Much has been made of the connection of the Phoenix with various subcultures in greater Boston. When I moved to Boston 40 years ago, it was a very cool publication. The main loss for me now is its fearless reporting, lefty political voice and, most of all, the voice of Lloyd Schwartz, who wrote so beautifully for the culture subculture.
My wife and I met through a personal ad she put in the Boston Phoenix almost 30 years ago. Of course, there are many other way to meet like that today. Still, with the news that the Phoenix is out of business, I'm feeling that a picture of us from the early days will be starting to fade, as with Marty in "Back to the Future".
Huh. When I interviewed at the Chicago Reader back in 1989, I was asked if a clone of myself walked in and wanted the job, why would he hire me over my clone? I ended up getting the job over my clone. But that was the best interview question I've ever been asked. Not "Where I wanted to be in 5 years" which was ended up being a 17 year run with them. Viva la gratis!
Like Nahant Jim above, I arrived in Boston 40 years ago. The Phoenix represented the post-Woodstock crowd, the mid-Baby Boomers as they began to flex their muscles. It had funk AND cool, virtually impossible to find today. Recently, I would go to its web site for music listings, because I trusted the Phoenix. Now I feel as if there is no rag to trust. And I mourn.
Comments
Much has been made of the connection of the Phoenix with various subcultures in greater Boston. When I moved to Boston 40 years ago, it was a very cool publication. The main loss for me now is its fearless reporting, lefty political voice and, most of all, the voice of Lloyd Schwartz, who wrote so beautifully for the culture subculture.
My wife and I met through a personal ad she put in the Boston Phoenix almost 30 years ago. Of course, there are many other way to meet like that today. Still, with the news that the Phoenix is out of business, I'm feeling that a picture of us from the early days will be starting to fade, as with Marty in "Back to the Future".
Huh. When I interviewed at the Chicago Reader back in 1989, I was asked if a clone of myself walked in and wanted the job, why would he hire me over my clone? I ended up getting the job over my clone. But that was the best interview question I've ever been asked. Not "Where I wanted to be in 5 years" which was ended up being a 17 year run with them. Viva la gratis!
Like Nahant Jim above, I arrived in Boston 40 years ago. The Phoenix represented the post-Woodstock crowd, the mid-Baby Boomers as they began to flex their muscles. It had funk AND cool, virtually impossible to find today. Recently, I would go to its web site for music listings, because I trusted the Phoenix. Now I feel as if there is no rag to trust. And I mourn.
"It came to feel thick-tongued and comfortable", this from the editor of Esquire, purveyor of soft porn, mysoginist imitation journalism?
"Was" is the operative word. Not everything Boomers created will last, thank God. Doubtful anyone under will notice.
I knew about The Phoenix before I ever thought of moving to Boston. We all suffer a big loss with the death of this publication.