2
The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, April 24,1996
Opinion
Alternative rock
now the trend?*"
Brian Ray
Staff Writer
Every time I turn on the radio,
it’s there. The noisy, unfocused
sound of alternative rock fills the
airwaves with catchy power-pop
tunes of teenage angst, rebellion
and debauchery.
It is everywhere. On college
campuses, in high schools, on
music videos and on the minds
and lips of the young generation.
They have embraced it in much the
same way that the generations
before embraced The Grateful
Dead, The Beatles, or Elvis Presley.
With performers like Alice In
Chains, Smashing Pumpkins,
Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails and
Nirvana, the “alternative” under
ground invaded rock radio and
MTV, changing how young people
viewed popular rock music. Corny
power ballads and songs about
fast cars were replaced by
buzzsaw guitars and controversial
topics, such as teenage suicide,
drug abuse and abortion. They
were new, exciting and different.
Once those bands broke big, ev
erybody could predict that it
wouldn’t take long for imitators to
come out of the woodwork.
In the past few years, many
bands have adopted the “alterna
tive sound.” Groups or perform
ers like Bush, Silverchair, and
countless others have exploited a
musical genre that started out as
something raw and pure. In that
way, the term “alternative” has
become devoid of meaning. Every
time I hear a song by Bush on the
radio, I think, “Wow, they sure
sound like Nirvana.” When I see
a video by Silverchair, I think
“They sure sound like Pearl Jam.”
I find the whole genre hard to take
seriously anymore because it has
become a trend.
The rock scene now is no dif
ferent than it was 15 years ago,
Letter to
the
Editor
except the music is a little differ
ent. Instead of the sexist, moronic
sounds of “glam-metal” bands like
Motley Crue, Poison, or Warrant,
there are the politically correct, but
still moronic sounds of Green Day,
The Offspring and Weezer. I can
see why, because both are catchy
and fun and about as deep as a
puddle. The audience is 13-25 year
olds, not the kind of people who
think Pearl Jam is some new prod
uct by ‘Smuckers’.™
I guess I wouldn’t have a
problem with it if there wasn’t this
(sort of) faux credibility associated
with the “alternative” scene. What
started on college campuses has
been imitated by kids who weren’t
even bom when The Sex Pistols
broke up. It has become another
way for kids to irritate their par
ents.
Whenever I see a 14-year old
walking down the street who has
dyed his or her hair bright blue and
is wearing jeans baggy enough to
house an entire Eastern Indian vil
lage in each front pocket, I think,
“Who are these kids? I can’t un
derstand them.”
I guess I have some personal
stake in the subject because I feel
cheated that the music I liked has
been homogenized and commer
cialized. As a fan of true heavy
metal music, I can only think back
to how I felt when radio and MTV
were hyping up crummy, no-talent
glam bands and calling them metal.
I felt the same way that most true
“alternative” fans must feel about
the rock music scene now. The
only thing I can say about it is,
“This too shall pass.”
Slippery floors prove hazardous
The Clackamas Print Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Chad Patteson (Ext. 2576)
Managing Editor: Amy K. Hanson (Ext. 2576)
News Co-Editor: Pamela Sirianni (Ext, 2576)
News Co-Editor: Damon Fouts (Ext. 2576)
Feature/Assistant Sports Editor: Jon Roberts (Ext. 2578)
Sports Editor: Lora Wahrgren (Ext. 2309)
Photography Editor: Paul Ulmen (Ext. 2578)
Copy Editor: Laney Fouse (Ext. 2309)
Opinion Editor: Brendon Neal (Ext. 2309)
Business Manager: Cori Kargel (Ext. 2578)
Assistant Opinion Editor: Karin Redston (Ext. 2309)
Assistant Feature Editor: Brad Zimmerman (Ext. 2309)
♦ ♦♦♦
Staff Writers/Photographers:
Eric Eatherton, Andrew Beck,
Jessica Dvorak, Jack Evans, Brian Ray, Joel Shempert
Secretary: Joanne Gale (Ext. 2309)
Advisor : Linda Vogt (Ext. 2310)
The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased,
professional manner. The opinions expressed in The Clackamas Print do
not necessarily reflect those of the student body, college administration, its
faculty or The Clackamas Print's advertisers. Products and services adver
tised in The Clackamas Print are not necessarily endorsed by anyone asso
ciated with The Clackamas Print. The Clackamas Print is a weekly pub
lication distributed every Wednesday except for finals week. The advertis
ing rate is $4.50 per column inch.
