Electric friends
Robert Gorell wrote an interesting article “Laptopless vs. scantily clad,” Metro Times, Dec. 10-16). I’m confused a bit though. If I wanted to see a performance on stage like someone smashing a guitar, wouldn’t I go to a Kiss concert? Most people go out to hear electronic music so they can dance. I think too many people are spending too much time commenting about the facial expressions of the electronic artists during their performance, and not enough time discussing their lackluster ability to create new and innovative music. I would like to see someone tell Aphex Twin (Richard D. James) that he looks boring onstage. He’d turn around and write a song about that person, and chances are, it would be quite interesting. —Tony Zadonia, [email protected], Ferndale
Y we care
Once again Ann Mullen, you’ve written a fantastic piece (“Y bother,” Metro Times, Dec. 10-16). I work in mental heath, and our facility also deals with single-parent children. Having the YMCA opened again would be so good for this community. To be honest, I forgot about the facility, even though as a child, I used to attend the one on Dexter and Linwood. Thanks for reminding me that we need places for kids to go, and the Y is better than going to jail. —Jeffrey Gordon, Detroit
Lofty ideas
I want to thank Ann Mullen for a great story (“On Broadway,” Metro Times, Dec. 3-9). The more media exposure for downtown, the better. The buzz around downtown is awesome and my wife and I are really excited about it. We recently bought a loft in the Brush Park area with a great view of the Detroit skyline. We are looking forward to seeing downtown Detroit grow.
But with all the buzz and media attention I have been seeing, hearing and reading, there has been no talk of mass transit. Now, I know this is the Motor City and we love cars around here, but a light rail connecting the midtown, New Center and downtown areas, I think, is very important in the beginning stages of this revitalization. To connect the city’s main attractions is crucial to the renaissance. I would love to walk out of my loft, walk to Woodward and hop on a train to Hard Rock or the Fisher Building, or maybe Belle Isle. We need to connect our core attractions. —Eric DeMoney, [email protected], Belleville
Is this sarcasm?
Having read Jeffrey Morgan’s dismissive story on Iggy Pop a while back (“Dr. Stoogelove,” Metro Times, Aug. 13-19), I couldn’t for the life of me understand why someone from Toronto (of all places!) was writing for Metro Times. But after reading his Kid Rock review, I finally get it. Jeffrey Morgan is Canada’s greatest rock critic. His writing is witty and he knows his stuff. Most importantly, he always speaks the truth no matter what. And that’s something we all could use a lot more of these days.—Kim Sevenoaks, New York, N.Y.
This isn’t sarcasm
It would have been nice to see the latest releases from Pink and Kid Rock given reviews more substantive than the rantings of designated hatchet-man Jeffrey Morgan. It’s all well and good that the man knows 250 synonyms for “awful.” However, to paraphrase Mr. Morgan, I daresay it’s little more than a clinically calculated technique that bares the reviewer’s teeth more often than it enlightens the reader. And while such look-at-me showoff affectations exemplify what passes for critical thought in some quarters, in reality these distasteful displays amount to little more than rote industry-bashing. When the first paragraph of your Pink review amounts to nothing more than a merciless attack on her appearance (listing her face among her “myriad shortcomings”), then you’d better have some insight to back it up.
Maybe this sort of thing knocks ’em dead in the blogosphere, but it doesn’t seem worthy of Metro Times. —Mark Tennenhouse, Ann Arbor
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