I appreciate the interest Reed Watson has taken in my music column about The Dexateens. To stimulate frank conversation is the goal of anyone who aspires to write for the public’s consumption, and certainly the conversation over the past week has been, at times, quite frank. Watson’s 800-plus word response, published in the Aug. 30 edition of The Crimson White, politely but frankly outlined his grievances.
I should first say that I did not write that particular column as anything but a Dexateens retrospective, meaning to introduce new students to a central facet of our local culture, so I can’t deny that Watson’s reaction perplexed me.
Specifically, he took offense to two phrases I used to describe the band. I stated that, in the aftermath of the demise of The Chukker seven years ago, certain elements of the local scene — specifically The Dexateens’ intrinsic “individualism and eccentricity” — are rarer.
Watson and I may sharply disagree about the historical importance of The Chukker era, but I still do not find this statement to be inflammatory or controversial by any stretch. Abundant feedback has since solidified my opinion.
And, as I stated in the Dexateens column and to Watson personally before his printed opinion, I plan to address issues concerning The Chukker in an eventual column.
I can agree with Watson on the point that local media has often not been up to snuff when it comes to covering local music. But to “lose patience” with The Crimson White after merely two weeks of the Fall semester strikes me as, well, unreasonably impatient. At this point in the year, we’re still a new group of editors, columnists and reporters.
For Watson to pounce before anyone’s had time to do much of anything is unproductive at best, downright suspicious at worst, and much more negative than anything two relatively neutral phrases in a music column lauding a local band could have been interpreted to mean.
In fact, before the column in question was even conceived, the lifestyles section of this newspaper was already anticipating coverage for Watson’s own Hackberry Records’ Fall Showcase. I had already decided to dedicate my column exclusively to local music and issues.
At the end of July, I gave local band Them Natives, whose music I very much love, their first published write-up. The Dexateens column itself was, of course, locally focused. Kelsey Stein, our lifestyles editor, has made it clear from the beginning the importance of local coverage.
How can Watson possibly yet claim that this year’s incarnation of The Crimson White has spurned local music? Unfortunately, I suspect he has conflated “local music” with “Hackberry Records.”
I think this is the key distinction to make. Watson represents his label and his label only. That is, he is the representative of a very small cohort within a much greater, highly fragmented art community. Why then does he feel he needs to speak for everyone?
As the noise level rose last week, I received a great deal of support from long-term local musicians, former local musicians, fans of local music, even a former CW lifestyles editor.
One prominent former local musician, having noticed the fray on Facebook, graciously e-mailed in his support. He hasn’t lived in town for over a year, yet felt so inclined. Many of these people do not even know me, and their kindness and genuine positivity have been greatly felt on a personal level.
Let me now restate my appreciation for Watson’s active contribution to the local music conversation.
That said, in the wake of his statements I don’t believe this paper’s trajectory need be adjusted. I will personally continue to advocate the best local music I can find as responsibly as possible.
That may occasionally include Hackberry artists; quite often it will not. The six acts on Watson’s label represent only a small minority of notable local musicians.
In short, I will act as fairly as I can. If Watson wants to continue to begrudge that, perhaps his motives should be questioned.
Morgan Dowdy is a music columnist for the lifestyles section of The Crimson White.
