I was badly misquoted in Gina's book. And the only thing I regret about my years publishing Conflict is that I never got around to killing Gina Arnold. Funniest part was when Gina said that the bands I signed weren't nearly as important as my attitude. Yeah, sure, this makes lots of sense if you're a rock critic like Gina that never pays for records, never goes to see a non-Bill Graham gig, can't be bothered to check out any artist that her best-pal publicists aren't pushing . . . to somebody who lives in that kinda fantasyland, anyone who disagrees with her is obviously a fucked-up misogynist who's imitating me (or worse, Byron Coley). Jesus christ, there's kids in high school who see through this crap, why can't you?
Funny, I thought, that when it came time for Gina's chapter on the history of Boston punk rock, she interviewed one of her publicist buddies (Julie Farman) and an advertising director for a major label (Geoff Weiss) who never went to a single punk rock gig during his tenure in Boston. I guess Mike Dreese, Rick Harte, Jeff Conolly, Katie The Cleaning Lady, Kathi Logue, Mark Flynn, Bob Colby, etc. were all too busy to take the call. Likewise, when it came time to review the NYC action, she decided to inter view a fucking Hoboken musician (Glen Morrow) and a ringer who didn't even move to NY until '84 (me). My suggestion to Gina that she speak with Thurston Moore must've seemed too clique-ish to her or something . . . fucking snob. I'm really sorry that an ex-jock wannabe can't handle that some of us know she's fucked in the head, but to keep blaming it on some insidious sexist trip is so wrong and completely sells any real victim of sexism down the river. Gina's the one who badmouths her former friends and neighbors, tells other rock critics not to write about the "mentally insane slut" Barbara Manning, so what the fuck? Hip fucking ooray that Eddie and Kurt see through the scene-trash and are willing to bond with Gina, but I'm not. Real live punk rock happ ens every minute of the day in every town and every bedroom - for Gina to blame imaginary 'elitists' is just sick and wrong . . . Gina Arnold, learn to live without a laminate, remember that expression can happen with or without a "movement" attached . . . and in the meantime, I wish she'd just stay out of fucking sight.
Gerard Cosloy
Matador Records
New York, NY
Dear Carrie,
You know, after reading Gerard Cosloy's letter about Gina Arnold (March 1994), though it was entertaining, I just got to jump in there somewhere.
I'm also all over Gina's book like a cheap suit and I like to delude myself that it's because of what my label has done, instead of what you all know is the truth: we're friends. Nonetheless, Gina sent me the galleys to read and I made a bunch of changes which she corrected and then I OK'ed them. Anyone who was interviewed at length was given that same courtesy and that includes Gerard. If there are mistakes regarding him that made it to print, the blame should be shared.
I'm not defending Route 666 or Gina's ability to write or whatever she said in the last issue to earn Gerard's wrath. I can't stand these untruths: Gerard cites a handful of his nibs in No. Cal as evidence that Gina doesn't ever write about women. Why I do declare, the first thing I ever read about Liz Phair was the two-page droolathon Gina wrote about her in L.A. Weekly. (Does Liz count as one of those "untalented cretins" she's always writing about or does Gina have a temporary bout of good taste if it involves Matador?) She wrote the first story about Bikini Kill for Option. And Bratmobile. She saw the Spinanes' first show at the K Fest years ago and wrote about how great they were. Need I go on? If anything, Gina goes out of her way to write about bands because there are females in them, some of which are so shitty she's forbidden to play them in my presence.
How could she have the temerity to ask Geoff Weiss about Boston punk rock? A: Because he was music director at WHRB during the time that Gina wanted to know of the scene and went to several million punk shows and has every local record. Julie Farman booked the Rat in the early '80s. Who gives a fuck where they work now? Does their affiliation with a major label make them now hopelessly uncool? Is the pot calling the kettle black?
Even if you are cool enough to own an indie label like Glen Morrow and were a participant in the NY scene, you still get to be dismissed as a "fucking Hoboken musician." Thurston Moore IS a fucking musician and would have been OK to interview about NY because Gerard suggested him. Are you starting to get my point? If she doesn't do what Gerard thinks she should do, she's a snob. Sorry, a "fucking snob." Hindsight's 20/20 but what she should've done is found out a list of all Cosloy's enemies and left them out of the book. Next time.
You give him open forum to cast some serious aspersions about her as a person and a part of the rock community. Let's cut to the heart of his letter, Gina and Barbara Manning don't like each other because they used to share a punk rock crash pad preciously dubbed Motel Hell. There's no love lost between Gina and Barbara; and all of Gerard's second-hand information (i.e. Gina doesn't buy records, go to non-Bill Graham shows, check out bands her cronies aren't pushing) comes from the latter. This time Gina's mistake was to be enemies with a friend of Gerard's. This is so confusing, I hate indieland! If Gina goes around saying mean things that are untrue about Babs, isn't Gerard just doing the same thing? Is being mean the exclusive domain of those with weiners?
Let's just set up a steel cage match between the ladies and see who kicks whose ass! If you make it tag team, I'm there! The loser spends the rest of her life babysitting for Kurt and Courtney, re-typing letters to Stay Free!, drinking wine with Eddie V. and spinning scratchy Wire Train discs.
Lisa Fancher
Frontier Records
In response to the Gina Arnold interview, I, too am guilty of the "gushy" hearts-and-flowers style of music journalism that is really the height of uncool, it seems. When I listen to the radio/cds/watch bands play, I often hear bands that truly suck. Oft en, those bands are highly touted, hyped by the alternative media, whatever. I don't feel like wasting my time by writing nasty things about bands that (in my opinion) should stick to whatever it is they do during the day. I do that for fun, in private. I 've read Route 666 and granted, Gina Arnold's unabashed hero-worship does tend to wear on one's nerves. However, the awe that those who don't express themselves musically possess for those who do is something we have in common. Even when I see bands that bore/annoy/irritate me, I have to admire the spirit that moves them to get up there and just do it. Then, of course, I leave.
Carrie McLaren's sidenote about "warm fuzzies" being extremely threatening to underground musicians and media alike is ultimately true. Gina Arnold's comment about women "suddenly being allowed to be sensual without being sluts" is ultimately false. Gran ted, the idea of being a female musician, enjoying respect and understanding from male and female peers alike is a wonderful one. But, as an observer of the "alternative" scene (whatever that means) from a very young age, I've attended many shows as part of a very small handful of women, and received mixed reactions from both other women and men. I recall seeing a performance of a very famous, former Sub Pop/SST band, and being alternately glared at/elbowed by various members of the crowd. The idea that I bought my ticket just to enjoy the band didn't seem to be a factor under consideration at the time.
Maybe if I lived in Olympia and was in a band written about in Newsweek, I would have a brighter view of what it means to be female and appreciate music. I guess my whole point (if there is one) is that I don't have to be a guy, or hip, or smell bad to s ee the shows I want to and buy the CD's that I like. Nobody does. People who care about being "cool" can kiss my ass.
Jenny Silverstein
Durham, NC