DO THE HUSTLE

STRANGER: Megan Seling's tightrope criticism of KEXP's John Richards, accusing him of nepotism at best, payola at worst, strikes a sour note when one looks at the current Seattle music scene ["Heavy Rotation," Oct 25]. She overlooks the more insidious machine at work here; nepotism is the least of our worries. To wit: Seattle ITSELF is increasingly anti-indie art, full stop. Whether it's beloved historical venues being torn down for condos, or city statutes that price out the ones that survive "development chic," we are now living in a town that has clearly chosen the building crane over the artist. Further, the collective, pat-on-the-back-aren't-we-so-cutting-edge hipster attitude would be wearable if we were actually a big city with a multitude of talent. In truth, KEXP and The Stranger are BOTH guilty of perpetually relying on the gimmick, the irony, or the right haircut to HUSTLE PRODUCT.

For those of us who look outside these city walls for our audience, we look back and shake our heads in pity for a once livable town that has lost its way. The Seattle music "scene" can ill-afford to point fingers at this stage of the game. The death knoll is visible every day as we see our hallowed venues fight closure. Salvation can, paradoxically, come from the oft-espoused but rarely followed KEXP credo. Let's start championing the music that MATTERS, and the people who make that music. The ones who write about it or play it on the airwaves are NOT what matters. The ones who create it, and the ones who listen to it, are.

Coulter Leslie

STUPID ADULTS FAIR GAME

EDITOR: I have read The Stranger for many years and I am definitely not easily offended! However, it was in extreme poor taste to make light of the child who recently fell to her death at the Grand Canyon ["49 Best Deaths," Oct 25]. This happened just a few weeks ago. Her parents have got to be reeling with shock and grief at this time. I cannot even imagine the horror of losing your child in such a way. It was a terrible accident and there was NOTHING funny about it. Please, continue to make fun of stupid adults, but not children who die tragically.

Beth

SECOND TIME AROUND

STRANGER: After reading your passionate plea for Joanna Newsom approval, I plan to give the cloying fairy another chance ["You Love Her," Jeff Kirby, Oct 25]. I'm not sure what will make this attempt any different from past pursuits, but thanks for reminding me that she is indeed a wonderful songwriter. I don't like Bob Dylan's voice either, but that doesn't mean I don't respect him. Also, Lisa Simpson did a wonderful job on The Simpsons Sing the Blues. Just saying.

Jamie

NOT NEEDING THE DAY

STRANGER: I just wanted to say how incredibly happy I was with "We Saw Your Light On" [Oct 18]. The idea was brilliant. Many of the articles were even moving (Charles Mudede's paragraphs about the CD and Pioneer Square, to be superspecific). I hope that sometime you'll do it again and write about it. It definitely got me thinking about people around me, people I have surely never met, being alike in some way (like needing the night like I do not need the day). I'm not sure what exactly you wanted to accomplish with this idea, but I loved it, and I'm saving it.

Mallory Hayes

THE ONLY SOURCE IN TOWN

DONTE PARKS: Thanks for your weekly article in The Stranger on the electronic happenings in the area [Bug in the Bassbin]. I recently moved back to Seattle from San Francisco where every other person is a DJ and the various genres have a good-sized fan base of folks 21+, hence many promoters and options any given night. I've struggled to find info on what's going on around town, as many of the "clubs" here either cater to the Top 40/crappy side of the hiphop crowd or don't know how to update their sites. There's not really any good source other than your weekly article that I've come across so far.

Pete

DECLARING SHENANIGANS

BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY: For this week's crossword puzzle ("26 Down Isn't 'Wen Ho Lee,'" Oct 25], clue number 5 down is "One-eighty." The answer you listed online is "UIE." This is not a word in the English language. Nor is there any acronym that makes any sense that UIE could represent. I know—I checked. I hereby declare shenanigans on you.

Irate Crossworder