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Fresh from reading Bill Holdship’s article on Prince I am left with mixed emotions.

I am a white, 18-year-old female and consider Prince to be a very sexy man and talented performer, despite the fact that “Prince doesn’t appear to be a very nice person,” “depicts women as sexual slaves” and steals his moves from James Brown. I have to tell you, in my opinion (and I doubt I am alone in this) a good part of the attraction is his rude, sexy and pornographic lyrics and appearance. When he does that thing he does on the speaker during “Darling Nikki,” I creem in my panties. I have a boyfriend but he could never make me feel the way Prince makes me feel when he says: “I wanna**“you so bad it hurts.”

Prince is dripping sex from every pore. Prince is equally arousing and adorable whether listening to him or just looking at him. What I’m saying is he’s using his best asset— sexuality—to its fullest and rolling in the bucks. And I’m not ashamed to say I’ve fallen under his splendid purple spell.

If Mr. Holdship thinks his article is going to make Prince fans see the star in an unattractive, different light, he’s wrong. I mean, what do I care if Prince isn’t a nice person, if he treats women like objects and takes more from his fans than he gives—whether it be true or not. I have nothing to do with Prince on a personal level, nor will I ever (I do have my fantasies, though), like most of the people who read your magazine. It doesn’t affect me, so I could give a shit about his imperfections. I buy his records, own my own video copy of Purple Rain and saw him in concert twice—all for my own enjoyment. I’m not a bit concerned about how Prince lives or treats women or his peers.

I must admit that one part of Mr. Holdship’s article struck home...the part about his fans constantly apologizing for him. Sometimes I find myself doing exactly that to my non-Princefan friend. She’ll say something like: “Prince is stuck up,” and I say: “No, no, he’s just shy.” I’ll see Prince the way I want to see him, regardless of what Mr. Holdship says about him. If you can’t say something nice about the Purple Prince, don’t say anything at all.

The Purple Princess

Somewhere In Illinois

KEEPING UP WITH THE HO’SHIPS

Hats off to Bill Holdship for his article on Prince. I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been a Prince fan since the Dirty Mind LP, and although I think he is a genius musically, his personality leaves a lot to be desired. He professes a strong love of God; people who love God don’t treat other people the way he does. I hope for his sake he sees the light and instead of being a STAR, he becomes a person.

Cindy Yarbrough

Cary, NC

Bill Holdship, your write-up on Prince will likely get that forseen hate mail. But you know what? I thought you wrote a very interestino piece there. I liked it. My grandmother liked it as I read it out loud to her yesterday during commercial breaks in General Hospital. (It’s getting good again right now.)

I think you hit the marks just right on this guy. For all his flash (I’d add flesh, but it’s so boring), I’ve never sensed much soul or a true sensitivity and kindness about this guy. You’re exactly right, Daryl: He ain’t a very nice guy to me, either.

But I’ll give him credit for the way he makes the music whip and whirl around. I have only two Prince albums and they’re not his up front. Sheila E. is very enjoyable, and Vanity 6 is so good it hurts that there is only that one album to have. I’m nuts about it.

My little sister adores Prince. Heck, for a moment, I was apologizing for the guy, too. Ten points for pointing that one out. Ten points for everything. You “dared” good.

Karen Goldsmith

Salinas, CA

THIS GARMENT’S ALL WET

Bill Holdship: I’d like 2 know who U think U RH Prince is the biggest and the best singer and star ever 2 be born. U R just plain jealous.

Prince’s Purple Raincoat

Milwaukee, Wl

PAWS FOR KRYPTO’S VIEWS

Boy, am I glad I finally decided to get another issue of CREEM. Your recent issue (May, ’85) finally reaffirmed my belief that there’s more than a growing dislike for heavy metal bands. Thank you so much for the article by Mrs. Finn—in almost every case I can agree with her dislikes (except U2 and the Alarm, but everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, no matter how wrong it might be). Plus, the letters from your readers seemed a little more intelligent than the last time I read your mag.

Heavy metal’s on the decline: God, we need some coverage of bands who are doing something a little more outspoken than leather and steel. So can I hope that June will be an even better month on the musical front? Personally, no. It takes a long time for change— unfortunately, it can’t happen overnight. Thanks at least for showing me there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I just hope it’s not Night Ranger’s train.

Margie Pargie

Lonely In Japan

What’s with all the heavy metal?? No more! Would you kindly go back to writing about real bands instead of bands like W.A.S.P., Motorhead, Ratt and Kiss? What happened to your morals?

BeLynda Bailey

St. Louis, MO

(Mushrooms! Yum!—Ed.)

QUITTERS: BAD AMERICANS!

You know, I hate to say it, but I am really disappointed with your magazine. I have been a faithful reader, ever since I picked up my first issue back in October of ’82.1 really liked your magazine, it was funny. You looked at rock and kept it amusing. But now it’s almost trash. I mean, it didn’t bother me reading about heavy metal bands in every issue, even though I don’t like it. They were usually funny. But your jokes about religion and about God have gotten to a point that I had to write and say something.

