12/31/2003
FROM THE DESK OF BOB B. BRADY
The Critics Critiqued.
"Their nastiest insults, most insightful reviews, and oddest fixations this year."
Ben Williams in Slate.
rockcritics daily 2004 Super-Challenge
Win a Copy of Da Capo's Best Music Writing 2003 Book!
Okay, kids, here's a New Years challenge for you. 40 questions (plus one bonus) for a grand total of 60 points. Almost all of them are oriented toward the "canon"--sorry--but only because it's less messy that way. Please send your answers directly to me with the subject heading "rockcritics super-challenge." The cut-off date is midnight, January 5. I'll post the correct answers and announce the winner shortly after that. Anyone can enter, and anonymous submissions are welcome. (No posting answers in the Comments box, though. Any such attempts will be removed, and the offending poster will be disqualified from the contest and sentenced to death.)
The winner will receive two prizes:
..and
Now go to it!
1) Who started a record review in Rolling Stone with the question, "What is this shit?" Which album was being reviewed?
(2 points)
2) True or False: the above sentence contributed to the firing of this writer by Jann Wenner.
3) What is the most popular album ever produced by a rock critic?
4) Of all the critics interviewed in the "exclusives" section of rockcritics.com, how many of them are from England?
5) Which rock critic (aside from Lester Bangs) is name-checked most often in Jim DeRogatis's Let it Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs?
6) What was the last album Lester Bangs listened to?
7) Name three albums that Robert Christgau upgraded to an A+ from an original grade of A or lower.
(3 points)
8) Which college was Richard Meltzer booted out of?
9) Who was the founder of Bomp magazine?
10) What was the original title of Bomp magazine?
11) Trouser Press was published in magazine format from [what year] to [what year]?
12) Joe Carducci, author of Rock and the Pop Narcotic, was once employed at which record label:
a) Homestead
b) Twin-Tone
c) K-Tel
d) Philadelphia International
e) SST
f) Geffen
g) 'O' Records
13) Which former Rolling Stone and Village Voice rock critic is now a regular columnist at
Entertainment Weekly?
a) Ken Tucker
b) Tom Smucker
c) Darius Rucker
d) Mo Tucker
e) Tom Carson
f) Paul Nelson
14) Who took over Lester Bangs's position as Managing Editor at Creem after he left in 1976?
15) Identify the writer:
"I believe that we are all, openly or secretly, struggling against one or another kind of nihilism. I believe that body and spirit are not really separate, though it often seems that way. I believe that redemption is never impossible and always equivocal. But I guess that I just don't know."
16) Identify the writer:
"Little rock criticism is concerned with music, because most rock critics are less concerned with sound than sociology."
17) There is one use of the word "detumescence" in the Greil Marcus anthology, Stranded. By which writer, and in relation to which artist?
(2 points)
18) Define "detumescence."
19) What song did Richard Meltzer describe as Herman's Hermits "most profound (and profane) work"?
20) Which of these books has the most mentions of John Denver:
a) Lester Bangs, Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung
b) Robert Palmer, Deep Blues
c) Chuck Eddy, The Accidental Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll
d) Greg Tate, Flyboy in the Buttermilk
e) Robert Christgau, Any Old Way You Choose It
21) Which of these books has the most mentions of Catherine Deneuve:
a) Nelson George, The Death of Rhythm and Blues
b) Ellen Willis, Beginning to See the Light
c) Simon Reynolds, Generation Ecstasy
d) Gina Arnold, Kiss This: Punk in the Present Tense
e) Greil Marcus, Lipstick Traces
22) Name the five members of the New York "rock critic establishment" as defined by Robert Christgau in 1976.
(5 points)
23) In America, an issue of Creem in the spring of 1980 would cost you:
a) $3.50
b) 75 cents
c) $4.75
d) $1.25
e) $2.50
24) Nick Tosches has not written a biography of one of the following:
a) Dean Martin
b) Sonny Liston
c) Hall & Oates
d) Jim Morrison
e) Jerry Lee Lewis
25) The phrase "punk rock" first found its way into print in which magazine, by which writer, and in which year?
(3 points)
26) Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys was once an editor at what music magazine?
27) Two artists or groups have topped the Pazz & Jop album poll twice. Who are they?
(2 points)
28) One artist or group has topped the Pazz & Jop album poll three times. Who is it? And with which albums?
(2 points)
29) Which video has received more votes than any other video in Pazz & Jop history?
30) Two artists or groups have topped the Pazz & Jop singles poll twice. Who are they?
(2 points)
31) True or False: J.D. Considine is Canadian.
32) Which of these writers is not named either 'Nik' or 'Nick'?
a) Nik Cohn
b) Nick Tosches
c) Deborah Frost
d) Nick Kent
33) Name two people who have written the "Letter From Britain" column in Creem?
