SD Citybeat's Music Issue Out Now!

Get to the nearest red box and pick it up!

Or, check it out online here.

On a side note, despite my brief stint as the sole writer of Local's Only, I did not contribute to this issue at all. While I admire writers and journalists who can act as critics, when it comes down to it, I support local music, as a whole, or dare I say it, a scene. If I don't like a band or a recording, I simply choose not to write about it or post about it here. There are enough haters around, and honestly, who am I to judge? I'm certainly no expert and I certainly have my share of embarassing CDs in my collection, so it's not my style to pitchfork anything. Still, I love reading what everyone else came up with. I'll be there celebrating the issue release tonight at Anthology, so drop by and let's talk smack about who the meanest writers are...

Delta Spirit: Local or Not?

I like Delta Spirit. I really do. I like their sound. I think they're nice guys. Jonathan was kind enough to find my blog about the band in which I basically said they're a little too over the top for Jesus for my tastes. He pointed out that I'd misquoted a lyric and that the band's intent is to be all inclusive and they're not trying to be preachy. After that, I went back and listened to their music again, and whether I like it or not, it still sounds overwhelmingly, at times for me, overbearingly, religious. Regardless, I like them.

But now I'm a little peeved. Tomorrow's CityBeat is the local music issue. Several bands will be featured and highlighted, but the cover features Grand Ole Party and Delta Spirit. It is no secret that GOP is from San Francisco, but every time I've talked to Kristin, she has been glad to say they are a San Diego band, that it was this scene that nurtured them and welcomed them. San Diego is a city of imports, so as long as they continue to give props to San Diego, I hope they go really, really far.

Delta Spirit is a different situation. Jonathan told me that 3 members live in Carlsbad and two live in San Clemente/Dana Point. "Our music feels a bit more at home in LA, I guess." That is a perfectly ok position to have. But when you represent, you need to represent. For the recent South By Southwest music festival, the band is listed as an Orange County band. San Diego is NOT Orange County. Maybe the festival required a designation. "Pick one." Maybe. But as a proud San Diegan, I feel dissed. And if I were a band that proudly screams from the rooftops that I am from San Diego, I would be a litle peeved that a local mag doing an article on local music would put a band that is only local when it's convenient, whether by their designation, management, what have you. Even Jewel (from Alaska) and Jason Mraz (Virginia?) claimed San Diego as home long after they sold thousands of records.

I really welcome comments and opinions on this because I would like to know if I'm outta line. This reminds me of being in high school and several local bands being pissed that Stone Temple Pilots won an SDMA in 1993 for Album of The Year. I've also heard bands grumble when other bands get signed without playing this town a whole lot but I think that grumbling comes from other motivation. I don't know, I'm just throwing this out there.

Also, a disclaimer: I have not seen the cover nor read any of the features from tomorrow's CityBeat, I've only heard that those bands are on the cover.