Wednesday, September 10, 2008

2008 We Shot J.R. Awards

Ok people-- I'm sure you've all been fantasizing about this for months now, so I'll just tell you-- we're doing awards again.  The first year we tried them (2006), we had about 80 people cast their votes by replying in a comments section.  Last year, we got fucking fancy and decided to craft our own online ballot form, allowing for more than a 1000% increase in votes, thus annoying everyone more than ever before.  This year, we're doing something similar, but since we now dominate the music scene to a degree that no one ever anticipated, we're expecting this to be a real pain in the ass to count.

Just kidding. Kind of. We actually enjoy doing these things, and the only rational reason we have for doing them is that we are interested in what the more educated local music consumers think about our scene, and we think a lot of those people read and participate in this website, love it or hate it. We think this is a good opportunity for people to speak up about the music they like around here without dude bro Myspace bulletins and 1100 Springs getting in the way, and we hope that all of you take advantage of it.

But before you run off to vote, let me tell you a couple things first:

1.  Like last year, we will not permit anyone to vote more than twice within 15 minutes, nor more than 3 times in one day.  And how would we enforce such a rule, you ask?  Just trust me, we have a sure fire way of weeding out excess votes in a matter of seconds.  Just ask Matthew and the Arrogant Sea!

2. Other than that, you can vote however you'd like-- one category, all categories, whatever.  And you won't have to go through any bullshit registration to vote.  Just click on the link and get to it.

3.  And before you say it, the answer is YES, we do realize that some of the categories are problematic.  Coming up with a set of categories that are appropriately inclusive and as mutually exclusive as possible is a real pain, and we did what we could to make these categories as clear and as fair as we possibly could.  Of course, we're open to criticism and suggestions, but just know that we're aware of the imperfections of awards like this.  

4.  This year, we will NOT being having an Awards Party like we did last year, however, we do have some exciting things planned in connection with these awards, and we'll tell you all about our them after the awards are given out.  Which leads me to my final point:

5.  You have TWO WEEKS from this very moment, Thursday September 11th at 1249 AM, to vote.  At that point, voting will be shut down and we'll start counting them up. Here are the categories and the link to the ballot:

1. Best Band Overall
2. Best New Band (must have emerged in roughly the past twelve months)
3. Best DJ
4. Best New DJ
5. Best MC/Hip Hop Artist
6. Best Noise/Avant Garde
7. Best Metal (all sub genres)
8. Best Punk/Hardcore/Grindcore/Garage
9. Best Folk/Experimental Folk
10. Best Indie Pop
11. Best Solo Artist
12. Best Local Album or EP from the past 12 Months
13. Best Local Single from the past 12 Months (does not have to literally be a single)
14. Best Vocalist
15. Best Guitarist
16. Best Bassist
17. Best Drummer
18. Best Instrumentalist who doesn’t play guitar, bass or drums
19. Most Underrated Band
20. Best Live Show (Band, Solo Artist or DJ)
21. Best Use of Artwork (Either live or coinciding with record releases)
22. Best Sound Guy (or girl)
23. Best Promoter or Booking Agency
24. Best Local Spot to Record Music
25. Best Dressed Band
26. Worst Dressed Band
27. Worst Band Name
28. Best Local Music Journalist (OMG guys, thanks for thinking of us but we don’t count in this category)
29. Best We Shot JR Commenter
30. Best Local Music Blog Not Owned by A Major Media Corporation and Fine Line and that Phoreladelio or Whatever Don’t Count
31. Slimiest Scenester
32. How Old Were You When You Realized that D Magazine Actually Covers Local Music Better than the Dallas Observer?
33. Best Good Ol’ Fashioned Songwriter

Ballot

* Don't worry... we won't call anyone out in relation to item #31.

63 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

too many categories and not enough local bands good enough to even vote for.

7:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There should be a worst/best press photo category. The best/worst depending on your sense of humor because most press photos are hilarious. My favorite are the ones in front of Ridglea Theater.

7:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

good fun. not as in good records, of course...

9:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/dc9/2008/09/black_tie_dynasty_tones_down_h.php

9:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

there are enough local bands to vote for. You just don't go see any of them.

9:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

whats with the stupid cubes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULhlQr5g1yo

10:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This scene should be better than ballot stuffing "popularity" contests. 1100 Springs could win every section, and I could give a shit.

You really want to change the face of the DFW music scene? Advertise your blog somewhere around town. Hand out flyers at a Toadies/Foo Fighters/Jonas Brothers/Young Jeezy (read as Any) show or at the few record stores left. Put stickers on every Dallas Observer machine you can find. When you keep your scene out of the masses, you can't bitch because they don't care about bands you think are great(people reading the DO and voting for 1100 Springs). They don't have to stay "Dudebrahs" forever.

12:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

They do when they have two major dude brahs as their two main writers.

12:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't most people that read this blog play in local bands? People will just end up voting for themselves. lol

12:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Before anyone trots out the tired-old "Music isn't SPORTS or a Competetion", and "Thanks Coach!" shit let me just say that 1100 Springs deserves every award it's received and in their genre of choice they kick just about any other modern bands ass.

Are they more forward thinking than the Great Tyrant, Wanz's bands or even any of the ever-growing list of "quirky" Denton bands on the cover of the Quick? HELL no....but they are quite good at emulating the traditional Texas Country/Roots Music they love.

There are more obvious and deserving bands in DFW I'd trash before them.

Is it that outlandish that someone could enjoy them as well as Faux Fox?

I mean come on Dude-brah!!!

12:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who the hell are 1100 Springs?

I plan on voting for Farah in every category. EVERY.

And where is the best DIY venue category?

12:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

FLICKERSTICK!!!

12:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We wanted to put the DIY venues on par with any other kind of venue, so please feel free to vote for DIY venues for that category.

1:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Before anyone trots out the tired-old "Music isn't SPORTS or a Competetion", and "Thanks Coach!" shit let me just say that 1100 Springs deserves every award it's received and in their genre of choice they kick just about any other modern bands ass.

Are they more forward thinking than the Great Tyrant, Wanz's bands or even any of the ever-growing list of "quirky" Denton bands on the cover of the Quick? HELL no....but they are quite good at emulating the traditional Texas Country/Roots Music they love.

There are more obvious and deserving bands in DFW I'd trash before them.

Is it that outlandish that someone could enjoy them as well as Faux Fox?

I mean come on Dude-brah!!!

1:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe I am blind but I don't see the venue category.

1:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Flickerstick! Forgot all about them. Are they still around? Touring with The Feds, maybe?

1:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You aren't blind, Chad. For some reason we omitted it on our final draft, but we are adding it as we speak.

1:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yeah definitely no venue cateGOREy

1:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fuck Flickerstick, I'm voting for Jibe's "Color" for single of the year. Thanks Static Orange!

2:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the venue category is now added.

2:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good Gawd.

What a gargantuan load of horse manoo.

3:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you guys suck
Toby Keith Forever!

3:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

best new band is the cocky americans. and why is there a most underrated band but not a most overrated band category? overrated sounds more fun

3:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

good gawd is right. boy, citizen polack is just that, is'nt he?

o.k. it's official: dude brah needs to go HOME. NOW.

3:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

best venue my brain

3:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 1:42.

I'm sure you'll come around to my way of thinking once you realize that you're caught up in a fatuous web of Bullshit, and synthetic pants.

Fuck you?

3:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

please announce winner of Q # 31

4:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

have you guys considered using this plugin for polls?

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-polls/

It's a great tracker and has some limitations in place to keep people from over voting. Look into it. Easy free plugin

5:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

god that took forever

VOTE FOR DAMAGED GOOD$ Y'ALL!!!!!!!!

5:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

no thanks, etc...

5:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nope

5:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

no, citizen polack. fuck you..

please keep all synthpant comments to yerself, m'k?

5:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm voting for the toadies!!

