Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] My letter to Hartford Courant reviewer

Lina Yune midoil2001@yahoo.com.au
Sat, 6 Apr 2002 06:49:45 +1000 (EST)


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  What a good job!  Yeah!



>From: "Laura Wolfe" 
>Reply-To: "Laura Wolfe" 
>To: "Powderworks" 

>Subject: [Powderworks] My letter to Hartford Courant reviewer
>Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2002 08:50:08 -0800
>
>Here is the letter I just emailed to the editor at the Hartford Courant 
>regarding Eric Danton's moronic review of "Capricornia." Hope y'all like 
>it.
>
>Bill Wolfe
>
>
>
>
>May I suggest that Eric Danton get his facts straight before he presumes to 
>review an album? His review of Midnight Oil's excellent return to form, 
>"Capricornia," contains numerous errors of fact; it also suggests that he 
>did not listen to the album closely or often enough to form a valid 
>critical opinion.
>
>Mr. Danton states that Midnight Oil's 1987 breakthrough album, "Diesel and 
>Dust," sold "reasonably well." In fact, it sold approximately 2 million 
>copies in the U.S. alone and spent a fair amount of time in the Billboard 
>top 20.
>
>He then states that, in the 15 years since then, the band has released 
>eight albums which "have gone nowhere on the charts or...in the American 
>musical consciousness." Wrong again. Their 1990 release, "Blue Sky 
>Mining," sold over a million copies and made the top 20. Oil did a 
>worldwide tour of large venues for most of 1990. In the southern 
>California region where I live, they played three shows in four days to a 
>total of nearly 30,000 people. They returned in 1993 with "Earth and Sun 
>and Moon," which sold well and was the basis for a US tour that ran from 
>June through October of that year. The last figure I saw indicated that 
>Midnight Oil has sold more than 4 million albums in the U.S. alone.
>
>Midnight Oil's low profile since 1994 was a conscious choice by the band to 
>remain in Australia with their families. Nevertheless, they released three 
>excellent albums, none of which Mr. Danton has apparently ever heard: 
>1996's "Breathe," 1998's "Redneck Wonderland," and 2000's "The Real Thing" 
>(a collection of unplugged performances and four new songs that was 
>released only in Australia).
>
>As for his comments about "Capricornia," it seems that Mr. Danton has a 
>different CD in his possession than I do. In fact, the band's "political 
>screeds" have not become "increasingly humorless and shrill." On the new 
>album, I would venture to say there is not a single song that could fairly 
>be called either a "screed" or "shrill." I wonder what songs Mr. Danton is 
>referring to. Midnight Oil has become much less political and far more 
>spiritual in their approach to issues. In this regard, I would draw Mr. 
>Danton's attention to "Golden Age," "Under the Overpass," "Tone Poem," and 
>the title track. Other than "Say Your Prayers," a track about East Timor 
>from a 2000 benefit album, I'm willing to bet that Mr. Danton can't tell me 
>what specific political issue any other song on the CD addresses. That is 
>the band's intention. They have matured and mellowed, and they are, 
>objectively speaking, neither humorless nor shrill.
>
>Finally, although Mr. Danton states that the CD feels like an album "even 
>the musicians didn't put their hearts into," "Capricornia" was a labor of 
>love for Midnight Oil during the past two years. They believe it is their 
>best album since at least 1993, if not 1987. The fact that radio is 
>embracing the album -- and that Midnight Oil is about to launch a long 
>North American tour (from late April through July)-- shows that this 
>comeback album is resonating with their fans. I believe "Capricornia" will 
>be discovered by many new fans as well.
>
>Perhaps Mr. Danton needs to listen to it a few more times, paying close 
>attention to both the music and the lyrics. Should I send him my copy, so 
>we can be sure he's listening to an actual copy of "Capricornia"? Or 
>perhaps he'd rather listen to the wonderful musical contributions from the 
>likes of Creed, Pink, or Alien Ant Farm? At the very least, he should see 
>Midnight Oil when they perform in Hartford; he obviously needs to 
>experience one of the greatest, most passionate live acts ever if he is to 
>appreciate their music and message.
>
>Bill Wolfe
>
>The thought manifests as the word;
>the word manifests as the deed;
>the deed develops into the habit;
>and habit hardens into character.
>So watch the thought and its ways with care,
>and let it spring from love
>born out of concern for all things.
>-- The Buddha
>





Lina



 

Got no time to weep for something you'll never get back
are you feeling cold and lonely under the overpass...

