Jackson Free Press

When I was a young chap dancing around the downtown area, I witnessed great bands. I saw The Symptoms. I saw City Lights. I saw this Hercules character. I also saw a band called Fletcher.
Fletcher was a Christian band, maybe? They once had a member named Drew Mellon. Gone? They turned secular? Right? Sold out? Of course?
Yes. No longer is the Bible being toted. Parliament Lights and PBR's floating around the backstage like a sea of dead fishes struck by a fish stunner.
Money is an issue don't grab a tissue.
These men left the altar and proceeded to entertain their bank accounts. Visualize a venue that does not allow cigarette smoking. This is pre-Smoking Ban here in Jackson.
I was at a concert several years ago at W.C. Dons and was chastised for smoking a cigarette. The madame asked me to put it out. My hand bore the wound. Too much God in the building.
Years later, Colour Revolt (British grammar) formed and had smigs shooting out of their mouths, smoke a blazin', tight jeans a sparring, large outdoor festivals a groomin'.
This was the future. And Jesus Christ was nowhere to be found. No more is the original concept. It is based on the Benjamin. Welcome to the new scene.
Gone is Fletcher, The Symptoms, Your Name Here. We now see local Jackson bands scrambling around the nation trying to imprint their sound into the skulls of the vigilante youth.
One man remained. His name is Misha Hercules. He has art. Buy it. He stayed true to the Jackson nature. The rest? Busy expanding. Forget them.
Obviously, Jackson was not enough.

Previous Comments

ID

143350

Comment

Hey, I'm rather proud of the fact that CR are taking it nationwide. And imagine my joy to find Dent May and that magnificent oo-koo-le-le on the latest issue of PASTE's sampler. It's tempting to be selfish and want to keep all this great local talent to ourselves, but we have so much talent to spare -- it can't be contained.

Author

andi

Date

2009-02-06T13:46:15-06:00

ID

143381

Comment

I don't know any of these bands, unfortunately. Did they shake the dust off their shoes as they left Jackson? Or did they just tour in order to broaden their audiences? My context is early-80s Athens, GA, and the bands such as REM, Love Tractor and the B-52s that toured widely and amplified what became called the Athens Sound. Do we have a Jackson Sound?

Author

Brent Cox

Date

2009-02-07T19:33:35-06:00

ID

143475

Comment

Do I remember Fletcher? Oh, do I ever. But put this into perspective: when Fletcher was still putting out the hits as seniors in high school, I was looking up to them as a seventh grader at the same school. ...Feel old?

Author

rosietheriveter

Date

2009-02-10T16:49:46-06:00

ID

144518

Comment

just so happens I am still very much alive. and everyone i know from the old scene is just as poor as i am...

Author

drewmellon

Date

2009-03-09T19:03:21-06:00

ID

144704

Comment

You can't blame Fletcher or King Elementary for Jackson's lack of younger talent. That period of time in Jackson was great, it will probably be unmatched for a long time. Drew already said something about how mistaken you are concerning money and... did you really mention selling out?! Is this Seattle, WA 1990? We live in Mississippi with one of the greatest musical cultures in the nation. Colour Revolt has remained very true to their Mississippi roots(mississippi label, live in north ms, frequent jackson). Maybe you should stop 'dancing around Jackson' and make some music yourself.

Author

pegleg

Date

2009-03-14T11:05:41-06:00

ID

144713

Comment

Thank you pegleg, my sentiments exactly. Plus, there is a load of younger talent here too -- The Weeks are a perfect example, but there are others. Like many other of "Fearless"' posts, he's just not making a lot of sense here.

Author

andi

Date

2009-03-15T12:05:27-06:00

ID

144725

Comment

I also still think there's a faith to Colour Revolt. Sure, it's expressed in a different way, but it's there still. Did you not change as you grew up? Change is normal, it happens to everyone. I don't think CR is in it for money--is ANYONE into indie music for money? Isn't that an oxymoron?? Stop being elitist and pining for the "old days of the Jackson music scene" and embrace what we have now, and support the talent we've grown.

Author

SelahLady

Date

2009-03-15T20:13:04-06:00