Gabe Durham
Staff Writer
In accordance with the proposed Ohio “Academic Bill of Rights” that prohibits public and private college professors from presenting opinions as fact, I intend to show both sides of every issue I introduce in today’s column.
This is a good idea, but, on the other hand, some say that it isn’t.
Billboard announced this week it will be taking Internet downloads into account on its “Hot 100” singles chart. It makes sense to me. I recently jumped on the iTunes bus myself. It was such an easy way to pick up the most recent Ben Folds EP, which I need to tide me over until his new album drops in April. The EP is probably worth the $5 solely for Ben’s piano-driven cover of The Darkness’ “Get Your Hands Off of My Woman.”
But some people don’t like Ben Folds. They find him silly and profane.
I also got the new Glen Phillips single in anticipation of his new album, which comes out in April. If you aren’t into Glen yet, you should probably pick up his most recent release, “Abulum,” to get yourself pumped for the new one. “Abulum” fits comfortably on my top-five-albums list, somewhere next to “Abbey Road” and “Secaucas,” so the upcoming “Winter Pays for Summer” will be met with high expectations.
But some people don’t like Phillips. They think his songs all sound alike.
Also upcoming: The new Beck album, “Guero.” He’s got a couple of music videos online, and I suggest you check them out. He gets into some whimsical electro-rock with his new single, “Hell Yes.” Unlike the songs on Beck’s last release, the painful and beautiful “Sea Change,” “Hell Yes” features tongue-in-cheek lyrics such as, “I’m moving this way / I’m doing this thing / I’m totally gone / I’m working my legs.” My hypocrisy is that I would never listen to “Hell Yes” if it were performed by No Doubt, but coming from Beck I’ll praise it as clever. I guess we just know Beck can write great music (“New Pollution,” “Cancelled Check” and “Lonesome Tears” to name a few). He just doesn’t always feel like it.
But some people find No Doubt to be “hella good,” and they think Beck is way too random to be cool.
Right about now, you’re thinking, “Presenting both sides of every argument in an A&E opinion column? What a bad idea. Just make your point and stand beside it, Gabe.” Maybe you’re right.
Let’s apply this policy to the classroom. Picture a government official hanging around your Poli-Sci class, making sure your professor presents the Bush administration in a “fair” light. I assume that if this professor refused to play ball, we would have to burn him.
If only Arthur Miller had stuck around a little longer, he might have put out a “Crucible” sequel and shed some light on our nation’s current witch-hunts.
What good is college, if not to confirm our pre-existing biases?
Wherever you stand on this issue, you must agree that this material is ripe for a folksy, Dylan-esque protest song. If you record it and throw it up on iTunes, you may just have a chart-topping single on your hands.
02-17-2005
