Email and letters

Letter of the month
Great piece on Alicia Keys ('Soul Sister Number One', OMM7), but is she really 'the future of soul'? I agree she's very talented, but mostly she's not really a soul artist at all. I hate to sound like a know it all, but the future of the music has little to do with the major labels - young artists like Frank McComb who have put out their own albums are leading the way!
Chris Wells
by email
(Letter of the Month wins this month's 10 best CDs, courtesy of HMV)

John Harris's evocative feature on Cajun music was extremely enjoyable ('America's Lost Music', OMM7), in particular his dizzying encounter with the Hackberry Ramblers. After 70 years in the business, any musician whose devotion to their art provokes them to call a musically showy bandmate a 'horse's ass' should be treasured. Anyone with the means should help bring them to the UK, as they say they want to do.
Colin
Hereford

Love the magazine (as ever) but Malcolm McLaren perving around little girls like Nabokov minus the talent - again? ('The Mesmeriser', OMM7.) Please. Malcolm, sweetie, your oh-so-radical 'bastard' music is just bootlegging (how very 1997) and don't even get me started on the Space Invaders references ...
Lornz Irvine
Glasgow

I am writing to express my fury on 'The Changing Face Of Pop' (OMM7). The forehead was of fantastical singer Adam Levine of Maroon5. I was distraught to see that you thought he was not worthy of a name, as you called him 'Bloke out of ...' I was shocked by your critical views of the band's name. I, myself, can think of much worse names: Girls Aloud, Phixx, VS, S Club juniors and Fe-m@il. Leave Maroon5 alone and pick on bands that deserve it, like Busted, for instance!
Katy 'loony 4 maroony' Evans
by email

Ok, I realise I'm a bit late in responding about the cover of OMM6. I wasn't going to comment until I read the letters in response to it (OMM7). I'm a black female and like to think of myself as a modern day feminist but find the comments made by your readers outrageous. Have they forgotten about fantastic photography, stunning use of colour and appreciating glorious-looking, black female bodies? It's a picture for goodness sake, lighten-up ladies!

The picture was a delight to look at and positive because it's nice to see properly black people with afros on a cover of a magazine. I do not find it offensive at all but quite the opposite, a great photo that will be admired by many.
Marcelle Davis
by email

I have been playing drums for Jesus Jones since we reformed just over three years ago. From reading your piece I'm led to believe that I've only been playing one song, 'Right Here Right Now', twice to corporate audiences for money ('The 10 Worst Reunions,' OMM7). In fact we have played between 70 and 80 shows and festivals in three continents to over 75,000 people. We've released a Greatest Hits album, a new album, two singles, an EP and a live DVD of a sold-out London show. Most important, we do this all for fun. I'm all for freedom of speech if a journalist knows what he's talking about but you don't. Now I'll go back to travelling the world, playing music I love to people who have a good time listening to it.
Tony Arthy
by email

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