Lick Us Back
Reader’s Responses
Fork? Flax? Frug?
What does the comment, “in this day and age” have to do with the four letter word F_ _ _! In this day and age one should know that there is no place or need for that kind of language. Shame on you!!! For having to use that kind of language to just feel so big. I am sorry that I came upon your site on the Internet. We and all our friends will for sure avoid that page forever…
Barb via email
Re: a mostly harmless reply
That’s why we put a warning right on the front page (of our website). Right? Some people mind, some people don’t give a, well, ya know…
Scott
MaximumRestInPeace
Tim Yohannon died a little while back, succumbing to cancer. If you don’t recognize the name, maybe you’ll recognize the magazine – MaximumRocknroll – a ‘zine started over fifteen years ago, for better or worse, synonymous with how many people wrangle with what it is to be punk; or, more succinctly, what it is to live in a microcosmic society largely composed of misfitted fuckups whose hearing is shit because they like their music loud (a classification which I endearingly embrace) – engendering the truest dichotomy of how to be a complete individual and yet foster a community, a forum for a larger direction. Tim did this. He made a ripple. He is in scant company.
Hey, I didn’t, nor have I ever, taken any one else’s words for gospel, but I still, eleven years down the line, pick up every issue. I like the defiant feel of Tim’s world, a world where not one asshole had been licked to bring you an issue, and it’s this one simple idea wrapped in a more translucent one: Not succumbing is the simplest part (difficult by most standards, granted). But what Tim accomplished, which only a handful of people on the grassroots punk level can even pony up to without getting egg on their face (Ian McKaye, Jello, and Al Flipside also automatically come to mind), not only by disagreement nor solely by negation (i.e. stab the government, kill a hippie, skullfuck all religion), was to scaffold an alternative way to think about living, and showing – for his entire life – that it can be done without screwing people over, that a life of his own sculpting, dictated by his own terms, could be made, and fuck if punk rock wasn’t the axis it spun upon. I’m glad for it. My direct contact with Tim was brief: I’d talked to him on the phone several times, wrote him a couple of times, and back in August of ’97, I had the chance to interview him. Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t have a good Tim story. When I met him late last year, he looked a bit tired (show me a ‘zine editor who isn’t and I’ll find the trust fund they’re sitting on). I had no expectations for the human – the flesh and bones – of Tim to fill. He was funnier in real life. That’s about all I can say. One an eerie coincidence: three months after my visit with Tim, my mother contracted the exact same type of cancer and they’re within five years in age. It stuns me how much he accomplished – setting up a gravitational pull, a body for countless people to orbit to or wander away from – in a world, the punk world, where conflict is as expected as breakdown, where hot sparks fade quick; self- destruct. Tim was in his fifties, way beyond any considerable doubt that what he was going through a phase in an era when, if you like loud, fast music past twenty-three, it’s a sure indicator of mental retardation.
In no way do I want to make him more or less than he was. I’ll miss him more over time. Make your own assessment, but I’ll leave you with this: He was an endangered species of human, one that borders on extinction.
Shitworker Todd
Flipside Magazine
Keeping the Beat
Lawrence Ferlinghetti has a sign up at City Lights that says: “A book is a tree immortalized.” I reckon that applies to the “zine scene” as well. LOVE the link to Disney [on the website]. Very clever. TA!
Chick, New Red Archives
(sic) it to him!
Subject: Sacred Reich Review [or, I’m a bitchy old metal dude who can’t take shit for criticism, has no sense of humor whatsoever, and writes blithering emails in all caps so that someone has to copy edit my pointless tirade so that others may poke further fun at my ignorance (which, coincidentally, is the name of yet another one of my band’s bargain-bin albums) – Ed.]
Hello, my name is Jason Rainey. I play guitar for Sacred Reich as well as being the founding member.
First of all:
Thanks for even reviewing us at all, (even though it was about a half paragraph) which is probably a good thing, being [sic] how much you like us!
I have no problem with your review, Im [sic] way past caring what you think. Judging from the stuff you do like, it’s no surprise you dont like us (though, your [sic] not all bad, you like ( [sic] Messhuggah)
My problem is: your utter lack of respect for people who’ve devoted their lives to making music for people like you. Where would you be if it wasn’t for people like myself and others that are out on the road sacrificing everything for a dream, only to have it put down by some hack journalist like yourself? Im [sic] not referring to your opinion of our music, it’s the snide comment’s [sic] you make. When it’s utterly clear you don’t know what your talking about! When it comes to our history! Our first record came out in 1987 (do the math) 11 years, (8 records, 20 world tours) big ones !) [sic] I think that constitutes more than one day.
