To Blog or Belong?

I assume nearly anyone that starts a blog in these "modern times" has a need to justify it somewhere in their mind. After all, the word "blog" (coined by Rupert Murdoch in 1999 while giving a sandwich order to an intern, mid-vomit) has entered our lexicon to a point that perhaps even your grandmother knows it's a "thing" that people "do" that can contribute to this newfangled "new media" (a mis-heard term attributed to Ted Turner in 2001 while discussing "hotties" of Greek mythology, mid opium-binge) that someone seems to think exists. Something so widespread is destined to be mocked, and we all do our share of it. Don't even pretend! But, eventually we all have a reason to do something and the mocker becomes the mock-ee.

My reason is two-fold, or three-fold. Multi-fold. Like a good burrito. I am from East Lansing, Michigan, a college town, home to an actually somewhat prestigious university, Michigan State University. That "somewhat" is not a dig, I am an MSU alumnus and have respect for my school and degree - we're just plain not the most esteemed university, nor are we a school of low standards. Public Ivy League? I think I heard that term applied to us once. Sounds fancy. Anyway, MSU is fine and all, but East Lansing is by and large, if not a cultural wasteland, a waste of cultural potential. My main subject in mind is the presence of the greater independent music scene, but I will surely digress. Fellow Spartans, journey 5 hours down I-69 to Bloomington and you'll see what I'm talking about. I won't even pour salt on the wound and mention that "Arbor" town an hour away. Even a "where?" college town like Normal, IL regularly features exciting and cutting edge independent touring bands at some of their watering holes. But not East Lansing. Why is this? Partially lack of interest among student population for non-cover bands or DJs, partially unwillingness on the part of venue management to book entertainment that is not 100% "safe" (I blame this reason the most). People like what they like, and this is something I accept without judgement, but an area with such potential as East Lansing should not be so lacking in such a huge area. (I do hold (SCENE) Metrospace in esteem as an alternative to these things, but they tend to book more acoustic music, much of which I enjoy, but still only represent a small section of what the rest of the venues do not acknowledge, plus trying to get people in a college town to attend a dry venue is a very frustrating experience).

I live and breathe music, music that often falls in the categories of "punk" and "alternative" and "DIY" and other titles that I truly have no interest in learning. As an undergraduate student at Michigan State I always had to journey across that intimidating-to-some line of Interstate 1-27 to our lovely state capital of Lansing to enjoy this music. Venues come and go, but basement/ house shows never seem to die, and Mac's Bar has been a staple of the music scene since at least the mid-90s. I've seen amazing touring acts like Lemuria, Totimoshi, Juicifer, Smoking Popes, Maritime, Used Kids, City Mouse, Dinosaur Jr, and too many to continue to think of in divey bars and hidden DIY venues, plus the dear-to-my heart underrated local bands like Funender, Gaytar, Hat Madder, the Cartridge Family, Plurals, Red Teeth, BerT, Frank and Earnest, Calliope, Flatfoot, Fields of Industry and far too many more to think of, plus locals that have deservedly gained national attention like Cheap Girls, Frontier Ruckus, and Goddamn Gallows (and the legendary bands like Meatmen and Violent Apathy that still play on occasion). It's all there, man! In the place that's SUPPOSED to be a cultural wasteland (former industrial powerhouse and capital city) that is far from it.

Sometimes in the presence of greatness!

But it's still off-the-grid: proximity to Detroit is a big part of this, and the lack of a strong media focus on the happenings here is probably the main reason. I strongly/stupidly feel that East/Lansing can become an Athens, GA or Asheville, NC or (insert university region that was hyped to have the "next big thing" post 1991) as the aesthetic and talent is certainly here. Will my here blergh change things? One can not attempt such a thing if the goal is merely "get big," but I have my aspirations, and, more importantly, my inspiration to take this challenge on. I will write about shows I attend and review music that I hear - this will not be strictly local focused, though I will devote a lot of attention to this and it will just naturally happen.

Contact me at terrysachen [at] gmail [dot] com if you want me to review your music or have suggestions on stuff to check out. This blog is not about me, I am just one person with a passion for music, and, man, do I like to talk about it.