[ThePenguin]

As I mentioned, I had invited Javier to come to The Ledge and see the responses. He sent this to me today and asked that I post it.

- Marty

quote:

---

I have purused the Ledge responses to my rebuttal letter. I am not offended by peoples' perceptions, but some seem to shoot right from the hip, and they haven't bothered to read the Fritz Q&A, they haven't done their homework.

Most of the writers are very thoughtful. But please, I am not bitter, just weary. I haven't been nurturing hatred for 30 years. Who could survive such rancor?

I have made that clear in the Q&A. I simply wanted to correct errors about the Fritz histories. I don't begrudge S&L anything. I don't feel any jealousy and don't need to. Les from San Diego has probably the best understanding of what I have been saying.

My anger is directed at people like Olsen who lack empathy and at a sanguine music business that thrives on ignorance, racism, sexism, even (at times) violence.

That is what I would like to change. To some this may appear quixotic but that's o.k. If my diatribes offend people, then they are not seeing the forest. The bottom line is you have to have heard the real Fritz so that you will see how phony Olsen's comments really are. Furthermore, I am sure that once people have had an inkling of what Fritz actually sounded like before their breakup, they will understand if not concur with my position. You might call me immodest, but I think S&L could have well made a name for themselves in Fritz. We were that good! Fritz could have become very big--a homegrown American band. Without S&L there was no more Fritz--they were an important part of the sound. The music still stands up to scrutiny thirty years later. It makes a lot of the latter stuff seem like fluff (sorry, that's this musician's opinion.) The day is coming when I will feel compelled to share some of it with the fans so that they can judge for themselves whether or not Fritz really "sucked." I think not.

---