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This Week: Libertarians come back for more, popcorn movies are people too, Art Garfunkel deserves better. Plus: A reader's Led Zeppelin reference falls flatter than a sheet of death metal. Speaking of which?

Pastor of Muppets

I was a college DJ during the early 80s and witnessed the emergence of death metal out of the char pit. Back then, bands that played death metal, which I called speed metal, frightened me. Black metal is beyond my comprehension ("Books," 2/4). If black metal bands frightened me, what can be said of their followers? They can all vote. That's what people like Richard Perle are hoping for, you know?a national slide into chaos because they believe they got all the guns on their side. But like always, it is the consciousness of the gun-less that ultimately prevails at times like this, fulfilling a pattern that keeps repeating itself over and over again, or at least until the Earth finally gets it right.

Are Black Metal Days ahead for America? There might be that much at stake in this election. We're already seeing a softening of rhetoric out of the White House. Softening up, that is, until the election. Then it'll be black to business.

R.P. Stewart, Geneva, NY

Metal Fact Czech

Dudes, come on, you really should've given the Lords of Chaos reissue to someone who knows something about black metal ("Books," 2/4). Instead you give it to Mark Ames, a writer who embarrasses himself by miserably failing to forge some corollary between sensationalized media events that took place in Norway in the early 90s and the current political situation in the United States.

There are many problems with the first edition of Lords of Chaos, the least of which is the fact that the book offers only a desultory definition of the metal subgenres. The most hilarious part is when the authors attribute the rise of black metal to the "demise" of death metal. (What, you mean death metal is no more? That's news to me.)

But why bother grappling with the subtleties and evolution of black metal, the most intellectual subgenre of extreme music, when, in typical American fashion, we can just harp on all the dirty sensationalistic tidbits that are sure to sell a shitload of copies? Then again, authors Moynihan and Soderlind are journalists, not intellectuals, so we can excuse them for their inability to engage with the complexities of the music. Terrible writing aside, let's evaluate their fine journalistic integrity.

Although you won't learn this from Lords of Chaos, Darkthrone was one of the bands at the center of the scene the book supposedly chronicles. Perhaps sensing how the book would turn out, the members of the band refused to be interviewed. As a result, they are nearly omitted altogether from the text. When they do appear, the authors use them as fodder for their argument that black metal stems from a neo-fascist, white power ideology. This is not only a bad joke for anyone who's familiar with Darkthrone (and black metal in general), but a major insult considering the band's legacy. All because Darkthrone at the time encompassed a genuinely nihilistic worldview and didn't give a shit about media attention, blood or sensationalism?they didn't care about anything except black metal, the main subject that Lords of Chaos is unable to fairly assess.

For all the time spent making fun of black metal fans in his "review," Ames can't tell the difference between death metal and black metal beyond the superficial definitions offered in Moynihan's book. If he had any knowledge whatsoever on the subject, he could've discussed the evolution of the black metal sound/ideology since the publication of the first edition of Moynihan's book, and the fact that the initial blast of terrible noise emerging from the albums of bands like Mayhem, Emperor and Immortal has largely been diminished with the addition of keyboards, faggy vocals, formulaic riffs and overproduction?in short, a more "commercial" sound that bears little resemblance to the initial efforts of the modern black metal resurgence.

Or, Ames could've mentioned the fact that Varg Vikernes broke out of prison about a month before the revised edition of this book came out, easily fitting that in with his boring old cut-and-pasted discussion on the leniency of the Scandinavian prison system. Obviously, Ames wasn't even aware of this event.

Perhaps all of these tidbits are included in the new edition of Lords of Chaos. But after reading Ames' review, I have no idea how the revised edition stands in contrast to the first edition. Effectively, you guys printed a review of a book that was published six years ago without even realizing it.

Travis Jeppesen, Czech Republic

Zenith's Hack Attack

I'm glad Adam Bulger reported the racial slur by the Libertarians' media man ("Libertarians at the Gate," 1/28). Unfortunately it is standard procedure in the U.S. press to cover up the seamy underbelly of reality too often. (One example among thousands: Strom Thurmond's history of sexual assaults, such as pinching and pawing women in elevators, etc.)

Next I'd like to see an analysis of the psychology of the particular white men who gravitate towards Libertarianism.

Jason Zenith, Manhattan

Riff-Raff-Lover

As director of media relations for the Manhattan Libertarian Party, I'd like to thank you for your coverage of our convention ("Libertarians at the Gate," 1/28). While not all of us were pleased with everything that was written, we agreed that Adam Bulger stuck to the facts and told the truth throughout.

Joseph Dobrian, Manhattan

Suicide Central

I enjoyed Derek Davis' column, which inspired me to search out a tattered 1982 Ace paperback edition of Robert Chambers' The King in Yellow ("The Dustjacket," 1/14) at a public library. Those driven insane by the book, or just creeps in the know, should note that the suicide parlor in the story "The Repairer of Reputations," described by Chambers as being on Washington Square S. "between South Fifth Avenue and Wooster Street," was located exactly where the Bobst Library atrium is today.

Jon Goodnough, Hoboken

Art, Popped

Picking on Art Garfunkel? What the hell is wrong with you ("MUGGER," 1/28)? A guy who was part of an immensely popular music duo who has never said or done a bad thing in public gets popped on a misdemeanor pot possession, and you are gleeful?

As far as his career goes, he had a double- platinum album on his own, a couple of successful movies and evidently has enough bread to not worry about gigging at a Ramada. By the way, that popping sound you hear is Dennis Miller pulling his head out of Arnold's behind.

