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FLAGPOLE'S FAULT
I’m writing specifically in response to
Funke Sangodeyi’s review of the July 23 Slut
show at the High Hat [Live Reviews, Aug. 5J. I
found her opinion of that show misleading
and disappointing. In fact, I think the overall
musical direction your publication has taken
to support (destroy) the music scene is dis
appointing. I’ll try and contain my frustration
to a few simple points that will more express
my opinion than my anger.
As Ms. Funked half-page review so elo
quently declared to us hapless readers, she
seemed more distracted by [the band’s]
image, their manager’s intelligence, and their
fashion sense rather than the fact that these
musicians traveled all the way from Europe
to tour this country for two months (a feat
few Athens bands have the guts to accept).
She seemed to be more concerned with their
acid wash jeans than their ability to make
the High Hat sound like an amphitheater. So
what if their manager isn’t quite as
enthralled with the approved list of Czech
bands Ms. Sangodeyi feels are the most
important? So what if they are “heavy alter-
na-rock"? She really shouldn’t give a damn.
What she should concern herself with is the
fact that just like every other musician in this
town, they got up on stage and played their
balls off to a room full of people too “cool” to
appreciate it.
This brings me to an even greater gripe.
I’ve sat back for years and accepted
Flagpole's role as being responsible for the
promotion of Athens music. I’ve talked
myself out of holding you responsible just as
many t ; mes when I realized how incestuous
and misinformed you were about music,
mostly in an effort to comfort myself on why
you find so many negative things to say
a!)out local bands. Don’t you have anything
nice to say? Constructive criticism, maybe?
Are you trying to convince me that the
Athens music community consists only of
Jucifer and Harvey Milk? How do you expect
to develop a music scene when the only
press it gets is negative? Of course no one is
going out to see bands. Pick up the paper
and according to you they all suck, they’re
all contrived, they sound too much like the
radio. Your responsibility isn’t to maintain
your position as all-powerful critic by slam
ming tons of artists trying to express their
creativity. Your job as an Athens business is
to promote and nurture the culture that
already exists around you. A culture that
existed before you did.
I don’t recall any mentions In the Art
Patrol slamming young painters, accusing
them of appealing to too many people. So
why not give the same respect to the other
artists in town that put your rag on the map?
We call ourselves musicians.
The real reason I bothered to even sit
down to write this letter is because I play in
a band called Michael. Unknown to the read
ers of the review published this week, my
band headlined that Slut show at the High
Hat. And judging by the complete lack of
acknowledgment of our existence on that
stage, I’ve come to conclude that maybe
we’re not cool either. I sincerely apologize to
Ms. Sangodeyi, both my Doc Martins and
Airwalks have worn out, and I actually let
slip that I give a damn about what I sound
like. I know that giving a shit is quite the faux
pas ‘round these parts, but 1 do have higher
aspirations of my music than hoping the
Athens drinking community thinks I’m
acceptable.
I was hoping, Mr. Fausset, that maybe Ms.
Sangodeyi could publish a list of what “cool”
is. Maybe accompanied by a list of people I
should buy a drink, a fashion catalog (I’ve
just recently found out that acid wash is
“out”), and maybe a list of reasons why
Flagpole has refused to take more responsi
bility for the perspective their hired writers
seem to be venting upon us.
What is good music anyway? In the recent
review of Drip’s Inside Job, John Britt kept
complaining that this album was attempting
to be radio/new rock ready but didn’t suc
ceed. It didn’t succeed because it didn’t
sound like Mr. Britt’s preconceived idea of
what it should sound like. Every band with a
strong chorus and a good lead singer isn’t
trying to be new rock ready! Why not focus
on the fact that Andy LeMaster recorded the
whole album himself, in a studio he shares
with Athens’ most reputable musicians and
engineers Why not have the courtesy to
realize how much a part of this community
Andy is instead of belittling his year-long pro
ject just because of one man’s opinion.
Why is the local music column called
“The Heckler"? Do we really need more
abuse of our local musicians than is already
administered by your novice reviewers? You
can find something negative about any band,
large or small. Is Superchunk too pop? Why
does that Dinosaur Jr. guy whine so much?
