Relix -The Magazine For Music - Letters to the Editor



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Letters to the Editor

Heads up! March 20, 2001

As someone who is relatively new to the jamband scene, I don't have much of a connection to many of the bands/musicians featured in Relix. While I appreciate the quality of Relix and the longevity of the bands featured in the magazine, I find that I rarely purchase it. There are only so many pictures of middle-aged guitar players with ponytails and tie-dye shirts I can handle seeing! What separates Relix from any other music mag is that it has never focused on what music is trendy or popular at the moment. Looking back at old issues, however, it seems that the content hasn't changed much over the years. The magazine seems to stagnate on the same bands and musicians that appeal to the longtime readers.

I think its time for Relix to give attention to the new generation of excellent jambands coming up. Bands such as the New Deal, The Disco Biscuits, Sound Tribe, Sector 9, Lake Trout and Fat Mama are taking the concept of jambands to the next level and appealing to a new generation of fans like myself. Incidentally, these bands have a whole community of tapers and traders (mostly CD-R) who have found each other and connected through the internet. In order for Relix to stay fresh and appeal to younger readers such as myself, I think it's only necessary that these bands be given the coverage they deserve. While they may not appeal to everyone, at least the readers will be given a chance to find out about what's new and innovative in the jamband community.

My hope is that Relix will diversify its content. It's time to show the old heads what the new heads are all about!

Smooch, smooch March 20, 2001

I have just read the year-end issue of Relix and I was surprised to see that String Cheese Incident was on the cover, along with Widespread Panic and Phish. I was even more surprised to find out that these bands were hardly represented in the pages of the issue. Aside from a few photos, there were no stories.

The issue did have a huge section on the weakest tour of the year (Other Ones 2000). The review I saw of the Shoreline show was way off the mark. This show was terrible. People were sleeping! The reviewer said that with any other band "it would have been a train wreck." It WAS a train wreck! I read some of these reviews and wonder if your purpose is to inform your readers or kiss the band's ass.

As we have gone past the five-year mark since Jerry's passing, your magazine has continued on with non-stop articles on the Dead and related stories. There are many great bands out there that are way more exciting than the "what1s left of the Dead" guys, yet you continue to fill your pages with Dead-related news. (Actually, news is not the right term; I thought maybe there would be more on the Kimock/Phil rift and the Phil/Other Ones rift.)

There is an opportunity for your magazine to become fresh and on the cutting edge of the new scene. Don1t give up all the Dead stuff, though it is time to take these guys off the featured artist status and share the wealth. If Relix doesn't, there will be a magazine that does feature SCI, moe., Widespread Panic and all the other killer bands out there. Relix has always been my favorite mag on the scene; I hope it changes with the times and becomes the beacon of this great new era in music.