(2 points)
34) Name two people who have written the "Eleganza" column in Creem?
(2 points)
35) How many books are there in Da Capo's "Best Music Writing" series?
36) Name three Series Editors for the Da Capo "Best Music Writing" series.
(3 points)
37) Who appeared on the cover of the first issue of Spin?
38) Who appeared on the cover of the second issue of Spin?
39) The following has been written about which rock critic on which CD box set:
"If not the father of American rock criticism, at least its nephew!"
(2 points)
40) Identify the writer:
"[The Rolling Stones] existed only to go bang one time, and then disappear again. And if they have any sense of neatness, they'll get themselves killed in an air crash, three days before their thirtieth birthday."
Bonus Question: Name two reformed rock critics who, after discovering that Eric Clapton wasn't God after all, entered the priesthood.
(2 points)
YOUR MOMENT OF ZENTRONIX
Two things of note on Jeff Chang's blog:
1) Fairly comprehensive music book reading lists (A-K here...scroll down; L-Z here).
2) An invitation here to submit nominations for the 2004 Da Capo "Best Music Writing" series.
VOICES NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS SAND AND GLUE
A funny piece in the Voice today by Rob Sheffield on Billy Bragg--and on bad singers. The top three, according to Sheffield, are: Billy Bragg, Tom Petty, and Steve Earle. I agree with Earle and Petty, definitely--I'd possibly rank Earle Number One--though maybe not Bragg. Unlike the other two, Billy's almost completely technically incompetent, which I think sort of disqualifies him in a way. Listening to him is like listening to the guy who paves your driveway trying to hum the song he just heard on the radio; it's almost charming. Petty and Earle, on the other hand, are total pros and "veterans"--in short, complete hacks. (I also can't help but forgive any crimes of nature, vocal or otherwise, committed by the guy who wrote--and thang--"Levi Stubbs' Tears.")
Also mentioned in the article: Steve Miller, Peter Gabriel, Robyn Hitchcock, David Crosby, Glenn Frey, "whoever sang lead for Blood, Sweat & Tears" (Merry Clayton, I think, who sounds terrific by the way on "Gimme Shelter"), and "whoever sang lead for Living Colour." Some potential additions to the list:
No girls. Don't wanna go there right now.
12/29/2003
SO YOU WANNA BE A ROCK JOURNALIST?
Hmm, where have I heard this question before?
Nevertheless, Wolfgang Savage (which--no offense intended, seriously--is a terrific name for a rock critic) tackles it again on his blog, the festively-named guttural vomit.
12/28/2003
DOES CRITICIZING CRITICS MAKE ONE A CRITIC?
Lots of interesting quotes by and about critics, right here, at Detroit Music. From Barzun to Tesh.
12/27/2003
MORE 2003 ALBUMS...
I didn't get any CDs for Christmas this year, but more booze than even I know what to do with, so maybe that explains how I missed a bunch of albums in my previous post (I wasn't corked or anything last night, but maybe the proximity of all those bottles hindered my judgment). In fact, I listened to at least 19 new albums this year, though I'll stick to voting for five. Others to add to the "Highly Unlikely" pile (which isn't to completely rule any of them out) include:
P.S. All contributors to this page are welcome to post their own lists, thoughts, etc.
FROM THE DESK OF SCOTT WOODS
YEAR-END PRELIMINARIES
I'm still trying to whittle down a Top 10 singles list, which is turning out to be much more difficult than I thought it would be, so I'll hold off on that list for now. I'm voting for five albums this year because as far as I can recall I only listened to 13 new ones all the way through. (If you want me to vote for your album next year, send me a copy and pay me to take a sick day. There's a damn good chance it will be a serious contender on my list.) These are the ones I've heard, listed in order of the likelihood of me voting for it (as of 12/27/03):
or...
Highly unlikely (though deserving of at least one more fast-forward listen):
12/26/2003
FROM THE DESK OF STEVEN WARD
PAZZ AND JOP VOTING TIME
It's that time of year folks. And just to get some debate started, here's my list of the 10 best albums of 2003:
1. Styx - Cyclorama - Sanctuary (15 points)
2. Radiohead - Hail To The Thief - Capitol (14 points)
3. Pat Benatar - Go - Bel Chiasso (13 points)
4. Paul Brady - The Paul Brady Songbook - Compass (12 points)
5. Led Zeppelin - How The West Was Won - Atlantic (11 points)
6. Billy Sherwood - No Comment - Voiceprint (9 points)
7. Queensryche - Tribe - Sanctuary (8 points)
8. Travis - 12 Memories - Sony (7 points)
9. Massive Attack - 100th Window - Virgin (6 points)
10. Dream Theater - Train of Thought - Elektra/Asylum (5 points)
OK everyone. You can start making fun of me....now!
