NSAN
2007
1
OPINION
Coming Monday, November 5...
Minster City planners must be realistic when building in hurricane-prone areas.
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ECOM
Karim Ahmadi
J
MENT
Karim Ahmadi
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievance
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2007 PAGE 5A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
Made up names alone do not make the band
SENTIMENTAL HYGIENE
Talent is talent; calling it 'local' or dressing it up with costumes may sell tickets, but it can't keep a beat or make bad musicians good
I hate local music."
I saw this on a T-shirt on Massachusetts Street, and immediately I knew—the man wearing it knew what he was talking about. Maybe he he was trying to make a statement, or perhaps it was just a joke, but I, for one, can relate to the sentiment. "Local music" is a term used much too often around Lawrence and other hip college towns that just isn't worth much
anymore. I've come to the conclusion that it's just another name for subpar musicianship; a hollow buzzer that has little meaning or an excuse to be indie-pop-rock-folk-inspired (whatever the hell that means). Walk into any bar downtown on any given night and you'll hear what I'm talking about.
I must have heard the phrase "support local music" at least 1,000 times in the last year, and every time I hear it I am confused as to what they really mean. Is music some sort of domestic product that must be subsidized to get the Lawrence economy back on its feet? Is there some sort of pseudo-farmer's market where we should be shopping instead of the record store? Or do they mean that we, as citizens of Lawrence, should cultivate homegrown bands so that future generations can be just as good at it as we are, like football? Perhaps it simply means that we should attend concerts because our roommate's girlfriend's new puppy's veterinarian is in a band, and they are, like, totally far-out, man.
The problem with supporting local music is that, quite simply, most of it is awful. To be fair, there is a small amount of musicians who are talented and dedicated to producing quality work, but for every good band there are at least 10 bad ones whose only draw is that they dress in gaudy leftover Halloween costumes with homemade instruments or warbling singersongwriters doing their best to imitate Jack Johnson. Is it good to support something that is just plain bad?
But I do not wish to discriminate just against Lawrencian mediocrity. This town is a microcosm of the global descent of popular music in recent decades. So much has changed since the golden age of rock. Instead of eminent and charismatic frontmen, we now have "American Idol" wannabes and singers who sound like crying pre-pubescents, and instead of virtuosic guitar riffs and drummers playing until they pass out (R.I.P. Keith Moon), we have accordions and girls dressed in giant banana outfits. This is not music. This is cheap theater.
After the glorified outbreak of pop in the 1950s and '60s, things slowly went downhill. After the excess and decadence of '70s music, the '80s were a quick descent into hair bands and Michael Jackson, two things that
are best forgotten, lest one have constant nightmares. The early '90s were a grungy glimmer of hope quickly quashed by big label ferocity. And now, while the Indie scene is burgeoning, rock 'n' roll is quietly dying. Why must we continue to propagate the dead genre that once was "Indie?"" It was a nice thought but has long since run its course. Indie is no longer an innovation. Sounding vaguely like a Lennon/McCartney tune does not make a good melody. Volume does not equal rock 'n' roll. Having a glass-shattering falsetto or indestructible vocal chords does not make you better than Bob Dylan. And neither does not being anything else. Just because you claim to defy genre (hear me now, Beck!) does not make you, by default, a good musician.
So don't be browbeaten into thinking that just because you aren't into the "scene" around town, that you don't know music. It's a terrible lie supported by cooler-than-thou hipsters who have nothing better to do than make you feel bad about yourself. So turn off the new Devendra Banhart album and any local band that has more than three made-up words in its name, and turn up your Stravinsky, Coltrane, Robert Johnson and Rolling Stones records. You won't be disappointed. And then perhaps we can get to the task of recognizing and creating some decent music for the next generation.
Petterson is a Prairie Village junior in English.
