Fan-friggin'-tastic| The Invisible Sheriff |That '70s Hair| Vanishing Green Space

The bilge that plagues FM: It takes some big ol' cojones to write an article like "Brown October" (by Jesse Hughey, April 20). I am in love with Jesse Hughey's line, "Look, Brant Coulter, just because your guitar teacher supped from the buttholes of Vai and Satriani doesn't mean that you should try to sound like them." Not only is this article a FANTASTIC and engaging work of wit, but, by bashing the crap out of Blue October, Hughey makes a very real point. So many of these corporate rock bands take so much from what has already proven successful that we, the listeners, are left with the uncreative, non-provocative bilge that plagues today's FM radio.

Further, I really dig the reference to the band Alan, a band that I would consider Fort Worth's best-kept secret--moreover for making violinist Doug Polhamus the exception to the law that says violins and rock don't mix. Alan is one of the most vibrant, creative and musically talented bands that I have heard in the last five years--mostly because of their imaginative incorporation of violin into their progressive/indie sound.

Jesse Hughey, you are fan-friggin'-tastic!

Megan M. Harris

OffBeat Magazine

New Orleans

Listening to "James" a lot: It is really sad that you cannot recognize good music when you hear it. Blue October is a very unique band because they have a fiddler. They also have a large fan base because Justin's music really works our emotions. He makes us feel what he is feeling, and he pulls on our heartstrings or gets us really angry. I have been following this band for a little over three years, and if I am in a good mood, I will listen to something like "Calling You," or if I am in a pissed mood, I'll listen to "James" or "Somebody." I cannot believe that you are dissing a band that has such a large fan base in Dallas. You have really pissed a lot of people off, so good luck if you have any readers next week.

Shanna Steed

Saginaw

Awesome, unlike you: You obviously have A LOT to learn about music. Somehow running down a band like this must make you feel superior, but you are dead wrong, as is plainly obvious by the following Blue October is only beginning to have. If you don't understand human emotions and the rawness of this person's lyrics and the awesome abilities of this band musically, maybe you should find another job because THIS is not your forte.

Leatha Goldsmith

McKinney

The Invisible

Sheriff

Plenty of blame to share: Matt Pulle once again brings to his audience the trials and tribulations of our lady sheriff and the inadequate medical care for those incarcerated. Pulle's in-your-face article "Sheriff Who?" (May 4) is an indictment, and the Justice Department needs to get off its derriere and do something. This is not the fault of one agency or individual. The county commissioners control the purse strings, so they should be apportioned some blame too.

They don't really screen inmates at the jail; they just give them a cursory exam by untrained staff, and in the slammer you go. Sheriff Valdez, of course, inherited these problems from her predecessor Jim Bowles who held the whip and reins for nearly two decades. Now it's Valdez's cradle to rock and a test of her resolve.

Dolores Taylor

Dallas

That '70s Hair

Bummer, man: I was so moved by Jim Schutze's story about Todd Lyon and his troubles with DART police ("Help, It's the Police!," April 20) that I've written an open letter to Mr. Lyon:

Hey Dude,

Sorry about your hassles with the man. I've been there, brother. I feel you, dog. Hang in there. The whole scene just ain't groovy.

But dog, I gotta tell ya: At 49, the hair thing just ain't with it anymore. Can you dig it? I can. Man, I just heard from a dude who heard it from a dude who heard it from the man that 1970s hair at age 49 might bring on worse bummer hassles than the DART police.

These dudes say that wearing hair like that anywhere, not just at a DART station, might result in you being locked in a room from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday and forced to listen to Darrell Ankarlo's talk show on 570 KLIF.

Bummer, man. Be forewarned.

Peace,

Tony Garrett

Mesquite

Vanishing Green Space

Raze to the finish: Jim Schutze is right in "The B.S. Plan" (May 4). In a different degree, the same thing has happened in our neighborhood, Vickery Place, which is down Central Expressway at Henderson. Socioeconomic diversity has been the biggest victim in the craze to tear down affordable homes and erect million-dollar ones. And then, only days ago, the City Plan Commission can't see the majority desire to install a conservation district in Vickery Place because of being distracted by builders and big money. Vickery Place has been a green space in itself, but that is changing quickly as builders scrape the lots, racing to profit as quick as they can.

Leslie Farrell