CREEM rises
Bill Holdship's two-part history of CREEM ("Sour CREEM," Jan. 16, and "CREEMed," Jan. 23, Metro Times) is, I think, on the whole, fair and balanced. I started reading CREEM from its inception and subscribed to it up to its demise. It was hugely influential on me as a music critic when I was at Wayne State University writing for The South End. Christgau, Bangs, Marsh, Edmonds et al., definitely shaped not only my music but also my literary aesthetics through undergrad and grad school. I suppose the post-mortem backbiting, infighting and lawsuits are inevitable, a sign of not only a particular and important cultural icon of its time but also a reflection of the shifting cultural landscapes. I still have almost all the issues (though my wife keeps threatening to burn them all!) and I still read them with pleasure. Thanks, Bill. —Tyrone Williams, Cincinnati, Ohio
Horizons Broadened
I really enjoyed the article about CREEM! I worked there for about seven months in 1983. I was a young black single parent, and I caught the 450 from the hood to beautiful downtown Birmingham, where I was exposed to a whole different life. Working at CREEM was a wonderful thing, concert tickets and so on. Although I had been exposed to rock music while at school — I really learned to appreciate music at CREEM. Who could forget Connie and JJ? I can't remember the lady's name who had the big-ass dog under her desk, but I bumped into Ric Siegel several years after leaving. I ended up leaving CREEM to work for the city of Detroit Police Department (that's another story) but eventually I returned to school, got a BA, and an MA, and work for the city of Detroit again.
Birmingham is not the same anymore — the Midtown Cafe is gone, its bohemian flavor is infused with yuppie-ism — but I will always remember the time I spent at CREEM. Although it was short, I developed an appreciation for all music, just not the Motown sound. Thank you, guys, for broadening my horizions. —Ali Jackson, Detroit
'A lousy magazine'
Dear Bill: Although I haven't finished reading your fine article about CREEM, I felt the need to write you right away, since I was involved in the first three or four editions. I even wrote the calendar of events in 1969.
Ironically, when I brought the magazine to high school to "show off," my fellow classmate, Jaan Uhelszki, told me it was "a lousy magazine and a bunch of crap." We laughed about it later.
As they say, thanks for the memories! —Resa J. Jannett, Farmington Hills
Minority Opinion
Thanks for the article about CREEM. I read the magazine as a kid so I was excited to pick up both issues. Unfortunately, the article was a meandering, incomprehensible pile of shit, so whatever points the author was trying to make were lost in obsfuscation.
Didn't the author write for CREEM back in the day? No wonder they tanked. —Dave Carvin, Keego Harbor
Dem bums, Part I
I'm a card-carrying Democrat and I voted "uncommitted." I read with great interest the article, "Blame the Dems" (Jan. 17, Metro Times), and I agree with Jack Lessenberry wholeheartedly.
Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP), Sen. Carl Levin, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Democratic National Committee (DNC) member Debbie Dingell disenfranchised me and tens of thousands of other Democrats who wanted to vote for our candidate, Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. John Edwards, with an ill-conceived plan that pushed the Michigan Democratic primary up to Jan. 15, 2008, in an attempt to throw the election and the delegates to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. I would say that with 40 percent voting "uncommitted," this was a referendum against Sen. Hillary Clinton. I hope the Democratic National Committee sticks to its guns by not seating delegates from Michigan as the MDP chose to defy NDC rules by moving its primary. —Thomas A. Wilson Jr., Detroit
Dem bums, Part II
In reference to Jack Lessenberry's article, "Blame the Dems," Mark Brewer has always impressed me as a man of three distinct priorities: His own power base first, the power of his party second and the well-being of Michigan residents a distant, distant third. Per the old adage, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
So how should Michigan's Democrats react to Mr. Brewer? May I suggest you consider kicking him out on his egotistical, self-serving butt? Just an idea! —Jonathon Kecskes, Farmington
Dem Bums, Part III
Thanks, Mr. Lessenberry, for giving us some straight talk about who really is to blame for the botched Michigan primary: Democratic state Chairman Mark Brewer, National Committeewoman Debbie Dingell and (egged on by) U.S. Sen. Carl Levin. Only two days before your article appeared, I e-mailed Sen. Levin's office to try to get some answers. When I do, I am sure that the senator's comments will not be as revealing as yours.
Mark Brewer and company should be required to tour the state to try to explain why Michigan's primary was a total train wreck. —Michael Gerard, Ann Arbor
Parting Shot
I saw a commercial on the Bravo cable network displaying a 1-800 call-in phone number for its reality show Make Me a Supermodel, proclaiming "Your vote counts!" It occurred to me that this is more than anyone can say about the Michigan Democratic primary in which our vote was rendered meaningless by the shameless shenanigans of party chairman Mark Brewer and crew. —Allen Salyer, Troy
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