Lou Barlow must be such a sap because he
writes sensitive, slow songs.
Which brings me back to the list I’ve
requested earlier. It would certainly help
musicians ’.ike myself in getting people to
open an ear to our music. Maybe if Flagpole
didn't treat every band like shit in this town,
there woula be a reason for the 40,000 stu
dents across the street to come to the clubs
for something more than David Allen Coe. It
is your responsibility, Flagpole, to make this
music scene thrive. It makes cultural sense,
economic sense, and basically it would prob
ably get this town out of its “cooler than
thou” funk that stifles any spark of creativity
by someone that’s not employed by a down
town bar.
I certainly understand it’s dangerous to
make enemies with the folks reviewing your
work. Michael has a record coming out. I can
only pray that someone with a legitimate ear
will look at it as a piece of work from local
musicians, not a leap for acceptance by you.
Not everyone’s motivation in this town is to
be accepted by you, just a chance to be
appreciated for the never-ending sacrifices it
takes to keep being bludgeoned by negativity
from your paper.
Lighten up. Give some new kids a chance
at legitimately improving their work in front
of an audience. The only alternative is to
actually succeed at killing the source of cre
ativity in this town that your writers con
stantly abuse. I was playing music before I
knew your paper existed, and seven years
later 1 still make music that pleases myself
and my bandmaies. As for Ms. Sangodeyi, I
can only hope that my cool clothes are clean
that day and my pouty face is on. But I don’t
care anyway.
David H. Fairbairn
Athens
Regarding your article “Baxter St. Blues”
[July 22], I’d like to submit the following
observations:
Mayor O’Looney’s comments about
Baxter Street being “filled with high tran
sience in business” is so blatantly false that
you wonder as to the real reason of the
Unified Government’s harmful neglect of
certain segments of our community. What
transience? It’s easy to count over 20 estab
lishments on Baxter Street that have been
viable on the street for over 15 years, with
many of them approaching FORTY years.
Then there are the newer businesses, 3-15
years old, that have made substantial
investments. Altogether, my math shows
about 90 percent long-term stability.
Moreover, most of these businesses have
been small, family-type businesses, often
under one owner. The businesses on Baxter
Street are of the type that make up the back
bone of the American economy, and they
require some care and nurturing from the
government to whom they pay their taxes.
O’Looney’s prior comments that the indi
vidual businesses on Baxter Street should
all solve their own problems just like
Beechwood Shopping Center did are both
naive and insulting. Why compare a small
business with a giant corporation? I think an
§ enlightened city government would not only
| abstain from comparing apples with
| oranges, but take a more holistic approach
I and realize thai what’s good for one part of
town is good for the entire community.
Raising five children by spoiling one and
neglecting the others doesn’t make for good
parenting. By the o^me token, you cannot
make a diamond shine if you only polish one
facet.
On a more personal note, I object to sev
eral characterizations in your article on
Baxter Street as devoid of landscaping. Not
only our Public library and St. Mary’s
Hospital, but individual small businesses,
especially the restaurants, have put far
more into their landscaping than all of
downtown’s bars, clubs, restaurants, and
adult entertainment places put together.
However, Baxter Street is a long corridor,
and individual efforts only stretch so far.
We, too, need help, and we’d like the city to
apportion some of the resources that are so
liberally spent elsewhere.
Sander Heilig
Athens
Heilig is the former proprietor of DaVinci s
Pizza-ln-A-Pan. He is currently a Baxter Street
landlord.
ART GRIPS
What is happening to the Art Patrol?
While I appreciate the coverage given to the
local music scene, I believe there should also
be ample coverage of the local arts scene (as
well as some highlights from the scene in
Atlanta).
