Let me first start by saying that Friday Night / Early Saturday morning left a few friends of mine with the feeling that Rochester is a hopeless culture vacuum and that any good music or art that comes from this town will probably die here as well.

One of my pals was so bothered that he has now purchased the domain, “www.rochesterhatesmusic.com.”

When it’s up and running, “Rochester hates music” will be a site dedicated to exposing Rochester music and musicians that never ever ever ever ever get talked about or exposed in the other 2 or 3 places that you have a shot to be written about in. (Problem B is going to be getting traffic to the site so that these musicians are actually read about.)

Next I’d like to point out that in no way do the following opinions about to be expressed in this column represent Dragonflyeye.net or it’s affiliates, nor should the comments be taken out on any of the author’s affiliates - again, who are we kidding because in a culture vacuum nobody reads this stuff anyway…

There is a myspace page and a website called Rochester Underground, and frankly I see nothing underground about it.

I see a lot of flash and glitz, I see a lot of photos of hot bar girls, and Abercrombie / Hollister looking 20 somethings out bar hopping, drunk and sucking down lame ass light beer, chasing down the American dream in a new computer age perverted sort of I-Phone holding statue of liberty with her thong showing and a look in her eye of no more than a 15 second attention span, while shitty clean cut A-street cover bands  pour on the schmooze over a Sublime song that will have everyone singing along.  They covered the fucking East End Fest for Christ’s sake! It doesn’t get any further from underground than that! Who played this year - let me guess, some old dues and Uncle Plum again?

I walked on stage at 11pm Friday night at the Dub-land underground (coincidence here?) to a pretty large spill over crowd from the East End Fest. I Found out that 3 kinds of people came. Dressy looking club people trying to get laid who probably thought they’d hear another Alexander street style cover band and some straight from the 60’s hippies. Dirty looking smelly bastards who act like they’re loaded all the time and dance like they’ve watched the Woodstock movie a few too many times. Neither of these two types of people really wanted to pay at the door to the underground part of dubland - where the bands play.

The cover started at 3 and steadily worked it’s way to free just to get people down there and hope to recoup from sales at the bar. I stood and watched the remaining members of a now broken up band play a duo acoustic show to a great crowd who danced and cheered for every song.

The third kind of people came to see the second band - my group the Spirit of Ontario. They paid whatever price was asked of them because they understand that is how this whole thing works. They came to listen to music and have a good time. They gritted their teeth and tried very hard to be polite to the first band who honestly wasn’t very good. They covered a Bob Marley tune in a soulless white boy that would have stole the fire from the Rastafarian’s spliff.

Still the room was doing pretty well for itself when shortly after 11 I strapped on my Telecaster (a guitar by the way which some 19 year old kid at RIT told me he hates, cause it’s lame and looks old.) and the band began to vamp the opening riff for Albert King’s “Oh Pretty Woman.”

By the time the first verse was wrapping up - and we’re taking a blues tune, so that wasn’t very long - more than half the room emptied out. But It was still packed upstairs - as well as that part of town still getting the spill over from East End Fest.

We ripped into a few originals that usually go over well with crowds. More people were leaving and less and less were coming down.

By a 1/4 of the way into our set I was playing the guitar with my teeth and throwing every bit of guitar player flash into the show to try and at least win a response from the new people - and I hate that shit. If that’s what it takes to get people to pay attention then I have a serious problem with it.

With my top lip was bleeding, my throat burning from singing over a terrible stage monitor system, I was sweating like someone threw me into a pool, and I realized that I was playing for the converted. That’s how it stayed for the next hour. So we turned into a jam band and just fucked off the rest of the night. We even made up a few songs.

Point is - see past my bitterness here - I know from playing around here for a few years that there are many people who put on excellent shows in town. I know there are many people who write songs that contend with Dylan or whoever. I know there are bands that are just good bands with a great sound and good songs who never get any attention. If it was just me and the boys I’d just assume we sucked or we’re too loud, but other bands who are great get the shaft too. I’ve heard some metal and hardcore bands who are pretty damn loud too, so I don’t by the volume thing anymore either.