12/24/2003
P.S.
rockcritics daily wishes all visitors, contributors, linkers, lurkers, and headline thieves a happy holiday season!
FROM THE DESK OF SCOTT WOODS
As 2003 draws to a close, Salon's Eric Boehlert looks back at two milestone weeks in rock history: December 20, 1969 ("the Greatest Week in Rock History") and September 2, 1989 ("the Worst Week in Rock History"), based on the top 10 albums in Billboard for those particular weeks. This is a compelling idea and one that could serve as a template for many future "special editions" of Q and Rolling Stone ("The 100 Greatest Weeks in Rock History!"). Some day I'd like to draw up my own "Top Ten Pop Weeks" based on Billboard's singles chart.
The week Boehlert picks in 1969 is better than the week he picks in 1989, but that's not to say that the week he picks in 1989 is as terrible as he thinks it is or that the week he picks in 1969 is really all that wonderful. Here's the '69 chart:
1. Abbey Road, the Beatles
2. Led Zeppelin II
3. Tom Jones Live in Las Vegas
4. Green River, Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. Let It Bleed, the Rolling Stones
6. Santana
7. Puzzle People, the Temptations
8. Blood Sweat & Tears
9. Crosby, Stills & Nash
10. Easy Rider soundtrack (featuring the Byrds, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Steppenwolf)
In other words:
1) One of the three or four worst Beatles albums--certainly the most over-rated (which isn't to say parts of it don't still reduce me to a puddle).
2) the crappiest (definitely the most inconsistent) Zeppelin album.
3) haven't heard this. but it's live. in Las Vegas.
4) good singles, so-so album.
5) haven't heard this. kidding. yes, agreed.
6) umm...
7) don't know this (see #4?)
8) eh?
9) say what?
10) (I've got a headache.)
Hmm, maybe end-of-the-sixties (an "orgiastic mix of sex, drugs and spirituality," in Boehlert's words) just doesn't do it for me the way middle-of-the-sixties does. Or maybe like Chris Carter in Creem, I just prefer 1972. (It's a skewed comparison of course, given that most of the albums Carter lists never even made Billboard's Top 10, and certainly not together in the same week; still, it's a nice collage just the same.) Or 1984. Or 1997. Further research beckons...
12/23/2003
MOVIE CRITICS POLL
Take 5: The 5th Annual Voice Critics' Poll. 84 critics from the US and Canada choose their favourites from 2003.
THE BEST OF BRITISH BLOGGING
"The Guardian's second British blog awards found the country's webloggers in fine form, with last year's high standards maintained. Simon Waldman, chair of the judges, hands out the accolades." [No music blogs, but possibly worth a look.]
12/21/2003
BLOG UPDATE ALERT
Tim Riley, author of Tell Me Why, one of my fave Beatle books, is now blogging--"bringing the gospel of rock'n'roll to the high cult set"--at Arts Journal. Looks good so far. Riley also informs me that his next book, Fever: How Rock Transforms Gender in America, will be out next year on St. Martin's Press.
[POSTED BY SCOTT WOODS]
2003, FIMOCULOUS STYLEE
I wasn't planning on linking to too many individual 2003 surveys here because there are just too many to keep track of, but a great place to start is here, at Fimoculous.com, all the year-end lists you will ever conceivably need and then some, from music and movies to automotive and architecture.
[POSTED BY SCOTT WOODS]
BLENDER ED INTERVIEWED
So What Do You Do, Andy Pemberton?
The Blender editor-in-chief on how the music business is changing and how his mag is changing music coverage.
By David S. Hirschman in mediabistro.
12/19/2003
FROM THE DESK OF STEVEN WARD
CARSON JUMPS TO GQ
The New York Post is reporting today that former Village Voice rock critic Tom Carson, a movie and TV critic at Esquire, has left that men's magazine to work under editor Jim Nelson at GQ. Tom, if you're out there, let us know why. I'm guessing it was money, but you never know.
ROCKCRITICS.COM UPDATE
A big, hearty thanks to Jason Gross, Founder and Editor of Perfect Sound Forever, who, for the second year in a row, has compiled a long list of his "Favourite Scribings" of the past year for rockcritics.com. More than 100 links in there to stuff you may have missed in '03, from "faves" to "the barrel bottom."
Now quick--get over there and see if you've been namechecked! [Ctrl/F/your last name here]
12/18/2003
FROM THE DESK OF STEVEN WARD
SIMPSONS CREATOR TALKS ROCKCRIT TONIGHT ON NPR
The Simpsons creator and former Los Angeles Reader rock critic Matt Groening is the guest on tonight's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Accoridng to the show's website, Groening is supposed to be talking about his recent guest editorship of DeCapo's Best Music Writing of 2003. I have not picked up a copy of this book yet. Is it any good?
