The Anti-Music Issue
Closed Frontier
It’s odd to think of the Wild West as something that could be “closed,” like a cardboard box or a failed department store. And yet the 1890 US Census did precisely this.
On The Misuse Of Music
If the world, at this juncture in time, is characterized by one thing, it is music. Music is being blasted from cars and into ears through earbuds, piped into shopping malls, in public parks, on TV—everywhere. But is this a good thing?
All Music Is Shit To God
Music is so embedded in all aspects of culture today that one rarely pauses to question the validity of the form itself. But is music even a legitimate form of art?
Life Sans Music
As I write this, I am recovering from spending two weeks without hearing music of any sort. Two. Fucking. Weeks. It’s been awful, really awful, and, for the most part, mind-bendingly depressing.
Employees Of The Month
EMA hails from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a factoid she has a hard time keeping to herself. Next time you talk to her, keep track of how often she says “Mount Rushmore,” “Sturgis,” or “Lieutenant Governor Dennis Daugaard.”
Letter From The Guest Editor
Here's some advice for anyone pondering guest-editing the Anti-Music Issue of a magazine in the future: Don't tell anyone else what you're doing. It'll just complicate things.
Fear Of Music
Do you know someone who says they don’t like music? Someone who doesn't own a single CD or an iPod? Are they always turning the radio down? And when pressed on the subject, do they shrug and say they don’t really “get” music?