So here’s my promise, as my band is usually on the verge of going away any how. I am going to record to the best of the abilities we have and to the best quality we can get (better then you think I bet) the most kick ass Rock and Roll record we can muster up. I’m actually going to aim for the middle with the song selections. Something most people can dig and can throw in the car and speed to. Then I’m going to flood this town with copies of it. If I don’t get any radio stations or local independent news places to talk about it then I give up trying.

When it boils right down to it, I had a lot more fun playing in the basement with a tape recorder… making demos and running on a dream of getting it together enough to play at Milestones, the Bug Jar, and Waterstreet to a full house.

The bubble burst and I’m getting closer to 3o - and feeling closer to 50.

I don’t really know where the real Rochester Underground is, but my guess is you’ve got a better chance of finding it at bars like the Lux Lounge where there usually isn’t anything but a schizophrenic  juke box cycling between the Ramones, disco, rap, and The Sex Pistols.

It’s a sad time right now for this community. In case you haven’t noticed, Rochester - rather Up-State… well, ok NY… ok, ok… The country? Fine - Fine, the world then. The world is in a bit of a slump.

I heard more depressing news about Kodak yesterday, I’m already sick of this years election process, I still find that nothing seems to work anymore, my going back to college experience has been interesting to say the least - there is a whole list of things on my mind right now that I could write about. Frankly kids, I just aint got the time no more…

Back to the main subject here, Wease love him or hate him has been a huge part of Rochester for as long as I can remember. I’m only 25, so here’s someone who’s been on the air most of my life. Growing up in the Rochester area, I checked out the monorail at X-mas, I swam in Lake Ontario - and it didn’t smell like poop, My Dad, my uncles, my grandfather, and their friends all worked at Kodak, and Wease was on WCMF - every day.

It really sucks to see another piece of this place shaved off and thrown to the side. As I’m sure you heard or read or whatever, WCMF was taken over by new ownership and now all the radio personalities that I’ve grown up with and loved over the years are getting the boot.

Who knows, maybe they demanded too much cash for the new owner’s budget, but guess what - those guys had a ton of loyal listeners. Nothing against Moranimal, Tommy, Sally, and the other DJ’s, but I kinda hope CMF takes a hit in ratings now. (Though, I caught some of the “men’s room” show this morning and it wasn’t bad.) But let’s not Bull $hit - Wease was the star. (Notice the cleaner language approach I’m trying here.)

Transition is a hard time to be in, but I’ll say this, (Unless he isn’t willing to) Brother Wease better be back on the air or the net or something within a year… So Wease, go play poker, chill out, enjoy sleeping in a bit, get in some quality family time for a while… but after a break, some offer better cross by you to have a relevant media outlet again or there is something seriously wrong going on. Somehow, I don’t think a Wease Myspace page is gonna cut it.

Unfortunately, I don’t get to listen to the radio much anymore - it’s outlawed where I work - but I’d be really happy to tune in one day and find Kano and Brother Wease mutha huckin it up on a new show or channel. I miss hearing the bits… “And now is time for only friend of working force in Rochester, NY in USofA…,” and, “FRIIIIIIIDAY!!!!!” I miss the talk about good tunes that you don’t usually get to hear on the radio… I miss the political talk… and hell… I even miss talking about looking at your Key in the mirror.

Seriously, the Saturday music show Wease had was one of the best things I ever heard on the radio. I’d like to see Wease get a new show like that with a bit of the talk show thing in there too. Just a loose, feel where he does what he wants - cause you know what? He’s got a lot of fans. As long as he has that, he can pretty much do what he wants.

Those of you reading this that know me know I play tunes solo and in a few bands… I write songs and all that jazz. Since me and my buddies were 12 years old we’ve wanted to get a chance to go on air with Wease in the morning and have him tell us he thinks we’re cool. I know that’s lame, but it’s true… and it’s still true. As much as I’d sit there and act like I didn’t care, If Wease had me on the show tomorrow and told me my songs were cool I’d geek out.

Artists, musicians, comedians, entertainers in general need to decide for themselves when their time is over, and when they have nothing left to contribute.

All I can say is for Kano and Wease I hope it’s not now.