1998 Dallas Observer Music Awards

The Dallas Observer does not exist to create a local music scene, not even to foster one: It's survival of the fittest out there, baby, and audiences will pony up the dough regardless of a few kind or harsh words in a newspaper. (After all, Deep Blue Something and Jackopierce seemed to make rather nice careers out of sucking.) Rather, we like to think of ourselves as a conversation-starter, a place where the debate begins; if you dispute our opinions, the customer is always right.

Below, you will find our assessments of 63 local bands and musicians, and it's not important whether you agree or disagree with them. In fact, it's better that you don't--they're our opinions, not yours. You may well love Pimpadelic or despise Little Jack Melody. Terrific. Go right ahead. We won't judge.

Indeed, the annual Observer Music Awards exist to allow you the opportunity to vote your conscience and your penchants. Prove us right, wrong, or just irrelevant--we dare you. But take note: The list of nominees below, and the Music Awards ballot located somewhere in this supplement, does not begin to reveal the depth of talent in this town. Any best-of ballot that does not include Brave Combo's name anywhere on it is incomplete; any ballot that does not offer Bedhead, Cafe Noir, Ronnie Dawson, Cowboys and Indians, or the now-defunct UFOFU as choices in the Best Act Overall category offers only a small portion of choices. That is why we offer you the opportunity to write in alternatives for the Music Awards--to correct the, uh, all-knowing nominating committee's oversights, to make right the historical wrongs of an award never presented to the Kadane brothers or Blond Bomber.

The capsules presented on the following pages offer only a fraction of the musicians who make up the Dallas music community. We're giving you a primer and nothing more. Whether you're voting talent or taste, consider that when you check off the box for best whatever.

--Robert Wilonsky

1998