So I started another little 'tempest in a teapot' over local music (to be more precise a small portion of it, the hack cover band crowd, and no, not all hacks, but some pretty much define the word).  To me, the name calling and idiots seizing upon one word or phrase in a really long article says more about those people than it does me.  I guess I must have some credibility, otherwise there would be no reason to object to anything I write or say.  One thing I tend to forget is that the people who want to take issue with my thoughts, often have zero cred.  Differing opinions are always welcome, but I would think it would be safe to say that I know more about music than says a sculptor or a housewife.  More after the jump.

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The point of this blog isn't necessary to prolong that dialogue, but rather to say, we've been here before and, well, so what.  I have a history of going against the grain.  I think that's what keeps our show and my blogs interesting.  If you make a joke, it's going to be on someone, and everyone laughs until it's about them.  It's the same with opinions, every one loves all of your opinions and thinks you're the greatest, until they hear that one opinion that gets under THEIR skin.

I have been involved in much bigger controversies than calling out the music mafia that runs the Lubbock Music Fest.  The American Cancer Society tried to get me fired for some stunts I pulled on one of the days of the "Great American Smokeout".  It's still one of my favorite bits; we had 'drag' racing to see who could smoke the most cigarette in one 'drag'.  Now, any sane person would know I'm not "pro-cancer" but that's exactly what they claimed.  What I was 'against' or having fun with was the right of ANY organization telling us what we can or can't do or should or should not do with our bodies.

Then there was the time I created an ad for a local music newspaper.  What had happened was another radio station had come on and it was the first competition that we had ever had.  Well, I heard a few of our disgruntled listeners show up on their air.  I also got tired of people asking me what I thought about the station.  Then, under a deadline, I created an ad that said "Fun Rock 100% Of The Time on 94 FMX".  Kind of a lame slogan, huh?  Well it was, until you folded the ad (like the back pages of a "Mad Magazine used to do).  When you folded the ad correctly, it said "F*** Rock 104".  Now, consider this, you had to FOLD the paper to make the F word and still people went nuts that I 'put the f-word' into the paper.  Now you have to consider this was the 80's and Lubbock was quite a bit more conservative than it is now.  I actually had to pay the lady with the paper some cash to 'make up' for lost advertising.

How about naming our annual Metal show "The Bloody Holly" festival?  I personally thought that was bit of marketing genius.  I'm almost embarrassed that it took two years for someone to take offense to that.  I really wouldn't have backed off on that one but I really didn't want to hurt any one persons feelings.  I saw it more as a jab in the eye of those organizations and promoters who try to pull Buddy's body out of the grave every time they think they can make a buck off of it.  I'm also a little bummed that a bigger controversy didn't come out of the fact that Heathen and I buried a time capsule under the grounds of the Walk Of Fame before they cemented it over.  I'd hoped that people would go nuts wondering what's in the 'capsule', but I think I'll let some other generation figure that out.

Then, about a year or two ago I wrote an article about 'how local bands don't deserve airplay, they earn it".  My point was that you shouldn't feel entitled to airplay, you should work hard enough to the point you deserve it.  It doesn't do me any good, and it doesn't do the band any good if if they give me inferior stuff to play.  To be quite honest, it lets people know that band sucks and/or listeners turn off the radio.  I really didn't mean the article as a  slight on anyone, but rather challenging musicians to pick up their game if they were serious about the music business.  I also don't want to give anyone false expectations because their stuff was getting played here but didn't have any chances to get played elsewhere.

So once again I had some musicians and friends of musicians taking offense with my statements. Big deal.  Just don't listen to me or read my stuff.  If you don't think it doesn't apply to you or what you know, then what's the problem?  If you take offense to what I say, then you are admitting that to a degree I know what I'm talking about.  I've noticed that the people taking offense are well out of the age range of our average listeners, so you don't mean anything to me and I don't mean anything to you.....I was simply NOT talking to you, I was talking to our listeners.  You might be thinking 'if it doesn't bother you, then why are you writing about it".  Well the answer to that one is simple, I've seen quite of a number of people speak up on my behalf, and I can tell from how they write their responses that they're not 100% comfortable doing that.  I think in some cases they disagree with a little of what I write or say, but in most cases, they don't want to be penalized or punished by the people on the opposing side.  Me, I don't care.  I worked with the Cactus Crowd for over ten years. I developed some really cool ideas for them and so on.  I quit doing it because I'm uncomfortable with some of the things they do.  That doesn't mean what they do is wrong, it's just stuff I don't want to do.  They may be the nicest people in the world who truly believe they are doing everything for the right reasons, I just don't disagree, so I bailed.  Good luck to 'em, but like anything else, if I see something that looks a little stinky, I'm going to tell people it smells.

And finally to those who have come to my defense, I guess you don't know me all that well.  I get the feeling you think I've been under some sort of attack or under some little black rain cloud and it hasn't been that way at all.  I've been telling Heathen stories about this every morning and we've been laughing our asses off.

You guys just keep being awesome to one another.  I'll be alright!

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