I first met Lee Valentine Smith on the Internet - through myspace.com, actually. While poking around I noticed his Monkees icon and as a Monkees fan myself just had to find out who this person was. Turns out, we moved in the same circles - that being the Athens music scene, though neither of us live in Athens any longer. I realized I had probably read his stuff in Creative Loafing amongst many other publications and as a music lover I was curious to find out how he got into writing about music and what's the deal with the Bangles, anyway? (banner photo credit: Sonia Perrine) (This interview originally ran on Scribblet Magazine sometime in 2006).

In the middle of the road, but decidedly left-of-center. Out on Highway 61. Photo by Lyle Bufkin

Yeah, really. Well, I love music but I''d also like to write about politics and movies. Actually, I was originally offered a column on the Op-Ed page at the first paper foolish enough to entertain the notion of hiring me. One of my journalism teachers in college also worked for the Gainesville Times and, even though I made a D in her class (gasp!), she offered me a job. And that shows you what kinda quality paper it is. Actually, she offered the job as a direct result of a very passionate letter I sent upon receiving the grade in the mail. I sent a long, sobbing note - “How could you do this to me?!?” That kinda thing. And to really sell it, I dropped water on it and drew arrows to the stains, pointing out the flow of tears. That was back when people wrote letters and mailed them at the Post Office (most of those “post offices” are now Starbucks or flea markets).

I should note that she said she gave me the D because I didn’t do what she wanted me to do, not because I sucked. At least that’s the way I remember it. She liked what I turned in; she just didn’t assign it that way. This same “do whatever I want and explain it later” method always worked in art class, so I was quite disappointed when it didn’t translate to journalism. Normally I got A’s in Language Arts, English or Creative Writing (or whatever ya call ‘em) classes. Math was where I usually received Ds. But I was no stranger to writing, no sir. I was editor of my high school paper for one quarter (fondly referred to as the 3 months no sports scores were reported and no popular people were mentioned, but plenty of movie and record news - and cartoons – were included).  

So anyway, she got the tear-stained letter and called me, asking if I’d come to the office for a job interview! The idea was to give me a space to write about politics or anything I wanted to talk about. But during the initial interview, someone handed her a press release about the upcoming Mike Love (lead singer of the Beach Boys) concert at Lake Lanier Islands. She said no one there had any interest in it and she asked me if I wanted to interview him. Naturally, I said yes. The concert was held just down the road from where I first became aware of rock and roll music on am radio when I was a little kid. The resulting story ran on the front page! (It must have been a =really= slow news day.) I was excited and my father was very proud. I continued writing music features for them and I helped create an Access Atlanta-type tabloid for that same paper - and the rest is a blur! Really, it was either this or retail and I hate people so…

Lee at Sun Records/Studio in Memphis. Elvis sang on this very spot. Bob Dylan kissed the floor. Smith just laughed at both of them. Photo by L. Bufkin

4. Douglas Coupland wrote in "The Observer" that "Music writers are the most passionate and evil and adoring of all writers." Do you agree and if so, how do you feel you''ve instilled one or all three into your writing?
Yes. Generally, people who write about music are very opinionated, very passionate and VERY protective of “their” music. I am, too. A lot of my stuff in the publications is watered down and somehow compromised. I can be very passionate about the topic and I can be a huge pain, too. If you want to know what I really think, ask me in person. Short version: everything sucks -- unless there’s a girl in the band. And what does Douglas Coupland know, anyway? Screw everybody. I’m tired of everything. (How’s that for passionate and evil?)

5. Do you blog anywhere and if so, where might we find you?
I have a blog called Valentine’s Day, but it’s blank at the moment. It’s gonna go into my website soon. And I have a mean-spirited blog on my My Space site. It’s not for children or whiny musicians (same thing). I don’t do much for free anymore, life’s too short.

6. Who are some of the musicians you''ve interviewed? Have there been any that have been really intimidating or ones that you were horribly nervous to interview? Are there any that you haven''t interviewed that you''d like to?
I’ve interviewed a lot of people. Ray Charles, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Robert Plant, Tony Bennett, Chuck Berry, a lot of the architects of music history and some country pioneers, too. The absolute most nervous I’ve ever been before an interview was when I was preparing to call Micky Dolenz last year. I was so freaked out I didn’t think I could do it! But I did, and it was great fun.  

I’d love to talk to Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Cher and Madonna (not at the same time, of course).

I’d like to go on a date with Jane Fonda. Or Cher. Or Drew Barrymore. (Or all at the same time.)  

Worst interview: Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes, but who cares? The Black Crowes are worthless.

