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Cranky Pants

Music

Bohemian.com

Nov 8, 2006

November 8-14, 2006

Just like pre-election propaganda, the pop music world is full of misrepresentations that can’t be trusted. Here are a few recent music myths that bother me.

Myth no. 1: Legal downloading protects artists

Downloads are the future of music distribution, but sticky issues pitting legal vs. illegal downloads are far from resolved. In a struggle to preserve their market share, the major music conglomerates are winning a war of attrition over free peer-to-peer services. Recently, the once-popular file-sharing service Kazaa paid a $100 million settlement to big boys Sony-BMG, Warner Music, Universal Music and EMI, further agreeing to filter major label content from its service while it transitions to either a pay-per-download or subscription format. LimeWire, the last popular free peer-to-peer site, is currently exchanging lawsuits with the majors.

The flag of honor flown by the majors has always been copyright protection. This argument has merit, except that it offers the comforting illusion of protecting artist royalties. The majors, now regaining control of distribution and income, are oddly embracing free downloads. Set to launch in December, the nascent online service SpiralFrog has partnered with Universal Music and EMI Publishing to offer free songs from those company’s vast combined catalogues. Users must view advertisements before songs will download, which may be a mere inconvenience. But SpiralFrog’s format is actually user-hostile: files are only compatible with PC-based Windows Media, can’t be burned to disc, won’t load onto iPods and expire each month if you don’t log in to view more ads on the SpiralFrog site.

This partnership is being hailed as a model of successful legal downloading. I say it’s at long last a bald-faced admission of guilt. Universal and EMI aren’t interested in music sales or even content control; rather, their payoff is a huge slice of third-party ad revenue. This immeasurable income source remains disconnected from sales-based (or download-based) royalty payments. In dozens of articles written on the SpiralFrog/Universal/EMI partnership, the question of how royalties will be paid comes up only once. What insiders love about the new model has nothing to do with artists; the excitement is about competition for iTunes and a marketing path to a young adult audience.

Myth no. 2: Bono is a human rights activist

Some say that in spite of Bono’s contradictions, the famous U2 frontman is heroic simply for suggesting that we should care about other people’s problems. I say the hollowness of Bono’s suggestion makes his contradictions untenable. He’s no Mother Teresa living with the poor; his track record instead features layers of elbow-rubbing with the world’s most powerful, privileged conservatives. Lauded for lobbying economic superpowers on debt relief to Third World nations, Bono to date has yet to spend substantial time with grass-roots leaders in those nations.

In fact, there’s no indication that Bono hangs with progressive leaders at all. He’s met with Dubya, but hasn’t said a word against the war in Iraq. Until recently, Bono’s biggest pal in power was right-wing extremist and former Senator Jesse Helms. Now, with Bono’s recent purchase of a 40 percent share of capitalist-elitist magazine Forbes, the singer is in partnership with ultraconservative, ultrawealthy wannabe presidential candidate Steve Forbes.

Ironically, Bono has lobbied the Irish government to increase tax funding for the African HIV relief program Ireland Aid, but U2 recently moved its business operations to the Netherlands to avoid paying taxes. Coincidently, the Irish government just imposed a cap on tax-free earnings by artists, while tax on artist income in the Netherlands is minimal. Is Bono putting his money where his mouth is? You betcha–right on the ass of the global wealth-mongering power structure.

Myth no. 3: Bob Dylan’s new album is a masterpiece

Modern Times is being widely hailed as a tough, mature study of blues and early American pop that ranks with Dylan’s best. Modern Times is a strong roots-rock effort and a compelling return by an all-time classic rocker. It’s also got keen lyrics. But so do the new discs by Bob Seger and Tom Petty. And that’s simply not good enough.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Bohemian.com

Nov 8, 2006

November 8-14, 2006

Baggin’ on Byrne

Last week’s Bohemian featured another that illustrates the need for a decisive change by the editors of the paper (“Election Blues,” Nov. 1).

In that piece, Byrne attempts to slime councilman Mike Healy of Petaluma for refusing to talk with him. As an ally of Mike Healy, who has been supportive of the living wage ordinance in Petaluma, and as another victim who has been dragged through the Byrne mud-pit, I can attest that the primary mistake that we both made was to talk with Byrne in the first place. I have had hostile interviews with Fox News-type right-wingers that were more fair and balanced than the hatchet job that Byrne metes out to anyone who makes the mistake of granting him an interview.

It’s too bad, in a way, that after lacking significant political content for years, the Bohemian made such a bad choice for a political columnist when they hired Byrne. Although he has done some interesting pieces on national political issues, similar material is widely available on the Net. What the Bohemian really needs is someone who is part of the real progressive movement in the North Bay and is committed to the patient, long-term process of developing the broad coalition of labor, environmental, religious and social justice groups necessary to build a progressive majority.

I can supply, on request, a short list of qualified local activist writers for the position who are actually part of the movement and can perform a constructive role.

Ben Boyce, Sonoma

Peter Byrne is a multi-award-winning investigative journalist who is rabid for the truth, tolerates duplicity not at all and whose best stuff cannot indeed be found “widely available on the Net.” An independent columnist, rather than one who is entrenched in area politics, makes for a tougher and ultimately fairer voice.

Greek Defamation league

Alastair Bland’s (Oct. 18) miserably fails in its attempt at humor and at times is downright offensive. It is unclear why this article was printed, for it offers neither an educated view of the Odyssey nor an accurate description of Greece. By using a poem thousands of years old as a tour guide to contemporary Greece, this article discredits the Odyssey for what it truly is–a heroic tale of an epic journey. Ignorant remarks are made about the mighty Odysseus; he is likened to a “handsome brute,” while his men are called “rambunctious tourists.” Tourists! These men were veterans of Troy, heroes in their day, striving to return home with their spoils!

