HM | The Hard Music Magazine

I’m not into extremism so much. Take the sports journalists talking about the Super Bowl, for instance. Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star said that the story of the game wasn’t the Saints win. “The story is Manning and the Colts and what was thrown away late in the regular season and late in the fourth quarter Sunday night…” He also said that it “…in all likelihood, cemented Manning’s reputation as a big-game disappointment.”

Or take musical blog master Bob Lefsetz claiming that “The Who killed classic rock overnight.”

Wow! I think the only way to swallow writing like that is to chalk it up to someone’s very strong opinion. Writers sometimes get paid to sell newspapers and magazines. I don’t really like that edge. I think it’s the “truth” passion I have a small portion of. I like to see the truth reported and all my life experience tells me that the truth is often balanced and tempered with reason. Reactionary words? Those are like the mean-spirited things that get said in an argument … and then apologized for later when the emotions settle down.

I would like to have seen that kind of approach taken by a certain HM writer (whom I love) with a certain recent album review or two. I would have especially liked to have seen that approach with the knee-jerk reactions towards the review. I haven’t personally seen the recent posts I’ve been told hint at boycotting HM as a result of the review.

Part of me thinks a band shouldn’t allow a work of art (their album) to be sent to any reviewers if they aren’t willing to let it be torn apart by a negative review. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard on this came from a friend and former HM Managing Editor David Allen. He said, “You’ve got to cut the umbilical cord.” I have to do this with the magazine (and the album reviews). When you create something, as soon as you make it public, you’re giving it away. You can’t protect it. You’ve got to realize that it’s not yours anymore. It becomes public property and not everyone may like it. It’s part of life. To not cut and sever that “umbilical cord” is to open your psyche up to wrestling and worry over things you can’t control. Let it go.

This helps save an artist’s sometimes fragile ego and also gives them motivation to polish and craft with skill before making something public.

Back to boycotts. I hope to be remembered as a follower of Christ and as someone who you could clearly articulate what I was for, and not necessarily easily rattle off a bunch of things I am against.

Honestly, BOYCOTTING = VENGEANCE
That could be a good anti-boycotting, anti-extreme reaction bumper sticker, huh? I have a distaste … I throw up a little in my mouth … for boycotts and self-righteous, whiny reactions to something not liked. Someone gets mad and they react to try and “hurt” or “punish” the “culprit.”

Now, boycotts have their place and all, but let’s boycott Hitler and Saddam Hussein for killing innocents. (and) NOT every little thing that upsets us. The old parenting rule should come into play here: Pick your battles wisely. And win the battles you pick.

Another parental lesson would go well here, too: Act not in anger. Let yourself calm down. Take a deep breath. Don’t get online and start typing away. Taking your anger out on someone with words is like a little bit of emotional venom. Don’t underestimate the damage you bring to someone else. In most cases (even the ones where you are in the “right”) you are in the wrong. Wrong attitude. Wrong reaction. Wrong words. Out of balance.

Back to Peyton Manning. This writer is from a football town that has some (albeit limited) experience in competing against the Indianapolis Colts, so maybe he had a beef with the team. I bet if Peyton had thrown a stop-and-go to Reggie Wayne on that play for a TD to tie the game and send it into the first Super Bowl overtime ever … and come out victorious, this writer would have been like so many others and perhaps crowned Manning as the greatest QB ever. But one play and he pens it as cementing the guy’s legacy as a big-game disappointment?! Puh-leeze! A little reason here. Come on…

(there goes my own pointed opinion)