All signed letters to the editor will be considered for publication and
must be submitted by 1 p.m. the Friday prior to publication. Letters contain
ing libelous material shall not be printed.
Clackamas Community College, 19600 S. Molalla Avenue, Oregon City,
Oregon, 97045; Barlow 104; (503) 657-6958, ext. 2309.
E-mail: cccprint@clackamas.cc. or. us
Karin Redston
Assistant Opinion Editor
Once again Oregon is living
up to its reputation for an incred
ibly rainy spring which means
many CCC buildings are going to
have very slippery floors.
The two buildings that are the
worst for me are Barlow Hall
where The Printis located and the
Community Center. Other stu
dents have complained about the
stairwells in McLoughlin.
These floors and stairwells
are lethal when they are wet. There
have been a few times when I have
almost performed gymnastic feats
that defy the laws of physics.
As a person who is physically
challenged, my coordination and
balance are not good. Unlike able-
bodied people I do not have the
recovery ability should I slip.
Once I start to go, it’s all over.
Fortunately, I have yet to break
any bones. So far, I’ve only limped
around for a few days. Next time I
may not be so fortunate.
Am I the only one who sees
the liability in this? Another per
son almost fell last Friday morn
ing while coming into work. So,
I’m wondering what can be done
about this situation that would be
cost effective.
The easiest solution is to put
strips on the stairs that would al
low shoes to grip. They could also
be put on the cement floor of
Barlow Hall. As for the Commu
nity Center there is no easy solu
tion. I’ve heard there might be a
type of a of wax that is not slip
pery but I’ll have to check into it.
In the meantime someone
from the college should investi
gate this dangerous situation be
fore someone becomes seriously
hurt.., like me.
CtawHied A(b
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To the Editor:
I would like to respond to a
current article in The Print. Ac
tually two articles. First, the one
written by Damon Fouts.
In his article he professes
to be an over researcher. I think
he is full of delusions of gran
deur. Scanning The Oregonian
does not constitute research, it
is a good starting point. But,
anyone who has done research
papers knows the value of
source material. Such as maybe
The Constitution of The United
States, or who originally came
up with file idea of a balanced-
budget amendment. Maybe
even books by such people as
Thomas Jefferson, FDR,
Eisenhower, Nixon, or Newt
Gingrich. If you are going to
quote something maybe it
should be explained how it is
relevant to your argument. Just
a thought!!
Also, Zimmerman was
wrong when he said that this is
a private network. Everything
generated here at college is part
of the public record. Look up the
Attorney General's opinion on
Public Record Law. If I am wrong
then show me the documenta
tion. Don't just say something
is fact because you thi nk so, but
because you have the informa
tion to back it up.
JM, Garvison
To the Editor:
Damon,
I enjoyed your tongue-in-
cheek article in the 4/17/96 edi
tion of The Print. However, you
could have saved yourself a lot
of discomfort by tapping into
your local CCC library. We now
have the Oregonian in full-text
CD-ROM format right here in
your front yard! Cushioned
seats are available! Professional
reference librarians are on duty
from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. M-Th,
8-5 on Friday, and 10-2 on Sat
urday.
This may, of course, just en
able your obsessive habit. I
think such addictions are com
mon to journalists. Perhaps you
and a helpful reference librarian
could begin a campus chapter
of Over-researchers Anony
mous. The library has several
small conference rooms for
group study. I am sure that a
weekly meeting of ORA would
be considered acceptable usage.
Please contact us should you
need this additional support
from the library staff.
Cyndi Andrews
Director/Leaming Rescource Center
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