PAUL SIMON--BRIDGING THE CULTURE GAP

In the first essay in Calendar’s new Popping Off series, William K. Knoedelseder Jr. defended Paul Simon’s decision to record “Graceland” in South Africa, and to use South African musicians. Knoedelseder’s commentary, prompted by protests against Simon by students at Howard University, drew spirited response from readers. Here is a sampling of opinion, the overwhelming majority of which supported Simon’s actions. Popping Off is an occasional forum commenting on timely issues in pop music.

Maybe Howard University student Mark Batson (who accused Simon of stealing African music) would rather have only black photographers take pictures and films of South Africans, and only black artists paint pictures of their homeland as well.

Art does not exist in a vacuum. It needs to be interpreted by the eyes, ears, hands and mouths of artists of all races, as it has throughout recorded history, else we have a very dim and limited view of ourselves. Congratulations to Simon for having the vision to produce the fine work that he did.

BRENT GROSSMAN

Santa Barbara