Music Editor Out After Okaying Reviews By Ad Staffer

at first i read this as: "I can't crawl inside his ass with a speculum"

"Bestiality/zoophilia is on my short "No" list, right up there with pedophilia, necrophilia, and coprophilia, much to the consternation of dog-fuckers, kid-fuckers, dead-fuckers, and shit-fuckers everywhere. (I really have a beef with anyone out there fucking dead, shit-covered puppies.) Since my opposition to dog-fucking has long been a matter of public record, DFA, I didn't feel compelled to restate my opposition in my response to NAGS. But, hey, once more for the record: Fucking dogs is bad, mmm-kay? Don't do it.

I made up a fake band or three in college, when we did out annual April Fool's newspaper edition where EVERYTHING was totally fake and everybody knew it. But while we were putting it together my editor looked at me and said "Ray, you don't make up bands to review for regular editions, do you?" At that moment it sort of freaked me out to realize that I could've gotten away with it if I'd really wanted to.

If? Ha ha. What, do you think alt-weeklies are as rigorous as the New Yorker?

(Just kidding, fact checkers, I love you.)

that made me pee myself a little. not enough for anyone to notice and really not enough for some pervert to get off of, either.

Yes, publishers are sensitive (if not allergic) to hiring non-editorial staff who have an interest in editorial work. The specific example of an advertising exec writing record reviews is probably exactly the nightmare scenario they have in mind when making such policies. But sometimes writers take shit day jobs, and even more (I'm sure) take shit day jobs in the publishing industry, and the world doesn't explode. The Stranger higher-ups have rightfully chosen to protect their interests by publicly condemning this (admittedly somewhat sketchy) example, but as a broader concept, I don't see it as the end of the world.

I think of a (seriously warped) Chrissie Hynde paraphrase: Get the best writer for the job. If it happens to be the receptionist, great - you've got someone to do their own tear sheets.

Whenever something like this happens, it seems, those involved sorta drop off the face of ILX.

this is really dubious logic--there lots of music writers out there who aren't publicists.

as to the situation, it's really too bad--Dave is a good guy, a good writer, and a good editor.

-- nabisco (--...), October 19th, 2006.

point taken.

i mean, it's fucking indie rock. there's like 10 of us in this scene! who the fuck do ppl *think* are writing these reviews?!

this is really dubious logic--there lots of music writers out there who aren't publicists.

as to the situation, it's really too bad--Dave is a good guy, a good writer, and a good editor.

-- Matos-Webster Dictionary (michaelangelomato...), October 19th, 2006.

sure, there are. that's hardly my point. i'm just saying that it isn't so that crazy for people who are so into indie music to also want to write critically about it and not just carpet-bomb editors with it. i guess coming from both sides, and at times doing both simultaneously, i can certainly understand editors not necessarily taking the hard line against non-professional writers chipping in for the greater good and a free CD every once in a while.

This might have been true back in the mid-'80s, but I'm not so sure it applies to what is now considered indie rock.

Both. But it was made explicitly clear to her from the outset that writing about clients was forbidden, and she adhered to that guideline, as Savage states in the blog post.

was it your idea or hers?

and why do it? (i know, most basic question ever, but if you're answering questions here, this is the one i've wondered about)

We were scrambling to find writers for our new music blog. She has good taste, she can write, and she desperately wanted to break into music journalism (will mysteries never cease?). So I gave her a shot at it. Of course it was a risky decision, but in the rich history of journalistic malfeasance, it seems like a minor indiscretion. As I type this, surely many more heinous conflicts of interest are occurring, maybe even at your own publications. Be careful out there!