Honestly...

Surely by now you've read about Atlanta band Cartel's latest attention grab -- to live in a cola-sponsored, biosphere-like bubble in NYC's Hudson River Park as they write and record their sophomore release.

Predictably, everyone who's bothering to write about it is shitting all over it. But it was music's most nonpracticing attorney, Bob Lefsetz, who really got underneath lead singer Will Pugh's skin. Not sure whether or not Pugh knew that Lefsetz takes personal emails sent to him and forwards them to his entire audience all the freaking time, but I guess it doesn't matter because it's out there now. Here are a few choice quotes:

We think we fucking rock. We think we’re one of the best bands making popular or any other kind of music right now. Our producers don’t do shit to our songs and we don’t listen to our A&R…he just got fired anyway. We’d dropkick most of the top 40 artists right in the face if we were put up to the tests of live performance or songwriting ability.

...just because pete wentz doesn’t tell everybody they should like our band doesn’t mean we don’t belong.

This marketing scheme shows the world that we are a real band with real inspiration and real songs. Not some american idol winner or a label lottery contestant. People get to see us do what we do under intense pressure and scrutiny and still hit a fucking grand slam while in the meantime people in your position are hating like there’s no tomorrow on a band that they know little to nothing about.

All you guys think we’re just another dickless band with mediocre songs without even giving us a chance. That’s no way to find out about a band you might actually like.

Mr. Pugh, I say go for it (nice dig at Pete Wentz, btw). You've shown in your letter that you fully understand the damage to your cred and that you are convinced you have the chops to overcome it. I, unlike Lefsetz, have listened to Chroma and I thought it wasn't bad. I, like Lefsetz, am skeptical at best that you will be able to write a record good ENOUGH to overcome all the hate, but I admire your faith in your craft. Half of being a rock star is the swagger and you've clearly got that to spare.

Good luck, and Godspeed.