5:34 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm voting for Hell Yeah!

And I wanna free lap dance out of it at the Lodge!

5:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

god i love that

5:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Look everyone people like me.

6:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

is there a promoter that isnt a total cock

6:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

to promote = to sell out



next.

7:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

what is selling out?

7:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

who gives a shit, who gives a fuck

7:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Selling Out 101
Selling out refers to the compromising of one's integrity, morality and principles in exchange for money, 'success' or other personal gain. It is commonly associated with attempts to increase mass appeal or acceptability to mainstream society. A person who does this, as opposed to following the original path s/he laid (or claimed to lay) out for him/herself, is labeled a sellout and regarded with disgust and immediate loss of respect. Selling out is seen as gaining success at the cost of credibility.
In various political movements, such as the communist and anarchist movements, a "sellout" is someone or some group who pretends to adhere to a sincerely pro-working class ideology, only to follow these claims up with actions that directly contradict them and that may even go so far as to actually or implicitly support capitalism. It could also apply to a revolutionary group who claims to fight for the people of a country but acts far different upon coming to power, mostly because the covert goal of the revolution was not to benefit the people of the nation, but for the national government to be overthrown so the revolutionary leaders could have all the perks and prestige of being in power.

continue your lesson at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selling_out

8:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

and I'll set you freeeeee......

9:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Off the top of my head the most glaring categorical omissions:

There's no category for any kind of rock bands that aren't specifically garage/punk or metal or pop ... and no category for any roots-influenced acts at all unless they are solo acts or "good old fashioned songwriters"

I don't know if you guys did it on purpose, but you really narrowed the universe here

9:20 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

so if person a lays a path of being a good promoter, follows that path, doesn't lose any credibility in their success, are they still selling out?

10:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yep

10:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

steve, you rock!

10:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

8:03pm doesn't meet any of the criteria of a sell out

10:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

promoting your shows is not selling out, being a promoter is taking advantage of the bands(by taking a cut) ,the audience(who now has to go see the band at a shitty venue that no one else will be at/know about).Cut out all the middle men! High school kids are better promoters than all these chumps!

10:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

chump chump biggity bump

10:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"i will surely win!"

12:23 PM  
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3:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

promoters are leeches

4:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How pathetic is it that a lengthy Paris Hilton spam post holds more weight and entertainment value than at least 95% of the idiotic posts here? Why can't anyone ever contribute something meaningful around here? Do you really have to bitch and put down everything you're not into constantly to feel better about yourselves? I feel bad for you.

And I can think of something worse than sellouts.....people who constantly accentuate the anti-sellout religion. Such a true integrity only makes the choice for himself and realizes that your brands of criticism are a waste of time and energy. You're just as bad, from a different direction. Anti-flock is still just another flock after all. And why isn't selling out applied in other facets of daily life? Such as your normal day job/career for example. Perhaps because most of you always crying sellout would be just as guilty? Think about it....

Oh, and someone quoting a wiki page about selling out has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever seen on this blog. Seriously!

5:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

actually, its spelled embarrassed. seriously..

11:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the fuck you'll win, potato.

-the 'real' winner...

11:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you are saying the only thing I missed was an unimportant "s"....I'd agree. Correct spelling and/or grammar only limits original thought btw.

5:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hardly. dumbass..

7:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

andy timmons

brave combo

sack n save

1:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

meeting of the minds going on in here....

Sure, some promoters are leeches, but some promoters are just guys who have a weekly and instead of just playing themselves every week and making yet another weekly about me me me, they decide to invite other talent to come and do their thing, and be a part of something bigger than any one band/dj. That's not the definition of a leech, quite the opposite.

8:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

meeting of the minds going on in here....

Sure, some promoters are leeches, but some promoters are just guys who have a weekly and instead of just playing themselves every week and making yet another weekly about me me me, they decide to invite other talent to come and do their thing, and be a part of something bigger than any one band/dj. That's not the definition of a leech, quite the opposite.

8:40 PM  
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is it?

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