And John Mendelssohn! I loved reading his column...until I read your June issue. The remarks he made about patriotism and not caring about this country really bothered me a lot.

It may seem odd, but some of us do care, and I think he was totally off line in his Eieganza column!

I’m sorry to say goodbye, because you’ve been a monthly staple of mine for a long time. But if this is what it’s going to be like from now on, I think I’ll quit now.

A Reader

Clarkston, Ml

MOTHER DRUTHERS!

How appropriate that your May issue was full of “Mothers,” from Mrs. Pearcy to Anastasia Finn to Richard Riegel, but where was John Mendelssohn?? I would like to address both Mrs. P. and Mrs. F.

First to Mrs. Pearcy: I never thought that I could feel more embarrassed for your son than I did the night I saw him in concert (I mean how would you feel if during a show two-thirds of the audience stood around talking to their friends and then most of them left before the band came back on stage for their encore), but I do. How could you humiliate your son in front of all of the people who read GREEM—and there are many of us. While I am not a fan of Ratt, I am a fan of Motley Crude and I loved the article that has you so upset. I read it several times and laughed until I cried. CREEM is a magazine full of sarcasm (look it up in the dictionary). For Christ’s sake, lady, where is your sense of humor?? With a son like Stephen Pearcy you surely need one. It is always better to laugh than cry.

Now to Mrs. Finn: First note that this letter is not written on “three-hole notebook paper.”

I am not upset with your article because I agree with most of it, but after reading it carefully I have come to the conclusion that Anastasia Finn is a pseudonym for either Kevin DuBrow or Gene Simmons, or maybe both of them. (I am sure that Gene could have helped Kevin with the spelling.) The insults sound like they came directly from Mr. DuBrow’s mouth and all of the sexual garbage sounds like Mr. Simmons. And I am sure that at least once in their lives they have both been called “mothers.”

A last note to Richard Riegel (I called him a mother after reading his brief review of Armored Saint): Are you sure that you have the right band? A.S. are short, ugly as hell and have no musical talent at all!!!

Sharon T. Tackett

Columbus, OH

(As to where Mendelssohn was, we wouldn’t be surprised if he was helping DuBrow and Simmons hone their “Mrs. Finn” persona.—Ed.)

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR TOILET SEAT?

Oooo-weeell! I doff my Stetson in mute admiration to y’all for having the mind-boggling effrontery to print that May 1985 cover story. (Calling Ratt “dorks” on the front cover, no less. Boy, is Mrs. Pearcy gonna be mad at you guys.) Talk about biting the hand that feeds! Surely your circulation demographers warned you that the very people whose taste you skewered are the ones who plunk down the grubby coin that pays your operating expenses. No doubt the literate heavy metal fans of the world (all three of them) are pulling out their Big Chief tablets to scrawl their hate-filled letters of abuse. But for those of us whose taste hasn’t climbed up our assholes, we applaud CREEM for recognizing that principles take precedent over sundry incidentals like profit/loss statements and the threat of bankruptcy.

Ms. Finn’s selections were all eminently deserving of the honor. Except maybe Ratt, who aren’t bad so much as banal. They look like something Steven Tyler had cloned en masse out at the Punky Meadows Lip Farm in between Aerosmith tours. But as for the rest, there’s no argument. Motley Crue is warmedover Kiss played for and by brain-damaged morons. (Which isn’t to imply that Kiss is particularly highbrow; by comparison the Crue makes them look like Rhodes scholars.) And just when you thought that the cesspool of bad taste has been plumbed to its very depths, along comes a group of douche bags like W.A.S.P. that make you realize the uncharted fathoms may well be infinite. Makes you shudder to think where it might all end, hmm? Snuff rock?

Sad to say, there isn’t much that can be done to counteract the current musical dark ages. Let’s face facts: any civilization with obscenity laws so lenient that conceptual abortions like Crue and W.A.S.P. can worm in under them isn’t about to do anything at this late date. CREEM does worthy battle with the most effective weapon at hand—industrialstrength sarcasm. They want to be taken as macho badasses? Laugh at the stupid fools instead. Ridicule their two-chord repertoires. Hoot at their gay bar clothing and eyeliner. Howl at their artistic pretentions. (Nikki Sixx a “good”songwriter? Ha! I can more easily imagine Carl Sagan as a flat-earther.) Chortle at their priapic posturings. With any luck at all, our collective shouts of glee will be loud enough to drown out the cacophony that spews from their amplifiers.

Heavy metal fans who found their favorites unjustly maligned should reread the diatribe in question. Note the inclusion of no-wavers Senor Sneer (Billy Idol) and tinsel tits (Dale Bozzio) as evidence that Ms. Finn’s stark fist of wrath fell impartially across musical categories. But that’s the thing I’ve always liked best about CREEM.

Rich Hall

Houston, TX

ONLY GOD IS GOOD!

Having read (OK, OK, correction—thumbed through) CREEM for the last 10 years I can’t believe I actually found an issue I read cover to cover. What the hell happened?