Midnight Oil



---------------------------------
SOLD.com.au- 1,000s of Bargains!
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<P> 
<P>&nbsp; What a good job!&nbsp; Yeah!</P>
<P><BR><BR>&gt;From: "Laura Wolfe" <CASALOBO@LIGHTSPEED.NET><BR>&gt;Reply-To: "Laura Wolfe" <CASALOBO@LIGHTSPEED.NET><BR>&gt;To: "Powderworks" <POWDERWORKS@CS.COLORADO.EDU><BR>&gt;Subject: [Powderworks] My letter to Hartford Courant reviewer<BR>&gt;Date: Fri, 5 Apr 2002 08:50:08 -0800<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Here is the letter I just emailed to the editor at the Hartford Courant <BR>&gt;regarding Eric Danton's moronic review of "Capricornia." Hope y'all like <BR>&gt;it.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Bill Wolfe<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;May I suggest that Eric Danton get his facts straight before he presumes to <BR>&gt;review an album? His review of Midnight Oil's excellent return to form, <BR>&gt;"Capricornia," contains numerous errors of fact; it also suggests that he <BR>&gt;did not listen to the album closely or often enough to form a valid <BR>&gt;critical opinion.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Mr. Danton states that Midnight Oil's 1987 breakthrough album, "Diesel and <BR>&gt;Dust," sold "reasonably well." In fact, it sold approximately 2 million <BR>&gt;copies in the U.S. alone and spent a fair amount of time in the Billboard <BR>&gt;top 20.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;He then states that, in the 15 years since then, the band has released <BR>&gt;eight albums which "have gone nowhere on the charts or...in the American <BR>&gt;musical consciousness." Wrong again. Their 1990 release, "Blue Sky <BR>&gt;Mining," sold over a million copies and made the top 20. Oil did a <BR>&gt;worldwide tour of large venues for most of 1990. In the southern <BR>&gt;California region where I live, they played three shows in four days to a <BR>&gt;total of nearly 30,000 people. They returned in 1993 with "Earth and Sun <BR>&gt;and Moon," which sold well and was the basis for a US tour that ran from <BR>&gt;June through October of that year. The last figure I saw indicated that <BR>&gt;Midnight Oil has sold more than 4 million albums in the U.S. alone.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Midnight Oil's low profile since 1994 was a conscious choice by the band to <BR>&gt;remain in Australia
 with their families. Nevertheless, they released three <BR>&gt;excellent albums, none of which Mr. Danton has apparently ever heard: <BR>&gt;1996's "Breathe," 1998's "Redneck Wonderland," and 2000's "The Real Thing" <BR>&gt;(a collection of unplugged performances and four new songs that was <BR>&gt;released only in Australia).<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;As for his comments about "Capricornia," it seems that Mr. Danton has a <BR>&gt;different CD in his possession than I do. In fact, the band's "political <BR>&gt;screeds" have not become "increasingly humorless and shrill." On the new <BR>&gt;album, I would venture to say there is not a single song that could fairly <BR>&gt;be called either a "screed" or "shrill." I wonder what songs Mr. Danton is <BR>&gt;referring to. Midnight Oil has become much less political and far more <BR>&gt;spiritual in their approach to issues. In this regard, I would draw Mr. <BR>&gt;Danton's attention to "Golden Age," "Under the Overpass," "Tone Poem," and <BR>&gt;the title track. Other than "Say Your Prayers," a track about East Timor <BR>&gt;from a 2000 benefit album, I'm willing to bet that Mr. Danton can't tell me <BR>&gt;what specific political issue any other song on the CD addresses. That is <BR>&gt;the band's intention. They have matured and mellowed, and they are, <BR>&gt;objectively speaking, neither humorless nor shrill.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Finally, although Mr. Danton states that the CD feels like an album "even <BR>&gt;the musicians didn't put their hearts into," "Capricornia" was a labor of <BR>&gt;love for Midnight Oil during the past two years. They believe it is their <BR>&gt;best album since at least 1993, if not 1987. The fact that radio is <BR>&gt;embracing the album -- and that Midnight Oil is about to launch a long <BR>&gt;North American tour (from late April through July)-- shows that this <BR>&gt;comeback album is resonating with their fans. I believe "Capricornia" will <BR>&gt;be discovered by many new fans as well.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Perhaps Mr. Danton needs to listen to it a few
 more times, paying close <BR>&gt;attention to both the music and the lyrics. Should I send him my copy, so <BR>&gt;we can be sure he's listening to an actual copy of "Capricornia"? Or <BR>&gt;perhaps he'd rather listen to the wonderful musical contributions from the <BR>&gt;likes of Creed, Pink, or Alien Ant Farm? At the very least, he should see <BR>&gt;Midnight Oil when they perform in Hartford; he obviously needs to <BR>&gt;experience one of the greatest, most passionate live acts ever if he is to <BR>&gt;appreciate their music and message.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;Bill Wolfe<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;The thought manifests as the word;<BR>&gt;the word manifests as the deed;<BR>&gt;the deed develops into the habit;<BR>&gt;and habit hardens into character.<BR>&gt;So watch the thought and its ways with care,<BR>&gt;and let it spring from love<BR>&gt;born out of concern for all things.<BR>&gt;-- The Buddha<BR>&gt;<BR><BR></P><BR><BR><P>Lina</P>
<P><IMG src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys/m.gif"></P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P><STRONG>Got no time to weep for something you'll never get back<BR>are you feeling cold and lonely under the overpass...</STRONG></P>
<P><EM>Midnight Oil</EM></P><p><br><hr size=1>
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