by Lance Davis
Free Press staff writer
Instead of appealing to the cantankerous capitalism of Claus Von Santa, this episode of "Hearing Aids" is a soft, wet kiss on the cheek of Common Sense and Decency. Besides, I don't know what the hell you people want. I do, however, know what you need. An all-purpose all-ages club venue: I'm 26. This means I can see any club show at any time. Woo-hoo! However, those Seattleites unfortunate enough to be chronologically-challenged have few (lawful) options. In fact, there are only three regular all-ages venues - The Sailors Union of the Pacific, the Velvet Elvis, and DV8. Admittedly, each of these venues have provided noteworthy musical moments in recent months - from the envelope-pushing of Fugazi and Built To Spill to the good-time-roll of Superchunk and Caustic Resin - but they also suffer from discouraging organizational and aesthetic handicaps. Between the muddled acoustics, problematic sightlines, and "No Drinking - Violators Will Be Anally-Probed" ordinance, those who have passed their 21st birthday tend to avoid these venues. This is not a coincidence. The castrati in City Council have purposefully gerrymandered the Seattle rock scene, denying us the obvious. That, of course, being an across-the-board club policy, whereby 21-and-overs receive one stamp and minors receive another. Would this eliminate underage drinking and fake ID's? Probably not. Do these problems already exist? Of course! So, doesn't the City Council's "We're doing this for the kids" line of bluster smell like a condescending smoke screen; a deliberate attempt to wean kids off the rock 'n' roll nipple? Maybe, maybe not, but for a more comprehensive overview of this topic, call the righteous folks from the All-Ages Music Organization at 233-8832 or e-mail 'em at aamo@u.washington.edu
Greater access to vinyl: I am, by no means, a vinyl purist; I have too many CD's to merit that distinction. But, it would be nice if record labels made new releases - from all genres of music - available on slabs of black wax, if only for limited pressings. To my ears nothing can hold up to the warm resonance and texture of the vinyl medium. Unfortunately, in the minds of the major-label bean counters, nothing can hold up to the warm resonance and texture of the profit margin. And it's a sad fact that the profitability of CD's outweighs the aesthetic pleasure of not-as-profitable records. Jesus, its not like I'm asking for the resurrection of the 8-track tape. Although...
A reasonably challenging, rock-based radio station: The pickins on Seattle radio are so slim they may be downright emaciated. Which just goes to prove my theory: Radio is run by losers. So, for those about to rock, you'll have a time getting a Seattle station to salute you. First, there's KISW (99.9 FM), a "classic" rock station which limits its roster of modern artists to Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and bands which sound curiously similar to Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. KNDD (107.7 FM) is another rock outlet, she of the "alternative" variety. Unfortunately, nowadays alternative seems to mean either cotton-candy three-chord punk or disco-friendly Euro-pop. And finally, there's KCMU (90.3 FM), the You-Dub radio station. Maybe it's just me, but how come every time I turn on KCMU I feel like I'm listening to The Gods Must be Crazy soundtrack? Don't get me wrong, I love the wide variety of music KCMU plays, but every so often I want to hear some rock 'n' roll. In an age when PJ Harvey and Nine Inch Nails are pretty much household names, is it that revolutionary to hear the high-rotation potential of Rocket From the Crypt, Wilco, or Overwhelming Colorfast? And here's a wacky thought: When are X, HŸsker DŸ, and the Ramones going to be considered "classic" rock?
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Contents on this page were published in the December/January, 1996 edition of the Washington Free Press.
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Copyright © 1996 WFP Collective, Inc.