What once used to be an informative page
on the arts in Athens has now dwindled to a
pint-sized paragraph. Certainly this does not
begin to cover the vast amount of activities
going on in this artistic community. While
this is primarily a music town, it is also home
to many artists who have much going on
both in this city and elsewhere. As an art
enthusiast I would delight in seeing a fine
and widely-read publication like Flagpole
give at least a page to the hard work of these
artists being overlooked every week. It
would also be nice to let folks know that in
addition to seeing bands, going to bars , eat
ing out, and watching movies, they can also
take in an art show or opening. The arts
scene in Athens deserves better. Please do
something before your arts coverage vanish
es completely.
Art lover
Athens
Since October 1997, Flagpole has dedicated
approximately 45,000 words to local and
regional arts happenings. This includes two
cover stories. —ed
ROCK DEFENDANT
Dear Mr. Britt: I do not care for Local
Noise [77ie Heckler, Aug. 5] but Rock 103.7 is
a kick ass rock and roll station. The only sta
tion that comes close was in 1985 there was
a station I listened to in the New York Metro
area called WNEW FM 102.7 in New York City.
Since that time the best I have heard in rock
stations is Rock 103.7. I hope they continue
their great format for many years to come.
Thank you.
John Kamens
Hartwell
BRITT DEFENDANT
103.7 DOES play crrrraaaaaappppp!!!!!!
John Britt knows more about music than the
entire 103.7 staff. Those rednecks play what
they’re told to play.
Frank Bishop
Athens
THIS MWIH WtILI
by TOM TOMORROW
MORE JOURNALISTIC ME A CULPAS: THE RELEASE
OF 6ARY WEBB'S NEW BOOK, DARK ALLIANCE,
prompts rue new York Times to apologue
for ITS CLUMSY ATTEMPTS To DISCREDIT HIS
WoRK ON THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CON
TRAS, CRACK DEALERS, AND THE C/A...
WE IGNORED
WEBB'S EX
HAUSTIVE
DOCUMENTA
TION-- WHILE
REPORTING
THAT THE CiA
HKD EXONER
ATED ITSELF!
IiT's A WONDER
WE HAVE ANY
• CREDIBILITY
lL'FT AT ALL i
MEANWHILE. THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER APOLO
GUES PROFUSELY FOR RETRACTING THElA EN
TIRE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON CHIQUlTA’S UNSAV
ORY BUSINESS PRACTICES, AFTER A REPORTER
was found to have illegally accessed chj-
OUlTA'S VOICEMAIL SYSTEM...
-EVEN THOUGH MANV
OF THE ARTICLES WERE|
BASED ON FIRSTHAND
REPORTING AND HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE VOICEMAIL MES* fjf.
SAGES' fail
let s face it--we
CAVED LIKE MIS’
ERABLE, SPINE-
1LESS WORMS!
I inTH
a*-
. \
/r>
THE WASHINGTON POST IS SIMILARLY MoVED
TO APOLOGUE FOR ITS ATTACK ON WEBB.
WRITTEN BY A MAN NAMED WALTER PlNCUS-
WHO, THE POST FAILED To DISCLOSE, ACTUAL
LY WORKED FOR THE CIA AS A YOUNG MAN...
WE COMPLETELY
VIOLATED TOE
TRUST OF OUR
READERS - AND
MADE A MOCK
ERY OF JOUR
NALISTIC OB
JECTIVITY'
OUR ENTIRE ED
IToRiAL STAFF
HAS DECIDED
TO RESIGN IN
SHAME '
FINALLY, CNN AND TIME ISSUE A JOINT
APOLOGY-FOR SERVING AS UNCRITICAL PEN
TAGON MOUTHPIECES DURING THE GULF
WAR, THAT IS...
•LIBERAL MEDIA* MY
ASS! ALL WE DID
DURING THAT WAR
WAS PARROT AD
MINISTRATION
PROPAGANDA'
THEY Told US TO
JUMP-AND WE
ASKED HOW HIGH!
WE ONLY HOPE YOU
CAN FIND IT IN Y*UR
heart to forgive
US'
CONTACT FLAGPOLE
Write to FLAGPOLE at LETTERS, P. 0. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603; or via the Internet at
mail@flagpole.conr!. letters may be edited fer style, clarity and space considerations.
AUGUST 12, 1998