycle
must adhere to the same laws as an auto
falling up next to a car is indeed a no-no — ed
BANISHMENT
According to Chief Lumpkin, it’s a good
idea to banish people who are arrested for
drugs and prostitution This is yet anouther
hysterical proposal in a long series of uncon
stitutional actions in the war on drugs
Chief Lumpkin's proposal is unconstitu
tional The Constitution guarantees a separa
tion of church and state, yet here is a clear
example of government enforcement of
moral and religious values.
Governments should legalize, regulate
and tax drugs and other consensual crimes
Drug users have replaced “commies" as gov
ernment scapegoats for societal ills Stop the
hysteria
A.J Hoge
Athens
THIS MMfcKU W*BL»
by TOM TOMORROW
•10 SUMMER
MOVIES APE
To Political
caRToohijtj
WHAT 816-
UAiRfD WO
MEN ARE To
Bill clinToN...
AND This YEAR,
we wtncr
F|W CAATo*N-
ISTS WILL BE
AtlE TO RE
SIST TME luRE
OF THAT MOST
ILUNT ®F
ViSvAL MfT-
APMofS-
[CR-I TRtNK TOO MAT BE IN TME
WRONG CARTOON -WE REPRESENT
SMALL DEPOSITORS COPING WiTrt
6IANT BANK MERGERS.'
WAIT- I
THOUGHT W£
WERE *40\o
PATUH7S '
[X TtLk You - .' MAIL
ENTREPRENEURS JUST
DON'T HOVE A CMANCf
IaGAIWST M/CMOjoFTf
ALSO. IF the Forthcoming Jt-fU£S Movie is
A NlT. WE'RE LIKELY TO 5EE A SUCCESSION
of EDITORIAL CARTOONS FEATURING HER
STAR* AS muib£A-AND MAYBE UMOA
TAlPP AS SCULLY...
AND THEN THERE'S §ULWORTH..THIS ONE MAY
OR MAY NOT TAKE OFF IN THf MAINSTREAM - BUT
You can B£T You'll see obvious parallels
BEING DRAWN in More than one so-called
-ALTERNATIVE" CARTooN...*
THEY CALL ME BILLY CEE AND X M HERE TO
SAY rO-lF You WANT ACCESS To *ȣ
YOU BETTER COUGH UP SoME POUGH f
FLAGPOLE
CLASSIFIEDS
per
iSX-k
Graduation and
Interviews are Coming!
Portfolios and Presentation
Cases are at
268 N. Jackson St. • 548-5334
D FLAGPOLE MAY 27, 1998
lu n swi