NO MIXED FEELINGS!
While I agree that a lot of the bands at Ozzfest would be of
the “one dimensional” cookie-cutter variety, your reviewer did a disservice to
people who may have been considering attending attend the show (July 18).
First, does an over-rated critical darling like Mastodon
really need any more ink? With all due respect to the Rochester roots of two
members, there is much over-blown press praising their supposed talents.
Apparently these fools forgot the “metal” part of heavy metal. Their sludgy
style was already beaten to death in two proceeding bands — Big Hair and
Lethargy. Both of those outfits came across as stoner-rock wanna-bes compared
to good, modern heaviness like Kyuss, Monster Magnet, and Orange Goblin., Or
the latest release by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Lommi.
As for Ozzy, he might be the variable in the Sabbath
equation, but his role always required more of a ham-fisted than a virtuosic
approach. Bumbling TV dad or not, his job as front man does not require any
particular feats of endurance — especially when Sabbath’s set is probably
just one hour or so.
Then there’s Ozzy’s sometime sideman and guitarist Zakk
Wylde. I’m still puzzled as to why your reviewer left his band Black Label
Society out. In fact, this may be the most versatile act on the Ozzfest tour
— able to switch from sweet, Neil Young-style acoustic rock to thundering
Sabbath-Alice In Chains style heaviness in a heartbeat. In the same vein, the
ex-GNR/STP super-group Velvet Revolver has been getting rave reviews for their
debut CD and live shows. Hey, it’s not as groundbreaking as Appetite For Destruction, but VR is
hardly the “mash-up” as ignorantly stated by your reviewer. It’s Slash, for
Pete’s sake!
Worst of all, to lump Iron Maiden in with Sabbath with no
explanation was truly pathetic. Their last two studio CDs continue the cerebral
brand of Euro-metal they invented 25 years ago, showing that their songwriting
skills and drive haven’t diminished a bit. If anything, the band has grown moreeclectic after the years they spent
apart. Better yet, 2002’s live release Rock
In Rio proves that the fire hasn’t gone out of their concerts. And how many
bands (beside Lynyrd Skynyrd) can make such deft use of three lead guitarists
these days? Heck, most current bands are hard-pressed to have one guitarist who
can solo. Iron Maiden would be worth the price of admission alone. To see them
with Sabbath, Velvet Revolver, and Black Label Society is a bargain.
As a true metal fan, I naturally have Live At Last, but that doesn’t mean that Black Sabbath is finished.
Sure, their best years are behind them, but let’s not wheel them into the
nursing home just because there’s a guy named Geezer in their ranks.
I’m not going to buy into elephantine hype. There were four
great reasons to go see Ozzfest, and Mastodon had nothing to do with any of
them.
Matthew S.
Langworthy, Irondequoit
ART?
With growing excitement, I read Alex Miokovic’s and Heidi
Nickisher’s review of the Finger Lakes Exhibition at the Memorial Art Gallery.
Here at last were people willing to stand up and be counted. The use of the
word “grievous” to describe some of the juror selections was
inspiring.
And then, like a bucket of cold water, came their primary
selection from the Salon des Refuses, spotlighting the work of Lynne Feldman
— a work, in my estimation, more of process than proficiency. So City, my favorite newspaper, has yet to
find an art critic. Surely, despite MAG, something can be done so that the
bright and deserving people of Rochester are exposed to “fine art,”
or at least know that there is sincere debate about what our leading art
gallery calls ART.
Rose Mary Hooper,
Mechanic Street, Naples
SEEKING RIGHTS
Recent claims that the gay rights movement insults the
history of other civil rights movements is in itself insulting.
Gays have lost jobs, homes, and finances because of
discrimination. Throughout history, we have been beaten, hung, raped,
castrated, sterilized, burned alive, tortured and murdered. We were left to
die, alone, in alleys, ditches, hospitals, and even concentration camps of
World War II.
In the 1980’s, the Christian Republicans ignored the AIDS
pandemic, claiming it was a curse on us. The blood industries, and their
Republican friends in government, were more worried about profits than about a
“filthy and disgusting” minority.
The Bible has been used to oppress women, the poor, and
minorities in this nation and around the world. The constitution — written by
rich white men, who were the only ones allowed to vote and enact new law —
was amended to end these discriminations.
All we are asking for, in this nation and worldwide, is what
everyone else has: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
S. Michael Serviss,
Rochester
WRITING TO CITY
We welcome and encourage readers’ letters for publication.
Send them to: themail@rochester-citynews.com or The Mail, City Newspaper, 250
North Goodman Street, Rochester 14607.
Our guidelines: We don’t publish anonymous letters — and
we ask that you include your street name and city/town/village. We don’t
publish letters that have been sent to other media — and we don’t publish form letters generated by activist groups. While
we don’t restrict length, letters of under 350 words have a greater chance of
being published. We do edit letters for clarity and brevity. And in general we
don’t publish letters (or longer “op-ed” pieces) from the same writer more
often than about once every two months.
This article appears in Aug 10-16, 2005.