7. Tell us about some of the cool swag you''ve received over the years.
I save almost everything, so I have a lot of stuff. Billy Bob Thornton gave me his Monkees t-shirt and Beatles Fan Club Christmas record, and those things mean a lot to me. I have a very large collection of Monkees memorabilia, a lot of Athens-related items including one of Pylon''s guitars, as seen in the movie "Athens, GA. Inside/Out." Many, many setlists, way over 400. Also in the vault: ’60s movie posters, Bangles’ clothes, the Go-Go’s “We’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” banner. A “Laugh-In” script and a lot of crazy ’60s stuff.

8. What would your deserted island collection of music look like? (List at least 5 items)
I have a top faves list, it hasn’t changed in years.

Albums:

• The Monkees “Headquarters” (1967) Colgems
• Rockpile “Seconds Of Pleasure” (1980) F-Beat/Columbia
• The Go-Go’s “Beauty And The Beat” (1981) IRS
• The dB’s “Like This” (1985) Bearsville
• Bob Dylan “Highway 61 Rev.” (1965) and/or “Bringing It All Back Home” (1965) Columbia
• The Beatles “Revolver” or “Rubber Soul” (1965) Capitol/EMI
• REM “Life’s Rich Pageant” (yes, there was a time when they didn’t suck) IRS
• The Bangles “All Over The Place” or “Different Light” (1984, ’86) Columbia
• Dr. Feelgood “Case Of The Shakes” (1979) United Artists/Stiff
• The Smithereens “Green Thoughts” (1986) Capitol
• Let’s Active “Big Plans For Everybody” (1986) or “Afoot” (’83) IRS
• The B-52’s “Nude On The Moon” or first album (1979) Warner
• Early, pre-moustache Sonny and Cher, maybe “Wondrous World Of” (1966) Atco
• Guadalcanal Diary “2 x 4” and/or “Flip Flop” (1988) Elektra
• Paul Revere and the Raiders “Hard And Heavy (With Marshmallow),” “Revolution,” and “Spirit of ’67” (1967) Columbia
• Lovin’ Spoonful “Daydream” (1966) Kama Sutra
• Nick Lowe “Labour Of Lust” and Dave Edmunds “Repeat When Necessary” (recorded at the same time) (1979) Columbia/Swan Song
• Pylon “Gyrate” (1980) DB Recs 
• Ringo Starr “Ringo” (1973) and “Ringo’s Rotogravure” (1977) Apple/Atlantic
• They Might Be Giants “Don’t Let’s Start” ep Bar/None (1986)
• The Cucumbers “Who Betrays Me” (1986)
• Ennio Morricone “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” (1966) United Artists
• The Mama’s And The Papa’s “If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears” (1966) Dunhill
• The Ramones, self-titled. (1976) Sire

• The Moto-Litas “For The Greater Good” and/or “Talk Your Way Out Of This” Daemon
• Young Antiques “Wardrobe For A Jet Weekend” self-released

Lee with Peter Tork Even jaded ol'' rock writers have heroes. Smith hanging out with Peter Tork of The Monkees, April 2006. Photo by Hillary Meister

 Singles:

• “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” Nancy Sinatra
• “Psychotic Reaction” Count Five
• “Stuck In the Middle With You” Steelers Wheel
• “Will It Go Round In Circles” Billy Preston
• “Crickets” Squalls
• “Crazy/M-Train” Pylon
• “Wow, Mini ep” Oh Ok
• “Lust For Life” Iggy Pop
• “Little Girl” Syndicate Of Sound
• “Classical Gas” Mason Williams

9. What would be your response to someone who tells you music writers are frustrated musicians?
I’d agree, at least in my case. I’d certainly love to be in a band. I’ve had a taste of it and I absolutely love it. I’ve been an on-stage guest with several bands. I’ve found that some real musicians are so uptight about such overrated activities as “tuning” and “playing the right chords.” Geez, some of them are so anal! But being a music writer is a way of being a part of the show, and in many ways, it’s equally important as the performer. If you do it right, it is. Performers and writers should be partners and co-exist peacefully, running toward each other in slow motion in a sunlit field of spring daisies and clover. It’s a great way to see the behind the scenes stuff but it can ruin your enjoyment of music if you’re not careful. I’ve learned a lot from seeing “behind the curtain.” Some of what you see is good and some things will make you hate music and everything connected to it. I waver between both worlds every day -- but I stay for the free beer.   

10. Give us a recommendation for some music that we might not have heard about, forgotten about, or something you just love to death you can''t get enough of.
Barbara Ann’s “Ode To My Freaks” is an overlooked classic. I really am discovering the hidden charms of The 1910 Fruitgum Company and all of that late ’60s stuff on Buddah.

I can’t get enough of Melanie, Maria Muldaur, Linda Ronstadt and all of those early ’70s hippie girls on Warner Brothers records. And anything related to The Monkees, of course. Micky’s singles are hard to find, but good. Really, all their solo stuff is very different and musically interesting.

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