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Show S - The Daily Utah Tfcanaay. ChrMride May t, 1997 LETTERS 6 OPINION Listen Up! Today's Music Just Ain't Got the Same Soul Matt Hansen Chronicle Opinion Columnist youth. What makes this so ridiculous is that there is no musical talent in the popular music of the '90s. The talent element has been flushed down the drain. Try to name one recent before in all of history popular music been so in the talent department. It reeks of sewage and Utahns are eating it up like deprived piglets. The music to which I am refer"alternative" ring is the You the kind of music know, genre. where all a band needs for popularity is a "pissed off" image, a "creative" name and the ability to play a few bass chords on an electric guitar. The funny thing is that when such a band becomes a household name they look to the MTV cam Never tion? First of all, no matter who you arc and what you do, the conservative nature of Utah affects us all. The bars in Salt Lake City have litdc character, if any at alL If you like punch p music will stand the test of time? It's impossible. It, he, or she doesn't exist. It's all garbage. Wait, isn't that a name? Ooooo, they must be " "Alternative individuals" complain that they are voicing for change, but what they arc saying will soon be forgotten. The only thing they are speaking for is a it's just nch Secondly, the '80s were pretty damn conservative. Near the end of the decade a few bands emerged who brought with them a new sound and image. Soon, however, flocks of sheep were following every move they made. Then all of a sud Utahns bent over to grab their fans. I think I hear Bobo hughing. The Daily Utah Chronicle Staff lillplll Skating Is and cookies, and cookies. Wc crave excitement, and when a band like U2 shows up, we kiss ass like champions. that-pu- " clever. Letter., - no doubt that the 38,000 sheep band or individual whose actual so-call- a good band, but not worth $50 today. I would rather remember them how they were, not how they are. ... So why are so- many Utahn "sheep" susceptible to such exploita-- . would have "paid more to see nothlaser ing more than a spiffed-ushow. Also, from what I have gathered, the concert was one of the worst shows U2 has ever put on.' While you were at the concert peering through lasers and smoke, did you ask yourself why U2 would hide behind false fronts if they were true musicians? t The concert was nothing more than the' exploitation of fans. And den it was cool to be "angry the popularity of Rage Against the Machine, whose musical quality is that of a jackhammer. This love affair with "anger" is not unique to Utah, of course. Yet it exists here more so than elsewhere because we lack diversity. Believe it or not, we are sheltered from the world We are rarely exposed to different cultures, religions and races. on bar So whether you pile-ou- t stools or chill at firesides, you jump at the chance to see anything, like the lasersmokelightmusic concert last week. All music provides something different for different people; whether you like Dolly Parton, Heavy D or 311 doesn't matter. If you like it you nice 11. jdui 11 s a June uiai pcupic worship untalented music and waste money on bands that exploit their ence ankles. TJ2 was video contract with MTV. I have heard "musicians" say how much they love playing in Utah because of the fans. So I wasn't surprised last week when a large "2" was placed next to the "U" in support of Boner or Bozo or whatever. After U2 saw that display of visual pollution they were probably kicking themselves wishing they had raised the price of tickets. There is eras with bloodshot eyes and cry, "This isn't what wc wanted. We don't like the image given to us." Yet this is just another piece of the puzzle. They act as if they don't want to be popular, thus making themselves "alternative" and ever more desired by "angst-ridden- " Not a j2rime;;T4ke: Editor: When I pick'np The Daily Utah Chnmide and see a photo of a "No Obstacle Riding sign being drilled , into concrete, I expect commentary. When I page through in search of & Tm greeted only ith an ad-sized insult: "Skateboarding Is So a Grime." This statement, aside from being an example of poor grain mar. Is a he Child abuse and burglary are crimes. Skateboarding is a sport. Let mcstart by saying that 1 am not a skateboarder. I do love the sport, though. In fact, earlier today I was admiring a skateboarder on his way down campus The fluidity styfe aad skill he possessed wett both inspiring and beautiful. I was jealous. Have yon ever watched a skateboarding video? When I watch one I can't help but be impressed and awestruck by the skill each skater has attained. They risk broken bones and concussions for something , , most people don't even understand: an endorphin high. Zen, the moment whatever you like to call it, , ; each skater is theie when heshe sticks a stair drop or a rail slide. The U. campus couldn't have been planned better for skating Our school 1$ an academic skate park Every waxed curb and polished rail should he reminder to each student that perception is subjective. Where one person-see- s a balancing aid aloog a concrete stairway, a skater sees a challenge. Where aaothv srer person sees a convenient place to sit, a skate sees a source of pleasure. , , r Consequently, popular curbs and raits have undergone some unforeseen wear and tear. To consider this vandalism, though, is just plain wrong. Is the waxed and Itousdcd fountain in front of the library any more an eyesore than the signs that now forbid