Midway through the article, while criticizing the lack of hospitality he encountered on his journey, Bland remarks, “There were only six occasions when friendly strangers invited me in for the night.” Not only does this statement suggest that the writer felt entitled to receive such hospitality as was described in the Odyssey, but it also discredits those who were kind enough to generously share their homes with him. On the whole, I found “Mythic Journey” to be written in a snobbish and unbearably sophisticated manner.

Samantha Sharpe, San Rafael

Mythic injury

Alastair Bland decided to travel to Greece and used the Odyssey as a travel guide, to follow Odysseus’ footsteps. It is a clever concept, but Bland approached it the wrong way. His writing expresses a point of view that is degrading to the Greek culture. Bland’s tone is very condescending to the Greek people as a whole, insulting their food, customs and language. He says, “It was a challenge, this strange archaic language, for English has grown mostly from Latin and Germanic roots. . . .”

Coincidentally, “archaic” is actually from Greek roots, but he does not mention this. And we owe much of our mathematical and scientific language to the Greeks. The Greek language is also not archaic, as people still speak it today. Bland’s article is trying to be ironic and sarcastic, but it just comes off as belittling and insulting to Greece. Next time, your staff should think of how such a tone can deeply anger and hurt someone of different origin than American.

One more thing, “sarcasm” is also from Greek roots.

Remy Wallace, San Rafael

No, no, no! This was our Lit issue. We mixed it up with a foodalogue that included Lit. Given the volume of women from San Rafael writing to us about this (six letters unprinted), we humbly hang a head and say: We apologize to the great country and great people of Greece. Geez.

Keep up the good work, indeed!

I just wanted to thank you and let you know that I very much enjoyed (“Iraq the Vote,” Nov. 1), particularly the tid-bit about Measure R. I very much look forward to riding that train as well, and am well aware of the fact that it is only a drop in the bucket of what we have to accomplish to solve all of our planning mistakes of the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and even ’00s. Keep up the good work.

Brian Lamoreaux, Mill Valley

We love you, Brian.

First Bite

Restaurants

Nov 8, 2006

November 8-14, 2006

Don’t misunderstand. I love P-Town, but last year my love didn’t stop me from spending a considerable amount of my income to get away from it for a long holiday. Maybe if Risibisi on Petaluma Boulevard had opened a year earlier, I’d still have money left over in the travel coffer, because Risibisi is an escape. Walking off the street into this oasis of urbanity is like stracciatelle for the soul, it makes you feel good, with a worldly touch that mom just didn’t have.

The design of the restaurant is carefully thought out and meticulously implemented. It’s shiny clean with an eclectic blend of earthy brick walls and dried flowers juxtaposed with modern art and slick, white light fixtures that resemble space-age chrysanthemums. The sophisticated music sends you drifting into a separate reality from the street just 20 paces away, and if you do what we did and start your meal with a Champagne mojito ($7), you’ll land on Planet Risibisi in no time.

The folks who work and manage Risibisi are natural and friendly, but not so casual that you lose the sense of your own specialness. If it weren’t for the fact that both times I’ve eaten here I’ve seen people that I know, I could have convinced myself that I was in New York, perhaps even Paris.

In order to keep the dishes and ingredients freshly seasonal, the menu changes weekly. On a recent jam-packed Saturday, my friend started with an organic baby beet salad ($7) dressed in a beautiful vinaigrette that coated the arugula and watercress without disguising the greens’ distinctive characteristics. Studded throughout with candied pecans, dry ricotta, beets and blackberries, it had sublime complexity of flavor. I hit it off with Harry’s Bar carpaccio ($10) which was paper thin, Valentine-tender and anointed with a sprinkling of capers, black truffle oil and shaved Parmesan. It was good while it lasted–which wasn’t long.

For main courses, we chose pan-roasted halibut ($18) and butter nut squash ravioli ($14). Despite its long trip from Alaska, the large filet of halibut was exquisitely fresh and came with grilled asparagus and a portobello mushroom imbued with the sweet flavor of fresh thyme. The little swizzle of lobster bisque at the bottom added a nice visual component, but did little to impart additional taste.

My ravioli came packed with a wonderfully rich squash purée, and the pasta reminded me of the stuff from an ancient ravioli factory in Eureka that my dad once doted on. The lovely red chard underneath added an interesting earthiness to the dish. Dusted with spices and glazed with browned butter, the pasta pillows set the stage for the autumn that’s just at our doorstep.

The pistachio crème brûlée ($6) and the warm Mission fig strudel ($7) sounded good enough to tempt, but they were somewhat of a letdown. If you’re hungry for a sweet after, stick with the superb vanilla gelato.

Risibisi is a fine addition to the downtown P-Town scene. In addition to dinner, I’ve also enjoyed a wonderful lunch there, featuring a very reasonable $12 two-course prix fixe menu. My next frontier will be the Sunday brunch, which makes its debut on Sundays at 10am. The menu promises crêpes, omelettes and frittata, and because I’ll use any excuse to travel, I’ll be there.

Risibisi, 154 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Open for lunch Monday-Friday; dinner, daily. Sunday brunch begins at 10am. 707.766.7600.

Quick-and-dirty dashes through North Bay restaurants. These aren’t your standard “bring five friends and order everything on the menu” dining reviews.