Nearly all of the e-mails sent on behalf of the woman state that she's afraid to press charges for fear of retaliation (she did file a police report and the rocker was arrested and held in King County Jail for a few days). Apparently, the fact that the guy has left town does nothing to lessen her fear. One e-mail bawled me out for possibly jeopardizing the woman's professional aspirations, as she too has ties to the music community.
It is ridiculous to think that this "problem" will be solved by keeping quiet. Granted, people are talking about the incident, including the woman and the rocker, both of whom have contacted me. Understandably, the woman is distressed over her private life being made public. The guy, however, appears to be having a fine time. He has since relocated, but not before vacationing in Los Angeles for a couple of weeks. In his online journal, he recently posted photographs of himself hanging out, and partying with friends.
If e-mails from people claiming to be insiders are to be trusted, it would seem the woman has plenty of evidence against the musician. Still, no charges have been filed. Maybe she's waiting until she finds the emotional strength to stand up to him. I know she feels unsafe these days. The women in the music scene of the city he lives in now should feel unsafe, too, I think.
I can't believe I have to point this out, but my e-mail inbox clearly demonstrates that I must: Not filing charges perpetuates this sort of violence. It's sad, scary, and above all, unfortunate that a woman should ever be forced to make such a call. But it's still her responsibility to do so.
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This week's gossip: Local fave the Standard has signed to Chicago's Touch and Go Records. On a very sad note, Olympia's great Unwound is rumored to be on the verge of a breakup, and shows now being scheduled locally look to be the band's last.
Finally, the Catheters recently received a nod from notable music scribe Greil Marcus, who claims the Seattle four-piece possesses a "momentum that is its own reward, the kind of thrilling punk drive Green Day never quite caught." Indeed. "The first notes sound like a revival, an homage," opines Marcus on the new Catheters album (out on Sub Pop), "but it doesn't take more than a few minutes to be sucked into this maelstrom as if it's happening for the first time."