DRAWING BOARD
MARC LANGSTON AND CLARISSA UNGER
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
O n behalf of all the students on our campus and throughout the
country who are civically active, we acknowledge that there is some youth that are apathetic toward politics, but there are many who are not. The article that was run in the Kansan regarding apathy among young voters was not only offensive to those of us who are politically active, but simply not news. This country knows that youth from the ages of 18-24 have the lowest voter turnout rate, but according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning, in 2004 youth reversed a historic decline with an 11 percent voting increase.
The unprecedented involvement and excitement amongst youth is the real news of the day. Students are playing a much more integral role in presidential campaigns as there are currently three officially registered groups on campus dedicated to presi-
dental candidates. Campaigns are for the first time ever instituting entire divisions of their campaigns dedicated to students. Students on this campus are volunteer for campaign, canvassing student housing areas and traveling to Iowa to canvass. While some students are still abstaining from civic engagement, this is the perfect time for all students to realize their ability to bring about positive change. It is becoming popular and exciting to be involved in our country's future.
MAX RINKEL
Marc Langston
Clarissa Unger
Marc Langston College Democrats of Kansas President
Langston is a Wichita senior;
Unger, a Colby junior.
Clarissa Unger Students for Barack Obama, Kansas Coordinator
FREE FOR ALL: 864-0500 OR KANSAN.COM/FACEBOO
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone
You know what? My day sucked until I discovered my mom sent me brownies.
Our academics are fantastic, but not exciting or fun.
Screw this. I'm gonna go play Pokemon.
You don't know about my additional pylons.
Seriously, anyone want to live in Naismith?
Who the hell wants to talk about academics?
Free For All's entries are going downhill. Stop talking about the football season already. Woopi-do, we won eight games. Academics, anyone?
Ron Paul will win when I begin hating the Free For All. Which will be never.
Ron Paul is the sorriest excuse for a presidential candidate I've ever seen.
Why are the Ron Paul supporters bombarding the College Republicans and Young Democrats
Kiss of Death.
Stop being negative toward Ron Paul. He is being a good citizen.
Ron Paul may be a good citizen, yet his supporters are not.
Who the crap is Ron Paul?
groups? He has less of a chance to win than Mike Gravel.
I'm still in love with my ex-boyfriend. It been a year and a half.
Wait. Someone's trying to date fish?
Typical sorority girl in a disgusted voice: "She has like no friends and she's trying to date a Beta."
If you're on Wescoe Beach today, be sure to take along several buckets of water, and don't use sparingly. You're truly God.
Nebraska is no longer an impressive win for anyone. Don't even think about going anywhere
To the teletubbies on campus, I have nothing.
near the goalposts on Saturday!
I had the best Halloween ever, and we didn't even really go out.
I'm not your stupid taxi. Drive yourself.
You know why I love Hallow-een? When else can I see Xerxes, Paris Hilton, Zombies, sluts and super heroes all at one party?
I'm done for, completely done for.
What does the scouter say about his power level? It's over nine thousand. What, nine thou-
That's why you smoke in the dorm!
Trust me, smoking in the dorms is a terrible idea.
I hate that I feel like I am surrounded by people with absolutely no morals.
Is it bad that I feel like I'm going to corrupt this boy in every way possible?
I absolutely hate checking into the dorms. Everyone knows when you're stoned off your ass.
redneck, cornhusking, farmer scum!
I'm from Nebraska and I really hate UNL. Please, please, please football players, for me, stomp them into the ground!
I can husk corn, can I be Nebraska's mascot?
It's awkward as hell.
Dear God: Please have mercy on Nebraska this weekend.
Dear God: Please have mercy on Nebraska this weekend. It's not their fault they aren't Kansas.
It's not their fault they're all
TALK TO US
Erick R. Schmidt; editor
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Erick R. Schmidt, Eric Jorgensen, Daria Slipe, Kelsey Hayes, Bryan Dykman, Brandon T. Minster, Angelique McNaughton and Benjamin R. Smith