its recreational use? 1 certainly don't thkkb. Is this con- crete going to be replaced now that skating is prohibited? Of course not So what is the point of ending obstacle riding if the. damage is not severe enough to merit repakf The damage is done. The damage is tC 'C : minimal Let them skate. Salt lake City lacks a skate park. Skaters come to the U. because it offers scathing just ax good .or better. Skate parks in general become overcrowded, overly competitive atmospheres that alienate lefts; . skilled skaters. The U, at one time did not alienate or huimidatc skaters. Why should it do o now, espe---.. ; v cially when the facade of proteetmgpublkp no older than 10, skate backwards with speed towards the ton I. I recall watching a young of the stairs on the south side of the Union Building. Jyst before the Hp, he .spun $$3 degrees, landed backwards on the steps, and rode u, out. At the c:t setoa he n deposes stuck it backwards and rode it out to the bottom. A3 of Go him up if he ate it I was blown away; Every time I look kid did. From that day on he made me lock at those an independent student newspaper published daily Monday through Friday during autumn, winter and spring quarters (excluding test weeks and holidays) and weekly during the summer quarter. Chronicle editors and staff are solely responsible for the newspaper's con tent Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board and not necessarily the opinion of the student body, the administration or the university's governing bodies. Subscriptions must be prepaid. Forward all subscription correspondence, including the change of address to the Business Manager, The Daily Utah Chronicle, 240 Union Building, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112. For questions, comments or complaints The Daily Utah Chronicle is x " call (801) 581-704- s N Editor-in-Chi- " -' " 1 ,v - rolkr-blade- 1 ef News Editor Asst News Editor Asst News Editor Art Director Asst Art Director Sports Editor Asst Sports Editor Editorial Editor Photo Editor Asst Photo Editor Copy Editor Online Editor V1 KristmRicddbach Spencer Young EvaMkheUe Hunter Photographers Kyle Green, Chad Greenleaf, Johanna Matt Nichols Mark Summers Workman Scott Brown Greg Beacham James Edward Kenneth Loosli Bill Mitchell Danny La Kevin Bergeson Robert A Jones Typesetters and Production Holly Braithwaite, Stephen Coles, Robert A Jones, Liesl Kaplan, Erin McGuinness, Chad Margetts Advertising Representatives Jason Castor, Micah Halverson, Jamie Jones, Brady P. r, mmW Staff Writers Scott Calhoun, Melissa Galbraith, Hena Gomez, Matt Hansen, David tpmi Jackson, Christy Karras, Eric Martinez, Rick Vazquez, Mike Watson, Brandon Winn, Lindsay t$ht$tvfapcrdi)ri?t. Business Manager Robert McOmber Accountant . Accounts Asst Collections Receptionist Classified Ads Mgr. Wfcod h "" v t .,1v.,w..v..,..,... irrtrr im-- Kay Anderson Shauntel Ellis Stacy Herrera Katie Tonkovich : LynaeHenke iin rhiwitiWiWrtftYiiii Chronicle Editorial Downtown SLC Missing Atmosphere Without Small Shops Haroon Mohammad is the vendor left in Salt City. He sells hot dogs from his cart outside downtown office buildings. (And, we might add, pretty tasty dogs at that.) A few years ago there were several vendors hawking their wares outside downtown office buildings, everything from nachos to flowers and balloons. A few years ago, there were also rows of small shops and stores lining ing Salt Lake's downtown from vintage formal wear to dirty magazines to rows of junky "antique" strects-every-th- stores. Now there is an American Stores high-ris-e under construction. And rows of dilapidated, empty storefronts. What happened to small shops and vendors in downtown Salt Lake? This used to be a city with flavor-lit- de bursts in an otherwise bland expanse of strip malls. A saturated market, and competition from the scores of food stops in downtown malls, ended the brief appearance of street vendors. And the American Stores building wiped out an entire block of small shops, but what about the others? There have been some positive changes downtown, like the rcfinished building fronts across from American Stores and Arby's? Or a small bookstore with Barnes & Noble? Or a small dothmg store with The Gap? . Small business built this country, and big business is helping to tear it apart, literally. It would be nice, of course, if refurbished older buildings. However, even these improvements say some thing about this city's need to have everything glossy and spangled. If wc are not careful, Salt Lake will turn into a concrete jungle downtown, and one giant strip mall outside of town. , Mass corporatization is the problem. It is difficult for the "litdc guys" to make k anymore. How can a street vendor compete with McDonald's and the city would offer perks to small busi' . " nesses over giant corporations. Unfortunately, the opposite is often true. The perks and tax breaks go to provides taxes and expendable cash to pour back into businesses so they can pay their employees, loo bad, though. etc, etc, etc Because those lit- tle shops, which probably did not employ as many people as American Stores and Barnes Si Noble, gave something to this city that will long be missed Keep the dogs coming, Haroon. the giant corporations. . Ckvniclt Editorials represent And mere is no real incentive for the' the majority, not unanimous, city not to give the perks to big business. of the Editorial Board, opinion After alL big businesses provide jobs, which consists of CkronicU editors and jobs provide income, and income and assistant editors. |