Another thing, “tech metal?” Where are you from?! I’ve heard allot [sic] of classifications, but in my 11 years in the music biz, your [sic] the first to call us that. Also: if you hadn’t noticed “Still Ignorant” is a new release… meaning: We are not over! I understand all your friends told you metal’s done, but you should know (being editor) that that’s not really true, (unless your mind is totally closed) what do you call Korn, Deftones, Tool, Sevendust, Clutch etc… etc…??? Sounds like metal to me!! With element’s [sic] with [sic] everything since (industrial, alternative, grunge, rap )(to much rap!!!) [sic] so if you think your mag is on the cutting edge? I beg to differ! I don’t see anything that hasn’t already been done. When are people going to relax and enjoy music for what it is, instead of what social scene it puts them in? Nobody is doing any thing [sic] new, everybody’s still playing the same riff’s [sic] Black Sabbath did! Only in new packaging! Anyway, Im [sic] offended at the fact that you seem to think you have clue [sic] about what’s over and what’s not! There are alot [sic] of people out there that still buy metal records and it seems to me that, being in the business your [sic] in, you shouldn’t be alienating them you know? Who the hell are you?
As far as my employment opportunities goes [sic], thank’s [sic] for the advise [sic] but you can keep it, with the musical attention spand [sic] of the kids buying records today, you’ll need it. You’ll over [sic] before you know it! Sacred Reich’s been around 11 years, how long do you think you’ll last ???????????
Thank’s [sic] I guess
Jason Rainey (Sacred Reich) via email
Editor’s response: I stand by my review (issue #43) – which, admittedly, was kinda mean – as well as the well-rounded forum of opinions Lollipop provides. To defend my opinions (and punctuate them properly) would take an essay twice as long as your letter. You do, of course, make some valid points about still having an audience, and the fact that you’ve hung in there for 11 years. For perseverance, I’ll give you points. But even the dinosaurs died out (and later had their majestic memory cheapened by Barney and Jurassic Park/Lost World, but that’s a different story). Evolution is necessary. Natural selection is a bitch to face. She’ll phase your ass out, corrode away at all you’ve built, and replace you with younger, harder, faster models with all kinds of new gadgets and gimmick-ridden do-dads. I don’t just mean you, Mr. Reich, I mean all of us. You’re proud of what you’ve done. I enjoyed your first two albums (and by “tech metal,” I mean that you’re technically adept musicians – in metal terms, “You play good. Me like.”), then left you to your own devices. You survived. Congratulations.
A Metal Defense
I was real bored and so I decided to punch in randomly selected keywords in hopes of finding some interesting web page. I was totally delighted by what I read in your Metal Reviews. I have searched countless eons for something that goes beyond the rumblings of armpit scratching apes. It’s too bad that Metal has to be associated with so many illiterate goons and that attempting to gain any insight into a culture that is absent from radio play seems like an insatiable feat. I have been hard pressed to find anything in this field that deserves my attention, besides displaying a copy of the album cover. You have succeeded in facilitating my curiosity and fueling my motivation so that I will now, due to the insight, give your picks a listen.
Thank You very much and please keep up the good work… If you have a chance can you let me know if your page is updated and if it is, how frequently?
Daria
Daria,
Thanks A LOT for the kind words! You have no idea how frustrating it is to enjoy writing (and writing A LOT when the pickins is good), and yet have a love of heavy music which, at the moment, is about as useful as bowling tips for quadriplegics. I’ve been increasing the amount of metal/heavy music over the last few issues in the blind hope that there were fans of the genre out there with an IQ in the triple digits who would appreciate it. Far too much metal coverage, as I’m sure you know, is as insightful as a used car salesman’s pitch. “It’s ALL good! Buy it ALL! Everything blows me away! Evil! Evil! Death! Mayhem! Hail the dark lords!” It’s all hot air, and not a bit of substance to sink yer teeth into. Heavy Metal Cool Whip. The fact that the music can drive the listener’s pulse through the roof, tug a ruthless sneer from their lips, and have the mind tumbling with images of ancient powers, majestic landscapes, and inhuman aggression, yet the best the reviewers (and their hype-filled bio-writing brethren) can come up with is, “Wow! This is heavy shit!” is flat out depressing. Thanks SO MUCH for appreciating the way I/we cover heavy music. It justifies my actions (and BOY do I take shit for it). Look for more metal in future issues, including features and interviews, written creatively, coherently, and knowledgeably.
Temple of the Dogged
To: goodship@lollipop.com
Subject: Birthday Greetings to Shirley Temple Black
Dear Mrs. Black,
I have been an admirer of yours since the 1930s. I wanted to wish you the very best of all that’s good on your 70th anniversary. In my opinion you are truly one of the great ladies of this century.
Sincerely,
Raymond Uharriet… born in Culver City, CA
In The Air Tonight… What’s That Smell?
To Scott Hefflon:
I read your review of The Other’s CD in a recent issue and was lucky enough to find a used copy. You were right, it’s excellent, but I think I have pinpointed that “distinctive vocal inflection” you couldn’t quite place. To my ears, it has a bit of a Phil Collins sound in the vocals. I do not mean this in nearly as bad a way as it sounds. Take another listen to see if you agree.
