Me & Hearne, part 1
Several people have heard about this email exchange between myself and Hearne Christopher, Jr. and have asked about it. So here it is! BTW - He really never did answer my charges, but I'm sure he gets all kind of email and has learned to "filter" over the years to people like me. Whatever that means.
Hearne writes a quasi-celebrity/local gossip column a couple of days a week for the KC Star. Given how boring this city can be at times, I'm sure he has his work cut out for him trying to dish the dirt and provide witty banter with celebrities. Makes him probably feel more like he's doing short-story fiction vs. journalism.
Anyway, contained below is his version of what passes for celebrity, Ike Turner, and our exchange. The article is archived on the Star's wonderful web site and you have to pay to access, so I can only provide the search summary below. Basically, the article was bout the success of the American Royal BBQ and the concert that was put on the last night of the BBQ. Which it was. No question there. The bands perforing that night were Kelly Hunt, Ike Turner and Big Head Todd & the Monsters were the headliners. Hearne's column goes into great praises over Ike Turner's set and has some quotes from Ike. Hence, my response back to Hearne trying to tell the true story of what the crowd was doing and how Ike was really received vs. trying to fill column space and paint an unreal picture of Ike Turner's "showmanship" Sad really.
Summary of original article
American Royal isn't blue over fest
Source: HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR.
Count last weekend's first-ever American Royal Barbecue Taste of the Blues Music Festival a success. AR top hand George Guastello turned the barbecue contest's sleepy second day into a real-deal party.Now the stage is set for an even bigger, hipper blowout next year."It's working, it's working," Guastello said excitedly as Ike Turner's band wrapped up its set. "It has been crazy. My favorite is we took a picture of Big Head Todd in front of our Published on October 6, 2004, Page F1, Kansas City Star, The (MO)
-----Original Message-----
From: scott stemmermann
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 10:44 PM
To: hearneatkcstar.com
Subject: American Royal column 10/6
Are you kidding me??? Ike Turner was the best you could do for column space?? Were you even at this show? He was pathetic! A hack, a bad lounge act, nothing more. Played covers for goodness sake. He lost the crowd immediately. I walked from the front to the back and people were booing or just plain irritated that this relic got 60 mins. 2 sets from Kelley Hunt would have been fantastic. Or better, have BHTM start earlier than 11 pm.
Plus, this whole Tina Turner look-alike (not really when you see her close up as I did when she, Ike and Roger Nabor came by from backstage into the Hale Arena offices after Ike FINALLY stopped playing) is so wrong on oh so many levels. Not enough therapy out there for Ike to treat this problem.
I wonder if he beats her as well?
From: hchristopheratkcstar.com
To: sas9527athotmail.com
Subject: RE: American Royal column 10/6
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 13:16:49 -0500
Harsh, dude. Really, really harsh. Hey, but if that's your opinion, rock with it.
H
-----Original Message-----
From: scott stemmermann
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 2:26 PM
To: hchristopheratkcstar.com
Subject: RE: American Royal column 10/6
OK, maybe a bit too extreme given the last sentence. But my point was that this guy didn't deserve the ink he got from you. You can do better than this and so can the folks who put on the concert. Unless the budget was so tight, I find it hard to believe that another group/performer couldn't have been found that was a better fit for either the blues theme or as a compliment to the headliner.
Maybe as a musician of 20+ years I tend to have a critical eye, but even the majority of the crowd from my observance of their body language, actions, comments, and booing showed that Ike Turner was a huge bust.
From : hchristopheratkcstar.com
Sent : Wednesday, October 13, 2004 7:56 PM
To : sas9527athotmail.com
Subject : RE: American Royal column 10/6
I got you. You know, those blues society guys were high on him. I'll check
and see what they thought.
H
Hearne writes a quasi-celebrity/local gossip column a couple of days a week for the KC Star. Given how boring this city can be at times, I'm sure he has his work cut out for him trying to dish the dirt and provide witty banter with celebrities. Makes him probably feel more like he's doing short-story fiction vs. journalism.
Anyway, contained below is his version of what passes for celebrity, Ike Turner, and our exchange. The article is archived on the Star's wonderful web site and you have to pay to access, so I can only provide the search summary below. Basically, the article was bout the success of the American Royal BBQ and the concert that was put on the last night of the BBQ. Which it was. No question there. The bands perforing that night were Kelly Hunt, Ike Turner and Big Head Todd & the Monsters were the headliners. Hearne's column goes into great praises over Ike Turner's set and has some quotes from Ike. Hence, my response back to Hearne trying to tell the true story of what the crowd was doing and how Ike was really received vs. trying to fill column space and paint an unreal picture of Ike Turner's "showmanship" Sad really.
Summary of original article
American Royal isn't blue over fest
Source: HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR.
Count last weekend's first-ever American Royal Barbecue Taste of the Blues Music Festival a success. AR top hand George Guastello turned the barbecue contest's sleepy second day into a real-deal party.Now the stage is set for an even bigger, hipper blowout next year."It's working, it's working," Guastello said excitedly as Ike Turner's band wrapped up its set. "It has been crazy. My favorite is we took a picture of Big Head Todd in front of our Published on October 6, 2004, Page F1, Kansas City Star, The (MO)
-----Original Message-----
From: scott stemmermann
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 10:44 PM
To: hearneatkcstar.com
Subject: American Royal column 10/6
Are you kidding me??? Ike Turner was the best you could do for column space?? Were you even at this show? He was pathetic! A hack, a bad lounge act, nothing more. Played covers for goodness sake. He lost the crowd immediately. I walked from the front to the back and people were booing or just plain irritated that this relic got 60 mins. 2 sets from Kelley Hunt would have been fantastic. Or better, have BHTM start earlier than 11 pm.
Plus, this whole Tina Turner look-alike (not really when you see her close up as I did when she, Ike and Roger Nabor came by from backstage into the Hale Arena offices after Ike FINALLY stopped playing) is so wrong on oh so many levels. Not enough therapy out there for Ike to treat this problem.
I wonder if he beats her as well?
From: hchristopheratkcstar.com
To: sas9527athotmail.com
Subject: RE: American Royal column 10/6
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 13:16:49 -0500
Harsh, dude. Really, really harsh. Hey, but if that's your opinion, rock with it.
H
-----Original Message-----
From: scott stemmermann
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 2:26 PM
To: hchristopheratkcstar.com
Subject: RE: American Royal column 10/6
OK, maybe a bit too extreme given the last sentence. But my point was that this guy didn't deserve the ink he got from you. You can do better than this and so can the folks who put on the concert. Unless the budget was so tight, I find it hard to believe that another group/performer couldn't have been found that was a better fit for either the blues theme or as a compliment to the headliner.
Maybe as a musician of 20+ years I tend to have a critical eye, but even the majority of the crowd from my observance of their body language, actions, comments, and booing showed that Ike Turner was a huge bust.
From : hchristopheratkcstar.com
Sent : Wednesday, October 13, 2004 7:56 PM
To : sas9527athotmail.com
Subject : RE: American Royal column 10/6
I got you. You know, those blues society guys were high on him. I'll check
and see what they thought.
H
posted by scott at 3/01/2005
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