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Below are actual emails between myself and my buddy Jason who is a DJ in Kansas City. Jason and I worked together in Atlantic City. It was a love-hate relationship but more love than hate. Jason is your quintessential psuedo intellectual only with out the psuedo. Great guy. Just overthinks EVERYTHING. Sometimes we'd click...other times...not so much. More because of me than him. When I was in the mood to converse, we'd have great conversations about life, society, religion, and especially, music. We both have a passion for music. Problem was, I wasn't always in the mood to converse. Most times, I was in the mood to be a knucklehead. Jason has little time for knuckleheads. Anyway, we would spend hours bonding over our love of music and our dreams of "making it" in radio. I have the utmost respect for Jason as a jock and, more importantly, as a person. He's good people (even though he wouldn't want me to ruin his brooding persona by saying that). So I've decided to post a few emails between the two of us. Why? Why not! Without further ado, I give you:
EMAILS WITH JASON Hello Sir, Four
a.m. on the east coast and being the night person I am, it feels
like 11pm for your Joe Average American. Unlike 11pm though, there
really isn't a lot to entertain except for Al Gore's greatest achievement.
So after going to my usual hotspots (erotic stories included), I
happened over to your corner of the internet and felt compelled
to reach out. Why? I don't know. But thinking about it now, it makes
perfect sense. I watched the Chiefs win earlier this evening...and
you are IN Kansas City. It's kismet!
So how the hell have you been?
I'm assuming well judging by your most recent posts. Are they happy?
Well not for the normal person but by Jason standards they are positively
giddy. I'm glad you are as content as you can be in the world.
Things in your nation's capital are fine...and
just that. So far, December has been a very uneven month for yours
truly. I suffered my first loss of a loved one (my grandmother)
and have been dealing with some fairly major dental issues. On the
plus side, I've met an awesome girl and an thoroughly smitten. They
don't balance out but it's definitely helped keep me on an even
keel. Work? Well you know work...you are only as good as your last
break and I am in full on "last few days before vacation" mode.
When you lose a loved one, I've found that it pulls you into
this lifelong nostalgia mode where you take inventory of the people
you've met in the past. It's a weird time. Lately, people's names
have been popping up in my head that I haven't thought about in
years. At the time, I would have sworn that I'd never lose touch
with him or her and now I probably wouldn't be able to pick them
out of a lineup. Life.
Anyway, I always hated writing after I've been reading your stuff.
Back at in AC, I'd churn out something I thought was reasonably
intelligent only to read your latest diatribe and feel like a moron.
But I've since chalked it up to differences in style. I like my
style. It's simple yet effective...and slightly intelligent. It's
much more stream of consciousness (haha, it still feels like I have
an inferiority complex, doesn't it?). Well I don't. It's a respect.
I like what you do. I like what you stand for. It's just not me.
While reading your stuff I thought, briefly, what it would be
like to do a show together. Do you think it would work? I have my
doubts. I'm not sure we have the right chemistry to deliver the
goods to the red staters. Ultimately, I see our show as appealing
to a small but fiercely supportive group. Not enough to sustain
it though.
Oh well. We'll just have to settle for spirited discussions at
the diner once every 5 years.
I think that's all I'm bring to the table tonight. Hit me back
when you get a chance. I can't promise to be as introspective as
this email but who'd want that anyway. That's your bag baby. Mr.
Consistency. Me? I could have a totally different tone next time
through...and I probably will. The good part is that it'll make
a lot more sense.
G
Man, there are a lot of grammatical mistakes in that email! Anyway, if you'd like to learn more about Jason, click here . Here is Jason's response: Rochee:
Nothing wrong with a little Trust Company between friends. ;-) I can't believe you are making me argue on the side of "nu-metal" in this debate! But here I am so let's get into it. I'm surprised at your elitist attitude in what you perceive as "cool" bands. No one is more sick of "nu-metal" than me but I think you are throwing too wide of a net over some songs and bands that don’t fall into that category. Just because a song or band has dark intonations doesn't necessarily make it nu-metal. I'll use the songs you mentioned as an example. "Cold" and "So Cold" don't strike me as particularly nu-metal (btw, we could have a whole other conversation on what exactly IS nu-metal these days). When I think of nu-metal I think of KoRn, Limp Bizkit, Adema, Papa Roach and bands of their ilk. Those bands (with the possible exception of KoRn) are done. A band like Chevelle is still viable but, again, I don't think I'd throw them into the nu-metal camp. Crossfade (who I'm not a fan of btw), Breaking Benjamin, and Chevelle are more straight rock bands to me and there will ALWAYS be a place for straight rock. Now granted, DC101 is MUCH more mainstream than the Buzz so the playlists will be different. I'd call the Buzz an Alternative station whereas DC101 is a Modern Rock station. Based on that, it's understandable that we'd differ on what is metal and what is not. But here's the thing. There is a perception within Alternative stations that Modern Rock stations are "sell outs" or "not cool" because they don't play the "hip" songs. I couldn't disagree more with that line of thinking. Music is music and there is something to be said of all types of music...you know that. Cache is a very fickle thing. Alternative stations claim that since they play The Killers or Modest Mouse they are in some way cooler than other stations. Why? Because they are playing a different type of "rock" than we are? Because they've discovered the "Next Big Thing"? Because the average person has never heard of these bands? I say no. The Killers were on The O.C. last week (not that you'd know of course what with your aversion to television). The O.C. is the most mainstream show there is. Does that make The Killers uncool now? Or does that make The O.C. alternative? It's a fine line and one that's almost impossible to walk. BTW, I'm a Killers fan. So to sum up (and perhaps contradict), I agree with you...nu-metal is dead...but ROCK will always be here. Roche "Just one more...Then I'll quit...Forever."
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