I read Garrison Keillor's article today and it brought to mind an XTC song from their Apple Venus record (recently released as a box set from Idea Records, their very own label).

Anyway I think Garrison might share the following sentiment:

Tending my fruit, tending my fruit, Ah, you've got to have a hobby

A man must have a shed to keep him sane

Spraying my buds, spraying my buds, got to keep away diseases

I mix the poisons and the wife don't complain

Some people say that I am out of my tree, or just a strawberry fool

Someday they'll see--till then I'll blow you a raspberry 'cos apples and pears are me

So I'm tending my fruit and I don't give a hoot

'Cos it keeps me sane, it keeps me sane

I read A Million Tiny Pieces when it came out in 2003 (after I read about it in Salon).

I thought it was a great book—engaging, passionate, non-conformist (at the time). I felt the guy had balls for writing in such an emotional style. You could feel the rage. (I can't vouch for how I would feel re-reading it today after this exposé has come out, though I'm sure I would view it in a much more cynical light.)

However, after this recent investigation, I have to say it doesn't really change my memory/opinion of the value of his book. Though I read it a couple of years ago, I don't remember specifically thinking of the book as a roadmap for recovering addicts, but rather an over-the-top, weirdly inspiring alternative to most boozy memoirs out at the time (particularly the tedious "Drinking, A Love Affair" featured in Salon as well; "A Drinking Life" by Pete Hamill or even "Prozac Nation" by Elizabeth Wurtzel ).

James Frey had a tale to tell, whether entirely factual or not. I would never take any "memoir," particularly one so incredibly bombastic as "A Million Tiny Pieces" as gospel.

I am disturbed by the anger directed against him and the lengths people are going to gleefully discredit him. In Laura Miller's article (as well as the Smoking Gun) the criticism goes well-beyond taking issue with the "facts" and into unfair and (and unprovable) speculation about his relationship with ill-fated Lily.

Is Laura Miller a proponent of the 12 steps? That would say a lot about her vigorous criticism. Let's see some transparency from the critics.

-w

(ws williams, ann arbor, michigan)

I weep for the future.

I resolved a long time ago not to comment anymore on Ann Coulter, but I do so now only to share with you a wonderful little ditty by Ed Hamell (aka Hamell on Trial) called "Coulter's Snatch."

http://toolshedmedia06.com/ts/hamell-on-trial-coulters.mp3

(this is a legal, promotional mp3 file)

Enjoy!

While many a music fan would gladly cheer the end of the major label business model, the fact that sites like Allofmp3.com exist hurts SMALL labels too. In fact, independents are most likely to be affected by the loss of sales WAY before the majors.

I work promoting artists for independent record labels, and happened across Sufjan Steven's latest album, The Avalanche, available on that Russian site for $1.67...A MONTH BEFORE IT WAS EVEN RELEASED. Sufjan's label, Asthmatic Kitty, isn't likely to withstand an assault on their copyrighted and admittedly "niche" artists with this kind of piracy becoming acceptable among music fans who long to "stick it" to the record labels.

Audiofile is one of the first things I read every day. I hope this is a way to make it more interactive for all the music fans out there. Thanks David!

I too was going to point out the President's use of "The Murkin people gotta understan..." phrase in every interview where things he is trying to be "convincing" (a tall order). His use of "I fully understan" is when he's making excuses for something he's in trouble for.

Cheney, on the other hand, is fond of the dictatorial "The fact of the matter is..." before stating whatever ridiculous comment he deems essential to furthering the administrations crumbling narrative of victory (i.e. "they will greet us as liberators," "the insurgency is in its last throes", etc. etc. etc.

Wake me up when it's over.

I don't care a whit about Don Imus, because I don't listen to him.

Unfortunately, I HEAR about him because his show obviously appeals to a bevy of journalist/politician types as a place to let their hair down in some fashion, so this disgusting recent affair is amplified to the nth degree.

I have been subjected to news of this man from time to time though the years, whenever he has been in trouble with these kinds of comments, and (supposedly) has pledged to clean up his act, to no avail. Why has he been given a pass again and again? Jimmy the Greek was fired for less. (and he isn't alone).

Actually, I simply am at a loss to understand why Imus is news at all. His audience is limited to a few cities around DC, yet now, like Paris/Britany/Lindsey's unshaved gootch, he's omnipresent.

The news, even the freaking NEWSHOUR on PBS has been obsessed with this non-story—as the Iraqi Parliament has been blown to smithereens and Whitehouse emails have disappeared into the ether among other things. The only breaks in the dialogue about this tale are updates about dead-Anna-Nicole's-baby-daddy or (I shudder as I type this) Sanjaya.

I'm glad they fired this asshole, it seems about time. I wish the media would move on from this and STFU about it. There are other fish to fry.

I am for freedom of speech, but seriously, this man is a public broadcaster making megabucks and the media elite who are feting him and his victimhood are all complicit in this dreadful saga.

Let him say what ever he wants...from a blog somewhere. That way he can truly be listener=supported.