While hearing the shocking and sudden news today of the immediate shutdown of the Boston Phoenix, and it's online radio counterpart WFNX.com, I'm constantly reminded that you don't know how much you really appreciate something or someone until it's really gone, and with the impending fate of WFNX.com ultimately decided earlier this afternoon, I'm at a loss of words for the first time in a while.
It sort of feels like a death to me in most ways. WFNX was like a friend that was constantly there with me through thick and thin, and always there to comfort me through the power of music. When WFNX went off the FM dial last summer, it was like a punch in the gut for me, but I was happy that they would make the transition to internet radio and it sort of breathed new life amid a constantly shifting and seismic industry. What I didn't expect to happen was to have the station be shut down altogether, and that has made me angry and bitter at times all throughout the course of the day, and has left me shell shocked that something like this could happen when we all thought that they would catch their second wind online and remain there for good, but we were all wrong.
One thing the pending demise of WFNX.com has done has made me look at the stature and connections I've established through the Boston music scene and the countless friends I've made through bands that I still keep in regular contact with to this day. I have been doing this blog for almost 3 and a half years now, struggling to find full time work and having had countless temp jobs in between, but my main job and passion remains this blog and always will be. I can assure you, my readers that this blog will never go away, and I'll always have a passion of delivering breaking music news as it happens, weekly Artist Spotlight features on breaking local Boston bands, and the occasional album review every now and then. I'll be picking up where WFNX left off and continue to deliver the latest about everything going on in the local Boston scene. I'll be at the upcoming Rock N' Roll Rumble taking place in a couple of weeks at TT the Bear's, and I look forward to meeting some of you guys there as I'll be covering it for the blog. WFNX will always be a part of me and it's inside every one of us and will continue to do so well long after the lights are out and after the party has long since ended. A new beginning has come, and I'm proud to bring you all along for the journey!
I basically thought, "I don't think I want to live here anymore," when I heard that The Phoenix and WFNX.com were also being taken away. What is happening to our creative city? Whether or not someone held the belief that it was a biased publication, it was a staple in the music and arts community. But I quickly came to the realization that we have this amazing local music scene that has been loading in amps, breaking guitar strings and producing relevant additions to Boston music every week for years. I say let's keep the original spirit of independent music alive by going to more local shows, buying merch, and discovering the absolute talent that comes from our neighborhoods. I hope that someone is able to stumble onto one of my, or any other music enthusiast's reviews, and become a fan of that band's music.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more Kristin! This blog will continue to honor the independent spirit that WFNX upheld for 30 years. Local Boston based music blogs will see even more site traffic with The Phoenix gone now.
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