Defending Oscar Music

Ian Fraser’s dyspeptic tirade against my partner, Don Was, for his role as musical director of the Oscars (“No Statuette for Oscars’ Two Musical Directors,” April 3), was convincing evidence that the good gentleman ought to turn off the Kostelanetz LPs he’s been addicted to and start listening to contemporary music. Talk about sour grapes--the underemployed Fraser’s words were like cheap chablis mixed with transmission fluid. Some guys can take being marginalized, and others clearly can’t.

I am reminded of Mitch Miller’s infamous critique of the “repetitious sounds” coming from a neighboring apartment--which turned out to be that of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, whose legacy has clearly outdistanced Mister Sing-Along by miles. Similarly, Was’ achievements with Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones and countless others will be spoken of and appreciated long after Sir Fraser’s Mock Bach has been properly consigned to the dustbin of incidental music history.

Lastly, Fraser’s assessment of the Oscar-night music as “loud, banal, irrelevant and repetitive” could equally apply to his shrill deportment as a prose stylist. Methinks the man protests a bit much, and only his shrink or tax accountant could tell us exactly why. My recommendation: Get out of Squaresville, Daddy-O! It’s the year 2000!

DAVID WAS

Tarzana