The Happy Kontroversy

[Phong Co <chryses%xurilka.UUCP@Larry.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>]

I was wondering when this sort of thing was going to happen...

While I sentimentally side with Jenn and the enough-already crowd, I
can understand the Happy side.  This is a forum for Kate fans to
discuss Kate and related stuff.  I didn't mind the Sugarcubes, Jane
Siberry, or the Fripp discussion.  This is a place where I can here
about new and obscure artists, and as such it is very valuable.
Happy certainly belongs here.  I agree with [sorry...I don't have the
name or posting handy, but you know who you are] that the volume of
Happy posts is temporary (although given Vickie's zeal that might be
a long time), but it still means that some of us have to sift through
wads of Happy stuff for the few Kate articles.  I can certainly put
up with this, because Happy does not happen in place of Kate, but in
addition to it.  I do think, though, that the lyrics would have been
better sent through e-mail.

What I do NOT like out of all this is what Jenn terms
"force-feeding".  Every Happy post seems to say "Don't be a dork, buy
this stuff!!"  I have seen the address for Aural Gratification
maybe 30 times.  It may be argued that Happy doesn't have the
commercial clout of Suzanne Vega, and that her material is not
available through conventional channels.  While that may be true, the
frequency at which the sales pitch is happening will give many a
negative reaction.  I don't like to buy music by mail, and I don't
usually buy music without having heard something from the album (TD
being an exception).  That's just me, and I have to live with that.
I don't want to feel like I have to go out and buy the stuff if I
want to remain a Love-Hound.  This is a discussion group, and a great
one.  This is happening here, however unintentional and well-meaning.
Heck, someone even told Jenn "I'm sorry for you," when she raised the
point.

I have a feeling this post will be taken negatively, and I am
prepared to defend it.  Please understand that I am not putting any
one of you down, least of all Vickie.  I believe you [Vickie] believe
in Happy, and cannot criticize you for trying to get her to the rest
of the world.  Just please keep the rest of us L-H'ers in
perspective, huh?


I may have missed something, or said something wrong, but it's late,
and I'll check it out later!


Phong.


-- 

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Phong T. Co		|
chryses@xurilka.UUCP	|	Nice girls don't explode.
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