Music

[FULIGIN%UMass.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (Peter E. Lee)]

>From: Susanne E Trowbridge
>
>I know what I like.  I don't care what label it's on and how trendy it
>is.  I liked the Woodentops loooong before anybody on these shores had
>ever heard of them or played them on college radio.  Who are you to
>tell me what's real underground and what's socially acceptable
>underground?  Do you drop bands when they become socially acceptable
>because you're too fuckin' cool to listen to them when WCVT and WHFS
>start playing them?  I refuse to let anybody dictate my musical tastes,
>and I refuse to allow them to be ridiculed...


     Bravo Sue!  I listen to the music that moves me.  If no-one else has
heard of it, or if no-one else likes it, so be it.  If other people like
it, then that's fine too.  That a band becomes 'popular' to the extent of
selling out 300 or even 1000 seat houses is hardly a sign of artistic
compromise.  There are even one or two bands who now sell out arenas that
(in my opinion - key phrase here) that haven't sacrificed their originality
for popularity.  I've liked the Woodentops since 'Move Me', and I still
like them.  I've liked the Housemartins since the 'Flag Day' EP, and I still
do.  I've been a fan of the Jazz Butcher since I first heard 'Real Men'
(about 2 years ago now) - I'm a bit disappointed with his new LP, but not
because I think it's a sell-out.  I've known of and been mildly amused by
Robyn Hitchcock since I first heard the Softboys about 3 years ago - I still
don't think he deserves deification, but some people do - more power to
them!  I like Devo, I think Sigue Sigue Sputnik are fun, and XTC are my
favorite band - horribly unfashionable, but so what?  I like them!  I also
like the Severed Heads and Birdsongs and Ministry and early Cabaret Voltaire
and Laurie Anderson and the Longshoremen - am I hip yet?  I don't really
care.  If I like it, I listen to it.  If I don't, I don't.

                                 Why did I bother writing this?
                                             -Peter Lee
Fuligin%Umass.bitnet@WISCVM.WISC.EDU

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"Do do the cruel immersion,
  Do do the flaming tongue,
  Do do the holy martian,
  something for everyone!"
                  -Shriekback, 'Sticky Jazz'