And here's my own version of Anonymous's alt-country rant, posted to P2 way back in '97. Looks like I also didn't name names in this one, but those who were around back then may remember some folks that I was railin' against at the time.<g> I believe Mr. Weisberger may also have alt-country rant or two in the archives...--don ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 22:22:58 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Yates <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: It's A Mighty Thin Line Between Love And Hate I'm beginning to wonder if the buzz about alternative country is nothing more than a plot to make the world once again safe for Poco. Not a day passes it seems without some stale folk-rock record ending up on my desk, accompanied by obnoxious press material claiming the harmless mediocrity in question is the true inheritor of the Hank Williams legacy. Shania Twain has more Hank in her than most of that impotent shit. Combine those somnolent folk-rockers (and their acoustic coffeehouse brethren) with college rockers pretending they're the salt of the earth (when they're not using country music as a weapon of ridicule against the working class), and sooner or later, it's bound to generate a backlash -- and a well-deserved one at that. The Bottle Rockets, Gillian Welch and Dale Watson are OK by me, but as for the alternative country movement, I hope it soon withers away, before the glut of mediocrity discourages talented artists from making innovative, heartfelt music on the margins of country music. Bah, humbug.--don n.p. Johnny Paycheck -- Sings Jukebox Charlie
