But still feisty. Fuck it.
Open correspondance with Michael Byrne, City Paper Music Editor:
From: Steve Hefter [mailto:shefte2@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 4:25 PM
To: City Paper Music Editor
Cc: senorfrench@gmail.com; gretalynne@hotmail.com; george@challenge-club.com; patrickhughes462@hotmail.com; dougkeen@gmail.com; michaelcward@comcast.net
Subject: grievances
Mr. Byrne:
As music editor of the City Paper, the only well-circulated and oft-read arts-oriented periodical in the city, I think you have a responsibility to the music-listening- and making- population of this town. The bands and their fans rely on you to ensure they receive the coverage they're due in the town where they play, if nowhere else. So, what entitles a band to such recognition? I'd argue it should primarily be based on the quality of their work (their live show and recordings) and committment to artistic integrity, but I understand dilligence (willingness to tour, hustle, and remain visible) is the other justifiably realistic component of the equation. There are a handful of bands in this town deserving of coverage and you've definitely seen to it that a few of them show up in print Wednesday. However, some weeks, such as this one, boggle my admittedly already boggled mind.
The taper guy? No offense to him- I'm sure he's a nice enough guy- but he's basically just a middle-aged dude who goes around taping bands, giving them a free copy, and archiving his recordings. I'd wager to guess he'd refer to it as a passionate avocation himself (I didn't bother to read the article because, frankly, who gives a shit?) but it's somehow headline-worthy to you. What makes this remarkable and the countless unmentioned albums, shows, and endless other music-related antecdotes not?
Sure, my frustration stems from what I perceive to be a snub of my band. I admit I can't be objective about that and you're certainly entitled to your opinion and snubbery. I know we've worked our asses off to finish two albums and tour when we can despite unavoidable clockpunchery, limited funds, and a difficult town to feel great about playing music in and to. I know we've earned the respect of writers, musicians, and artists whose opinion is far more important to me than yours or your paper's, and is more than enough affirmation to continue grinding it out.
I don't claim to be virtuosically brilliant or mind-bendingly profound, and breaking even on a CD will always feel like a blessing to me, but remember, next time you write an article about a middle-aged dude who tapes shows as a hobby, there are still 100 more local musicians dreaming about their tapes really meaning something to somebody.
Respectfully,
Steve Hefter
From: mbyrne@citypaper.com
To: shefte2@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: grievances
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:18:10 -0500
Steve:
1) All apologies if you feel your band was "snubbed."
2) There are far more than "a handful" of bands here deserving of coverage.
3) I'm not going to defend an article you didn't read. Assume it's implicit.
4) You shouldn't be so hard on yourself.
If you are looking for coverage in City Paper (perhaps you're not?), we'd encourage you to send in a CD, shoot us a letter, tell us why your band should be covered.
Best,
Michael Byrne
Music Editor
City Paper
812 Park Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21201
Michael:
What's somewhat mesmorizing is this:
a) you don't remember getting my CD after I requested that you at least peruse it prior to our 10/26 CD release show (which was really quite an enjoyable experience at the TH I'm sorry you missed) even after you responded initially, asking for the general release date
b) irregardless of (a), you seem to have no idea who I am or why I'm writing (I'm not so hard on myself to not be somewhat shocked you've never seen my name, being the City Paper Music Editor)
and
c) your focus on my use of "a handful" when I was ex
plicitly advocating on behalf of the many bands going unnamed and unnoticed, undeservedly. ]
I didn't read your article because of a1) my frustration stemming from (a) through (c) and b1) that dude has taped both bands I'm currently in. Hell, we were appreciative but the recordings are not not necessarily all that useful, them being one-mic jobs generally.
I do appreciate you writing back though, and we'd love any publicity, good or bad from the City Paper. Check out the CD I sent, our myspace site myspace.com/hefterandfriends, our sonicbids site sonicbids.com/hefterandfriends and my solo myspace site myspace.com/heftonus, if you're inclined. Thanks again for your time.
-Steve Hefter