The Mail Section actually had a couple of letters that were readable; Rock ’n’ Roll News actually had a couple of interesting tidbits. The feature articles on Lennon, W.A.S.P. and Foreigner were pretty good... especially Kordosh and Sylvie Simmons (not only can they write, but they’re humorous, tool). What more can you ask for?

I’d like to tell John Mendelssohn that not everyone can or even should wear extravagant stage clothes. Some guys just aren’t “suited” for spandex pants, ruffles, lace, jewelry or make-up. I mean, can’t you just see Springsteen or Seger or Bryan Adams strutting across the stage in the above? Of course not! There are still some guys who actually don’t mind looking like guys, and jeans, T-shirts and boots get the job done. Anyways, what’s the clothes got to do with the music? If I want to see a fashion show I’ll get a copy of Vogue.

Back to the original purpose of this letterthanks for a good issue. June gets a solid B + in my book (could have gotten an A if you had printed something on Michael Bolton). That’s a hint for upcoming issues. Keep up the good work.

Jeanie Wrenn Blower

Fairfield, OH

(We’d like to print something on Michael Bolton, but paper seems so much more practical.—Ed.)

REALLY!

Could you please tell me where and when the Backstage photos (in the June ’85 issue) of the members of Motley Crue, Ratt and Bon Jovi were taken? I’d really appreciate it.

Raven Cristi

Madison, Wl

(C’mon...you think we’d actually print photos of their members?? Kids read this magazine, too.—Ed.)

CUD IT OUT!

Hey!! What is it with you guys??? A really intelligent issue (July ’85). Except for Mendelssohn’s column it was great. (J.M.’s column in the June issue was the best thing in the entire mag, but in July he made no sense at all until the last five paragraphs. More on this later.)

I am astonished! An intelligent and thoughtful article on a so-called heavy metal group, Iron Maiden. You really do buy freelance articles; no one on your staff could have written that! If this continues may I please interview Kevin DuBrow, everyone’s favorite head (banger)???

THREE CHEERS for Bill Holdship, for his brilliant article exposing that sexist pile of bullshit, otherwise known as Prince!! Sexism has always been a part of most rock, but I think most of it is just image. For example, Gene Simmons has been giving us tasteful little numbers like “Fits Like A Glove” & “Burn Bitch, Burn” for years. I didn’t think he could be like that in real life or Cher would have killed him and not just dumped him. Prince flaunts his attitudes in real (?) life. GOOD JOB BILL!!!

Lest we get too gooey here: Your “Cars of the Stars” with Motley Crudes’ Tommy Lee (by the way, did Prince do his wardrobe?) was really tasteless, even for you. Enough said.

Last but not least, also regarding Motley Crude; I am sending Nikki Sixx the last five paragraphs of the July Eleganza. Do you think he will understand it and take the hint? Do you think he can read it?? (My money is on Nikki, but I wouldn’t bet the farm.)

Not really a farmer (or a cowman). Shouldn’t that be cowperson?

Sharon Tackett

Columbus, OH

GETTING CROSS WITH US?

I would like to start by congratulating you for the June ’85 issue that included “STRYPER’S” record advertisement. That was probably a hard decision to make for your publisher. After all, what is the public going to think of “America’s Only Rock’n’Roll Mag”? I say that was very bold. I’ve been reading your magazine for a couple of years now, and it hasn’t really offered me anything, except what every other rock mag offers. When I read Billy Altman’s Rock-a-Rama review of Stryper’s debut EP, I thought that I would never again see Stryper’s name printed in your magazine, but I was wrong. You printed a better review by J. Kordosh, then in ROCK-SHOTS (June issue), I saw the faces of Stryper! What is happening? Is this magazine actually going to do something that requires a little guts? I mean, it’s a lot easier to keep on writing about bands that like singing about sex, drugs, rock’n’roll, Satan, and death, than it is to write about a band who doesn’t sing about those same stagnant themes, but choose to shout about The One Lord, Jesus Christ. I don’t know whose caption that was, that was printed next to the photo insert (ROCK-SHOTS), but whoever wrote it...open your eyes and see the Truth! I don’t know if you’re one of those people who believe that Satan Rules heavy metal, but let me say one thing, he doesn’t. It’s plain as day and night. He can’t even compete in the same league...HEAVENLY METAL for the people! Like the words that are in big, bold, yellow letters on the back of Bobb Sweet’s drum seat, JESUS CHRIST ROCKS!!

Let’s get some courage and step out of the crowd...be different from the rest who are too concerned about what the people are going to think. Let’s see some articles that only pioneering magazines write about. O.K? I know you guys can do it. Look, the first issue of Spin covered the very controversial subject and it literally sold out in a few weeks. I can’t say that it is directly related to the article, but I can say that their approach is fresh, upfront, and uncompromised. They’re not afraid to cover topics that other mags don’t even dare to touch. That is what I call a smart magazine. To be better than the competition, you must be one who isn’t afraid to cover these new trends. If you really got some guts, you’ll even print this in your letter section. So let’s see it. Com’on Rock! Thanx!!

Jay Liu

Kaneohe, HA W