12/12/2003
E-MAIL FROM GREG KOT
re: ROLLING STONE TWISTS REVIEWERS THUMBS UPWARD, Dec. 11.
"The item that you picked up that quotes me about RS star ratings deserves a little context:
"The main impression the interview excerpt leaves is that Rolling Stone only changes the star ratings on its album reviews for the better. Not true. In my reviews, the editors have lowered the star ratings at least as much, probably more, in the 11 years I've been writing for the magazine."
12/11/2003
NEWS RELEASE RE: BRENT BATTEN
Text of letter sent to Naples Daily News regarding Brent Batten's column (linked by Rickey on Dec. 9). Written by Bryan Monroe, Vice President of the National Association of Black Journalists.
[POSTED BY SCOTT WOODS - Courtesy of Kandia Crazy Horse]
ROLLING STONE TWISTS REVIEWERS THUMBS UPWARD
Ron Brown sent this excerpt from an interview with Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot...scroll about 1/4 of the way down the page. (Under "Star System.")
[POSTED BY SCOTT WOODS]
FROM THE DESK OF LAWRENCE GOWAN
One of the reasons I haven't been posting much lately these last two weeks is because I've been working on this:
Snowsuit Sounds: 100 Canadian Pop Songs You Oughta Know
The piece needs some polishing up--it's one of those thing I just had to let go of as it was occupying far too much of my brain--but I'm happy enough with it for now to bring it to your attention. A lengthy addendum is on the way sometime in the new year, after (if) I get through all this year-end stuff.
As per usual, comments, suggestions, "you're-full-of-shit-man" stuff is always welcome.
P.S. My name's not really Lawrence Gowan.
12/09/2003
FROM THE DESK OF RICKEY WRIGHT
There ain't no sanity clause: Jim "Annoying Music Show" Nayder chooses 12 bad holiday records.
FROM THE DESK OF RICKEY WRIGHT
Christgau on the state of indie rock . . . with some biting remarks on a few unnamed reviewers thrown in.
FROM THE DESK OF RICKEY WRIGHT
"Makes Amos and Andy look enlightened"
This ugly bit of prose is being discussed in Romenesko's forum and on the Velvet Rope.
12/06/2003
DO THEY TEACH IRONY IN SCHOOL?
J.D. CONSIDINE WRITES:
The Toronto Star pulled an unwitting "Where Are They Now?" with this story about how bassist Prakash John and played an anti-drug show at a local high school. John, who joined guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner on Lou Reed's semi-metal classic Rock 'n' Roll Animal, now leads the Lincolns, a group specializing in covers of '60s R&B tunes. Although the story mentions that John recorded with Reed as well as Alice Cooper (he turns up, along with Hunter and Wagner, on Welcome to My Nightmare, among others), the writer somehow misses the irony that this anti-drug crusader got his first major airplay courtesy of Reed's "Heroin." Of course, Reed always claimed the song was an anti-drug anthem, but somehow I doubt it would be well-received at a high school abstinence assembly.
12/04/2003
WITHOUT ANY CHEER
Shop workers demand Xmas muzak compensation.
"Shop workers in Austria are demanding compensation for the 'psychological terror' of being subjected to hours of piped Christmas music."
From Ananova.com.
[THANKS TO ZOE GEMELLI FOR THE LINK.]
POP TALK...
With David Segal in the Washington Post. Some interactive q&a thing (I haven't read it yet).
[COURTESY OF BARBARA FLASKA.]
12/02/2003
J.D. CONSIDINE WRITES:
As anyone who reviews music knows, sneering is more fun than cheering. Not only is it easier to make jokes at another's expense than to come up with compelling reasons why something is great, but praise too often seems sappy while scorn comes off as cool. And let's face it--people are far more likely to remember a cool dismissal than an unabashed endorsement.
But nothing in journalism exists in a vacuum, and every slam ultimately has someone on the receiving end. While that in itself is no reason to pull punches, it is a reminded that it's sometimes it's not cool to be cruel. A piece in California's OC Weekly included a fairly gratuitous slam of the Righteous Brothers, which apparently ticked off Bobby Hatfield to no end. Jim Washburn wrote a nice piece about the needling and the damage done, which includes some sage advice for music
reviewers:
"People can drop dead at any time, and that's no reason to gild their talents. But it should make us more cognizant of what we write, and whether we do it to be truthful or because being snide might make you look cool. Again speaking from personal experience, being a rock critic is a pretty unhip job, and there's a tendency to want to seem hipper by dumping on other people, or at least distancing yourself from things that may be even less hip than you."
