Everett True's real name, by the way, is Jerry Thackeray, and he also spent some time in Seattle as music editor for the Stranger, possibly inspiring more hate-letters than any other Stranger staff member. Famous for his boastful belief that Nirvana's success in the UK was a product of his oh-so-discerning, impeccable taste.

Whether one likes Everett's writing or not, it is noteworthy for a number of reasons. He forces the intelligent reader to question the basis of rock journalism (though perhaps it is not so much Everett, per se, but the jarring contrast of seeing traditional American journalism side by side with a member of the notorious British music press). The reader is forced to confront the notion that the purpose of rock journalism is not to inform readers, or any other purpose you could name except to sell papers (or ads, or what have you -- generate revenue, is the point).

Everett wrote remarkably, unabashedly self centered prose (during his tenure at the Stranger, which is admittedly most of my exposure to his writing), in pieces like "Everett chats with himself about the Go-Gos", or "DAYS AND NIGHTS OF NOSTALGIA : Everett True's Diary of Change, Grunge, and Shameful Self-Promotion". It is and was ridiculous, maddening, sensationalistic... and entertaining.