Anyone who knew Burt Schlatter will tell you he wasn't always the easiest person to deal with. Burt could be intense, stubborn, was very opinionated, and had a high tendency to procrastinate. The reason I continued to work with him creating LCD was probably the same reason many others put up with his often fiery personality--because he was friggin' brilliant. His breadth of knowledge, on subjects from physics and computers, to social phenomena and philosophy often left me speechless.

He understood the psychology of graphic design better than anyone I have ever met or worked with, and unlike so many of the magazine biz's computer jockeys, he had a fine illustrator's skills to back it all up. His talents made Lowest Common Denominator, and every one of the many indie, labor-of-love, no-money projects he devoted himself to look as good or better than the million-dollar corporate Nazi rags he once toiled at. He was a perfectionist, and he cared about WFMU and the people he involved himself with so much that he angrily ranted when he felt they were not living up to their potential.

His fire was scary at times, but at its root, I always knew it was born from a deep and committed love. Burt's premature death was immensely shocking to me. I hope everyone who reads this will appreciate his or her day-to-day more after reading how this healthy, strapping, thirty-something year-old man--who could easily outrun/lift/fight men half his age--could suddenly leave us. Please take that trip, quit your hateful job, kiss that guy, scream, sing, dance in the streets in your underwear--Burt is proof that numbers are called with little reason or prelude.

I will remember Burt as a fighter in the war against unthinking conformity, general stupidity, and corporate media odiousness. He was a loyal friend who traveled a lot, ate well, thirsted for knowledge, and always said what came to his mind. All very good things to be.

- Keith Bearden,

Former Editor, LCD