FINAL EDITION: The Good Fight


Thanks for the great emails. Hip me to the next cool deal or two at Parkside and I'll wander by. And I'll buy you the beer.

------------------------------

Joel,

"New music and old music belong together now in ways they never did in the past."

Compeltely agree, but there is some heavy lifting that needs to be done to convince the public this is true. For years I was a dyed in the wool classic rock guy, and then a friend started talking about new bands, and another friend bought that club near your house. I started going there, hanging out, meeting bands. The kids out there are really turning out some amazing stuff, and to credit your quote: the best music in the indie rock/pop world is totally derivative, but it's so new and refreshing and urgent that I haven't had to listen to any of the old war horses in 5 years. Local acts like Hank IV, Flakes, Genghis Khan, Harold Ray Live in Concert, Lamps, Pets, and a dozen others just get people moving. Outside the Bay, when a touring band like Reigning Sound or King Khan BBQ Show comes through, it's a sell out crowd at small venues and the audience is damn appreciative.

I was lucky to have fallen into this world, and I know most Chron readers would rather sit around and listen to Rush records and reminisce about ill fated cocaine adventures at the 1983 US Festival. Music doesn't mean much to people as they grow old and bitter, but perhaps it could. There's a handful of us out there who would support you in any effort to spread the word.

Best,
Mike

-----------------------------------

Your email could be the subject of a long and thoughtful conversation. I have never noticed people who read the Chronicle -- and I've been working there a few years now -- have the slightest interest in up-and-coming bands. I know that sounds weird. After all, what's a newspaper supposed to do? But we don't cover much minor league baseball either. I've spent many long hours listening to bands nobody cared about and writing lengthy and passionate articles about their plights. But it's never an article that either my editors or the readers pay very much attention to. Van may or may not be relevant to the music scene today, but he is still taking up a lot of people's time, attention, care and money, even if "Astral Weeks" was a long time ago.
Actually, and this is where our conversation could get really interesting, I've come to believe that the element of time has changed totally in the pop scene in the recent past. New music and old music belong together now in ways they never did in the past. Van Morrison is as important to today's rock music as the Impressionists are to today's painters. Or something like that.
Anyway thanks for the note.

-----------------------

Cheers Joel,

Re boomer crap, I've nothing against the likes of Van Morrison. I own almost all his stuff on vinyl, from Blowin' Your Mind upwards. He's a hero of mine. I just dont think he's doing anything relevant for new/modern music.

New bands out there bust their ass and cant cover their tour expenses. If you have any sway with Phil B or whoever calls the shots, I'd suggest taking the line that the Chron should cover not what people want but what they need: info on the up and comers trying their hardest to get an audience.

Yeah, coverage of an indie show wont get you a bunch of letters to the editor, but it will get the Chron some respect, and that's always needed.

Best,
Mike

-------------------

Thanks for the note. I hope to take you up on that beer sometime. I live around the corner from the Parkside and eat there on occasion, so who knows?
The Chron doesn't cover a lot of club shows. Hell, we don't even cover a lot of concerts anymore. I used to practically live in the clubs -- and had the drinking problem to prove it -- but now I'm looking for stories elsewhere.
Peculiar issue -- what does the Chron readers give a shit about? Not sure and I should know. The big response always comes from what you called the boomer crap. Things are up in the air in our culture these days. We do have Noise Pop on our radar.Anyway, I appreciate the feedback.

------------------------

Joel,

Almost every show I see in SF/Oakland is around $5; Stork, Mama Buzz, Hemlock, Parkside, BOTH, and 12 Galaxies have sane cover charges. It seems that the Datebook show coverage leans toward boomer crap, and no one I know who reads the Chron cares about that nonsense.

Free is outstanding. I recommend you check out this gig at the Independent on March 29:

Noise Pop 2006
The Dirtbombs
Black Lips :: The Lamps :: The Sensations

$15 to see 3 of the best bands going. I don't know the Sensations, and they might be good too. I've nothing vested in this, other than I love these bands and would love to see ink on them in Chron. It will be a barnburner of a show. First beer is on me.

Best,
Mike

--------------
>
>What concerts cost less than $20 these days?
>
>I have a piece running Thursday about a singer I saw in a bar for free --
>does that count?

----------------

Hi Joel,

Do you ever review shows that cost lest than $20?

Best,
Mike