FULIGIN@UMass.BITNET (Peter E. Lee) (11/14/86)
>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 --- "Do do the cruel immersion, Do do the flaming tongue, Do do the holy martian, something for everyone!" -Shriekback, 'Sticky Jazz'