Sam Greenfield, Manhattan

Zep Check

Just read Adam Bulger's story on the Manhattan Libertarian Party ("Libertarians at the Gate, "1/28). I loved it. Seeing them through the eyes of a journalist was very instructive?almost like being there. It's a shame he didn't stick around for Jacob Sullum?he makes a lot of sense. It was kinda like writing about the roadies and warm-up bands but bailing before Led Zeppelin played; your readers almost undoubtedly missed the best part. Thanks for writing it.

Thomas B. Cox, Hillsboro, OR

The editors reply: As any real Zeppelin fan would know, Page & Co. rarely employed warm-up acts, as documented in Stephen Davis' Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga.

Spalding Gone Gray

Douglas Davis' love song to Spalding Gray was touching, despite a rather addled reference to Swimming to Cambodia as "a film that exposed the genocide in Cambodia" ("Rotation, 1/28). No film "exposed" the genocide, of course?the news was old hat by the time that film came out. I suspect Davis is confusing Swimming with The Killing Fields.

I used to be a fan of Gray's myself, though not so worshipful as Davis. What finally turned me off was Gray's surprisingly mean-spirited monologue It's a Slippery Slope, in which, in his patented "I'm just a lovable neurotic" manner, he celebrated his cheating on his longtime girlfriend and abandoning her for a younger woman. I began to think of Gray as a guy who'd been to the well a few times too often. The monologues, with their manufactured spiritual crises, had begun to sound formulaic, and the comic stories that Gray told on himself were stale and a little smug.

When I read, last summer, about his very public flirtation with suicide?he'd stood on a bridge in Sag Harbor and threatened to throw himself off until cops and a crowd had gathered?I was skeptical. The only way I'll believe that his latest disappearance isn't merely a stunt, designed to furnish him with both publicity and material for some future monologue, is if he actually turns up dead. Or, should he turn up alive, if he refrains from exploiting his latest adventure by adapting it into a stage performance for wide-eyed fans like Davis.

Simon Koeppel, Manhattan

You Say Spirit, We Say Spitten

Just a small grammatical correction to Adam Bulger's piece on Libertarians ("Libertarians at the Gate," 1/28). There is no "spitting image." The term is a contraction for "spirit and image" and thus pronounced "spi't 'n image" or, more popularly, "spittin image." Since there is no expectoration in the concept, the "g" at the end is misplaced.

Dave Howard, Round Rock, TX

Bleeding Hearts, Simple Minds

Why is it that any film on the mainstream radar is automatically dismissed? I have read critics in New York Press bash movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Lord of the Rings, both of which are landmarks in cinema. As a matter of taste, a person who has an extensive background in film history and technique would find movies like that of a quality less rich than others, but to actually deny movies like The Lord of the Rings their rightful credit is foolish.

It is impossible to deny that, technically speaking, The Lord of the Rings kicks the shit out of The Apu Trilogy ("DVDs," 1/28). The latter has certain things that the former does not, and vice-versa, but opinion cannot argue the one point on which Lord of the Rings gets most of its acclaim. It is a modern classic because it moves and engrosses millions and millions of people. Opinions aside, tapping into the common heart and mind is damned impressive, especially on such a massive level.

And to counter Armond White's final statement, it is not necessarily true that a somewhat intellectually exclusive narrative about society and family in India is even remotely as exciting as getting transported to another world for some kick-ass battle scenes.

Mike Bell, Tallahassee, FL

Perry Masonry

I was disappointed by Russ Smith's column this week. His usually sensible comments were drowned out by his unfortunate slur against Senator Edwards ("MUGGER," 1/28). He slurs Senator Edwards, a good man, for prying money away from reckless corporations and doctors.

I understand his prejudices. Trial lawyers are often lampooned in tv sitcoms and movies. It is understandable that someone could have a false impression of them as a profession, if that's all they were exposed to. But Smith is too old for that. Medical malpractice is very serious and victims should be compensated.

Tom Phillips, Manhattan

Hilliard Checks In

Michelangelo Signorile: Excellent article on the missing WMD?"That Hell-Bound Train"?a must-read for concerned citizens of any political stripe ("The Gist," 2/4).

Bill DeMuth, Hilliard, OH

Yeah, Yeah, Our Bad

Matt Taibbi: I recently discovered your column, became an instant fan, shared my discovery with friends and associates and eagerly await each new issue. But that will not dissuade me from my campaign to stamp out incorrect use of the phrase "beg the question" ("Cage Match," 2/4). Check it out. It means to evade or dodge the question; you know, what Scott McLellan does every time he opens his mouth.

Howard Meyers, Los Angeles

Bush Commission Accomplished

Something seems to be slipping by people: Intelligence gathering and analysis are functions of the executive branch ("The Gist," 2/4). The chief executive is responsible for their actions. So even if BushCo did not cook the books and it was the intel's fault, then the failure of intel agencies is the responsibility of Bush.

After all, he should have noticed something was wrong after the massive failure of 9/11 and done something to shake up the entire apparatus. Claiming "they gave me bad info" is no excuse. Either way, Bush screwed up big-time.

Jim Pittman, Queens

Tracy Takes On

Being one of those "traitors" who believed before the war that the information was bogus, I take no consolation in the fact that nothing has been found ("The Gist," 2/4). Better to be a "traitor" than to have 524 people dead, people that placed their lives in the hands of an administration that was more interested in being self-serving than being interested in the security of its own people.

Is this our next Watergate? I almost hope not; I want to get rid of Bush and his cronies, but are we better served by going through another impeachment investigation? The deaths of our beloved servicemen and -women brought on by this administration is treason to me. Very long jail terms is more than appropriate.

Carolle VanSomeren, Tracy, CA