[Powdworker@aol.com]

Nope, not talking about *that* kind of "buzz" ... :-) I want good buzz for our favorite band!

Today the Washington Post published a piece on how the recent albums by Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger suck, at least in the opinion of that critic. (See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25021-2001Nov13.html for his opinions on rockers over 40 years of age.) I noticed that the critic was going to do an online chat, so I submitted a question in advance, and it got into the chat. Here's the Q&A:

Greenbelt, Md.: Why didn't the Post notice that Midnight Oil really went off at the 9:30 club a couple of Mondays ago (Nov. 5)? Now THERE's a band that can rock as hard as it ever did and sound as fresh as ever. The Oils are NOT a one-hit wonder as most Americans think. Their next album, which is supposed to come out next spring on a different label (one that will promote them outside Australia, I hope!), should blow people out of their musical complacency!! (And no, I am NOT a publicist, just a fan.) 

David Segal: Have to admit that I haven't caught up with M Oil for more than a decade. I loved their early stuff. 

(end of Q&A)

You can read the entire chat at http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/01/segal111401.htm if you really want to, and note that he does a chat every other week if you really want to argue with him or cheer him on.

I really don't want to turn this list into a big flame war over whether musicians over 40 (Oils exempted, of course!) can still rock. I just want this country (the States) to notice that the Oils still exist.

(I do agree with Segal's assessment that U.S. radio sucks, especially when it comes to artists over 40.)

Regards,
Patty in Maryland