Versus

Feb 1984 cover, courtesy of VU Special Collections

Versus was a student-run publication at Vanderbilt University. Focusing on arts and entertainment, Versus was absorbed into Hustler, the main student publication on campus, in April 2010.

History

Featuring articles written by Vanderbilt students, Versus only once carried a cover of Vanderbilt students (WRVU DJs). Originally a monthly magazine, Versus came to students in many forms during its time, either as a glossy magazine, an insert in Hustler -VU's main student media outlet which began as a weekly campus publication in 1888- and then again as a stand-alone printed publication. At the end it was a weekly, catalogued with a standard Vol-Number edition. The student voice representing all things music, entertainment, fashion, and culture, its last issue was Vol.48, No. 13, April 27, 2010. Its final few years carried the infamous "Party and Bullshit" column.

Feb '84: "That Other Nashville Music"

WKDA write-up by Jim Ridley

The February 1984 issue featured numerous writings on the alternative and punk scenes of the mid-'80s.

Of particular importance is a report by a young freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. Jim Ridley wrote the article "KDA: Making New Music Work" about WKDA, an AM radio station launched in Dec 1982 by the big rock station WKDF. The writer's bio on page 30 says, "Jim Ridley is an A&S freshman, but it's real hard to tell. He comes from Murfreesboro." Jim would go on to write about the local music scenes for the Nashville Intelligence Report, and later the Nashville Scene, where he became Editor in Chief, until his death in 2016.

Featured article Feb 84 Versus

The featured article was complied by Pete Wilson, as an undergraduate at Vanderbilt, and includes writing credits to Pete Wilson, Allen Green, Andy Anderson, Regina Gee and David Minuk.

The article starts, "We mean in this article to give the Vanderbilt student a sort of guide to local new music bands, a reference work he can look at when he sees a poster tacked on a telephone pole and wonders whether the band mentioned is likely to interest him...And we need to give you some background on the Nashville new music scene.

Punk rock came to America in 1977 through the newspapers and the family television set. Johnny Rotten and his Sex Pistols, in their energy and anger, inspired a lot of young American bands who soon collectively came under the label "new wave." That punk caught on in America was no surprise; after all, the Pistols themselves had been influenced by such pioneering New York American groups as the New York Dolls, the Ramones and Richard Hell. But the new wave of rock didnt catch on right away in Nashville, at least not publicly. Only a few people were listening to British imports and old Stooges records, and messing around in the garage. They didn't know each other, in many cases, and they weren't able to play for other people. At least not at first."

The writers' bios on page 19 read, "The contributors to this article know their stuff. Allen Green leads Suburban Baroque and publishes Nashville's first new music fanzine, GRAB! Andy Anderson, a VU law student, publishes Nashville Intelligence Report. Regina Gee is the business manager at Vanderbilt's WRVU and David Minuk, a student at Middle Tennessee State University, has been hanging around the scene for quite a while. Special thanks go to Allen for his invaluable help with the introduction."

The last DJ on-air at WRVU, Wilson hosts "Nashville Jumps" a radio program now on WXNA, focusing on early blues, jump blues, R&B and unbleached rock 'n' roll.

April 27, 2010: Final Issue

Inside cover of final issue of Versus, courtesy of VU Special Collections

The final issue of Versus ran the week of April 21-27, 2010, as Vol.48, No.13. Final staff members included Avery Spofford as Editor-in-Chief, Chris McDonald as Life Editor, Matt Shelton as Culture Editor, Charlie Kesslering as Entertainment Editor, Grant Darwin as Music Editor, and Lauren Junge as Fashion Editor.

Alongside the editorial board listing ran the "Party and Bullshit" column which featured Vanderbilt students shotgunning beers, attending spring formals, having a crawfish boil, and funneling beers.

In her final "From the Editor," Avery Spofford wrote: "Well, this is it folks. The week marks the last Versus...ever. No, I;m not kidding. Not just the semester, not just the year...ever. We've been absorbed by The Hustler. As much as I would like to think that this has something to do with me running articles about strippers, walks of shame and dat fratting, as well as weekly photos of blatant underage drinking. I don't think that really has much to do with it, I'm not that important."

She concluded by saying, "What Versus did this semester was hold up a mirror to Vanderbilt culture like no publication bore and, most likely, no publication to come...I hope our magazine brought something new and interesting to your semester, if only Party and Bullshit."

Chris McDonald, Life Editor, in his article "Versus, Life content absorbed by Hustler," wrote, "Its like the old saying goes... all good things must come to an end. It's time to say goodbye to Versus Magazine."

References

Many thanks for Vanderbilt University Special Collections for the high quality scans.

Versus magazine, February 1984

Versus magazine, April 21-27, 2010, Vol. 48, No. 10.