Ok kids, it's that time of year again, when all of the 'full of themselves' music critics and journalists spew forth their cheers and jeers for the year, assuming you really care. I shall be no different.

The coolest thing that I saw this year in the KC/Lawrence scene was that every band mattered. Every time one band broke up it started discourse about how the scene was in jeopardy. It proved to me that in our own little ways, every one of us does make an impact.

What else rocked? I didn't see one female performer backed by a team of dancers. I did get to see a lot of great female performers writing personal, meaningful songs and not having to show their belly buttons to sing them.

Another good thing was that people like me, who haven't ever really been a part of the 'scene' but who really wanted to contribute something, were welcomed with open arms. I can't think of anywhere else where I'd want to make music.

I don't really want to do a "jeer" section. I don't think there's anything that totally sucks (at least nothing I'm going to put into print), but there's always stuff that needs to be improved upon.

People need to go to more shows. Myself included. "Real life" becomes an easy excuse not to take a few hours and five bucks out of your week and show somebody some support.

Knocking other bands gets your's nowhere. The fact is that more people will dislike your band if they see you post inane comments on a music forum about some other band than they will your targets.

What's the point of the KC/Lawrence music scene? MUSIC. So make some. And don't fight about how to categorize it, just do it.

Ok, there's the local stuff. There are things that I must say about what's happening in the sickening world of music elsewhere (that I haven't brought up in other columns yet even!), so here goes.

NO MORE AWARDS SHOWS. The hosts are getting staler, the lip synced performances are growing more tiresome, and it's just not special anymore. I remember being a kid and getting all hyped up about the Grammy Awards. Kids now have a new awards show every week to look forward to, and somehow even "My Vh1 Awards" are starting to look very similar to "Some Guy in a Suit's Vh1 Awards".

QUIT DYEING YOUR HAIR PINK, CRUEL WORLD. It was cool when Dale Bozzio did it-in 1984. The entire world now has very slowly followed her fashion lead and tainted their locks with strawberry poison (where is Dale NOW? Do we not know how this story will end, Gwen?). My favorite is the 'artist' Pink, who has not only limited herself by being monickered after her tresses, but by also sounding like the Teena Marie of the new millennium. Stop the insanity!

ENOUGH WITH THE BEATLES. Ok, they were four fab guys. One is knighted, one is sainted, and the other two must really be pissed. It amazes me with all of the great music coming out of the U.K. that can't get played on American radio, these guys can still hit the charts with records they've already sold us. Try something new people, it's not that hard!

So, I hope when the millennium does actually change in the coming month, we will be improving on some of the already positive aspects of our 'scene' and disregarding all the bad stuff. I hope that everyone reading this knows how they truly are a contributor to the whole of what is KC/Lawrence music, even by just caring enough to be here and learn more about it.

Dana Detrick-Clark
dana@thezone.org

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For more on Dana, check out her band (Post Orgasmic Trauma) and record label (Serious Vanity).