Seth Combs Calls it Quits with CityBeat

In an emotional tantrum, San Diego CityBeat music editor Seth Combs stormed out of the CityBeat office declaring he's done with it all, throwing files and CDs, pushing old ladies and stomping on babies on his way out.

Oh...wait. I'm not a gossip writer and that didn't really happen. However, it is true that Seth Combs, credited as the Arts & Culture Editor, but also acting as the Music Editor of San Diego CityBeat has resigned his position(s). While there are several possible candidates to take over as Music Editor, the A&C post has been offered to Kinsee Morlan, who formerly held the position before moving to Colorado. She is rumored to be returning to San Diego to accept the offer.

It's no secret that Seth and I have a love/hate "frenemy" relationship. He's publicly criticized me, my writing, and this site, and I've had my moments of bitchy commentary right back at him, but the truth is that we respect one another and though he harshly told me, "Honey, we ain't friends," he's also driven me home when I didn't have a ride, had my back when people talked shit, and in this case, he chose to talk to me about his resignation.

We met up as his dog decided to take a dump on University, and since I don't interview people, he answered all the questions I didn't ask. He's going to stay at CityBeat for at least a few weeks so he doesn't leave them high and dry, getting "all (his) ducks in a row" before he says goodbye. He's tired and his writing has been shit, he claims. As a person who is inundated with music and e-mail and the business of music, I can easily see how a passion can turn into a "job", and frankly it can get tiring, so when Seth says he wants to love music again, I understand where he's coming from. Eventually, he says, he might come back to CityBeat as a freelancer with guest columns or reviews, but for now he wants to take a step away and once again find his voice as a writer.

We talked for a bit, shooting the shit, switching between on and off the record conversations, and while we might not greet nor part with endearing hugs, it's clear my frenemy will move on to great things, wherever or whatever those might be. In the meantime, it will certainly be interesting to see what happens with the weekly rag he leaves behind.