An open letter to Patterson Hood

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scotto
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An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by scotto »

I have to apologize.

I meant to write sooner—about 20 years sooner—but I never got around to it. It was 1998. I’d been living in Durham for a few years, working at the Independent Weekly, when I decided to move back to Kansas City.

And it was a great time to be in that area: More music than you could keep up with, more great shows than you could attend, and more record stores than you could afford. Plus the Indy was a great paper and a great place to work: promo albums and occasional comp tickets and working alongside some first-rate people.

Every three months we published the Rock and Roll Quarterly—an expanded music section with a specific theme. The last one I worked on focused on “alternative country,” still a big deal at the time, especially in that neck of the woods. Along with the reviews and profiles and thoughtful commentary, I wrote a smart-assed piece called “An Acuff-Rose By Any Other Name” mocking the genre’s various tags, from the usual (“No Depression”) to the insufferable (“Y’alternative”). The issue hit the streets about the time I began packing up to move west.

On one of my last days at the paper I got a package from a band booked into one of the local venues. We got those by the dozens, but this one had a cassette of their unreleased new album and—even better—a 45.

Best of all was the handwritten note complimenting my article and saying something like, Yeah, I never know what to call it either.

It was signed Patterson Hood.


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I took it home for a listen, loved it (especially the single), and--in the chaos of moving--boxed it up without answering the nice note.
I still have the cassette, along with the 45, one of my most treasured possessions. But my cat puked on the note—as cats do—and it was lost long ago.

But I never forgot about it and always felt guilty about not turning your stuff over to another staff member to review, especially since it obviously came from a nice guy who probably felt he’d just wasted a cassette, a single, and good postage on some dick from the local media who couldn’t be bothered to respond.

So, I never got back to you. But I listened to your music and really liked it. I think you and your band may just go places if you stick with it.

And thanks for the note.

Cheers,
Scott


Image

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p.s.: Also, thanks for 20 years of awesomeness.

chuckrh
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by chuckrh »

Patterson is such a cool guy.

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Jonicont
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by Jonicont »

Great letter. Very cool memory to have
Always go to the show

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Tequila Cowboy
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

That's great, Scotto. Nice story.
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Clams
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by Clams »

Glad to see Patterson was using Maxell XLII's, I loved those tapes.

Great story, scotto!!
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scotto
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by scotto »

Clams wrote:Glad to see Patterson was using Maxell XLII's, I loved those tapes.
Ditto. They were always my go-to's for mixtapes. I wonder if the Maxell/TDK divide correlates with Nirvana/Pearl Jam, Replacements/Hüsker Dü, Beatles/Stones...

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cortez the killer
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by cortez the killer »

Image

That's a great story, scotto. Do you still listen to Gangstabilly on cassette?

I can't believe Patterson went the marker-on-cassette route and didn't utilize the nice label stickers. 8-)
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Rocky
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by Rocky »

Thanks for sharing Scotto.
By the time you drop them I'll be gone
And you'll be right where they fall the rest of your life

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scotto
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by scotto »

cortez the killer wrote:I can't believe Patterson went the marker-on-cassette route and didn't utilize the nice label stickers. 8-)
Totally punk, man.

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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by beantownbubba »

Rocky wrote:Thanks for sharing Scotto.
x2
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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

using the XL II, the sign of a pro :lol:

anyone who traded tapes back in the days knows that the XL II was the gold standard, the coin of the realm
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

211poundsofpork
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by 211poundsofpork »

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:using the XL II, the sign of a pro :lol:

anyone who traded tapes back in the days knows that the XL II was the gold standard, the coin of the realm

No no no no. WWCD. All wrong. Anyone who's anyone knows that the XLII-S was the gold standard, not the XLII. (Trust me - I have a bunch in my basement.) As you were.

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pearlbeer
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by pearlbeer »

211poundsofpork wrote:
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:using the XL II, the sign of a pro :lol:

anyone who traded tapes back in the days knows that the XL II was the gold standard, the coin of the realm

No no no no. WWCD. All wrong. Anyone who's anyone knows that the XLII-S was the gold standard, not the XLII. (Trust me - I have a bunch in my basement.) As you were.
Damn. You guys are really dating yourselves here. That said, I miss mix tapes.
Love each other, Motherfuckers!

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Jonicont
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by Jonicont »

pearlbeer wrote:You guys are really dating yourselves here.
Amateurs


ImageMAXELL by jonicont, on Flickr
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phungi
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by phungi »

Jonicont wrote:
pearlbeer wrote:You guys are really dating yourselves here.
Amateurs
"Always go to the reel-to-reel"
We got messed up minds for these messed up times...

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scotto
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by scotto »

Jonicont wrote:
pearlbeer wrote:You guys are really dating yourselves here.
Amateurs


ImageMAXELL by jonicont, on Flickr
Cool.


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whatwouldcooleydo?
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

211poundsofpork wrote:
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:using the XL II, the sign of a pro :lol:

anyone who traded tapes back in the days knows that the XL II was the gold standard, the coin of the realm

No no no no. WWCD. All wrong. Anyone who's anyone knows that the XLII-S was the gold standard, not the XLII. (Trust me - I have a bunch in my basement.) As you were.
good catch. Back when Maxell did the Max Points deal I was trading at an insane route, amassing points like a mofo. It got to the point of me getting so many free blanks that the post office would leave a garbage bag full of blanks outside our apartment. Good times
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

211poundsofpork
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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by 211poundsofpork »

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:
211poundsofpork wrote:
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:using the XL II, the sign of a pro :lol:

anyone who traded tapes back in the days knows that the XL II was the gold standard, the coin of the realm

No no no no. WWCD. All wrong. Anyone who's anyone knows that the XLII-S was the gold standard, not the XLII. (Trust me - I have a bunch in my basement.) As you were.
good catch. Back when Maxell did the Max Points deal I was trading at an insane route, amassing points like a mofo. It got to the point of me getting so many free blanks that the post office would leave a garbage bag full of blanks outside our apartment. Good times
Max Points! Nice WWCD! I remember these: Never did figure out how to redeem them and ended up just saving 'em for no good reason other than hoarding. But as far as tape trading: oh baby- the guy at the post office back then loved me! Good times indeed.

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Re: An open letter to Patterson Hood

Post by whatwouldcooleydo? »

211poundsofpork wrote:
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:[good catch. Back when Maxell did the Max Points deal I was trading at an insane route, amassing points like a mofo. It got to the point of me getting so many free blanks that the post office would leave a garbage bag full of blanks outside our apartment. Good times
Max Points! Nice WWCD! I remember these: Never did figure out how to redeem them and ended up just saving 'em for no good reason other than hoarding. But as far as tape trading: oh baby- the guy at the post office back then loved me! Good times indeed.
you could also redeem them for CDs, I remember getting discs of a bunch of Zappa albums (that i already have on vinyl)

Man, by the time I stopped trading, I had over 6000 hours. Needless to say it was a bit out of control ;)

Image
Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing

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