slowhand Digest Volume 02 : Issue 20
Today's Topics:
Music critics, rock journalism, etc.
criticizing critics
genius and grammy
Re: Concert poster?
Recommendations from 80's and 70's
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--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: Keith Bode
Subject: Music critics, rock journalism, etc.
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Friends,
Over the years my musical tastes have changed, but I like what I like,
and I listen to what I listen to. I stopped reading what pop critics,
or rock journalists write in general. Occasionally, if I stumble on it,
I'll read a review of a how I was at, but in general, I don't care what
the press has to say. I never bought "Reptile" or "Pilgrim". I heard a
few tracks from them, didn't like them, and didn't like them. Somehow
without hearing any tracks from "From The Cradle", I bought it either
the day it was released or within a few days of it's release. What I
heard was Clapton playing guitar and singing in a way that was as close
to the center of my musical favorites in style. I still have never read
a review of the CD, and couldn't care less what the critics and
journalists have to say about this CD, and the subsequent tour. I
believe o this tour, Clapton played with more energy than any other
tour. Maybe it's my perception, but it's certainly my opinion. I've
never seen Clapton with the entire front and back of his shirt drenched
in sweat in photographs of him playing in any other tour.
I stopped reading music journalists a long time ago, and the changes
that have taken place in Rolling Stone magazine exemplify why I
stopped. The magazine used to be mainly about music, and it also had
some interesting musical articles by Hunter S. Thompson. Now, it's
roots are long forgotten.
Rock critics, and journalists work for publishing companies, yes even
newspapers are publishing companies. Established artists, like Clapton,
can be written about in dispariging ways, and the senior editors and
publishers know it's not going to change their fan base, there fore it's
not going to affect their advertising revenue. It's the artists getting
their first break that can be made or broke by the press. Therefore,
the new artists are treated with kid gloves, because they are the ones
that will impact the labels. Critics and jopurnalists are not going to
impact the fan base of a Clapton, or a well established act ranging from
Black Sabbath to the Allman Brothers band, but they may impact the
future of up and coming artists. That's where they can't afford to bite
the hand that feeds them. IMO, what these journaliists write, that gets
printed is changed by fear of losing advertising revenue. Knocking
Clapton certainly isn't going to affect the advertising revenue of any
publication.
Keith
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: jbroh1@netscape.net (John Broholm)
Subject: criticizing critics
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>>But the point that maybe wasn't that clear, is that I hate the premise that
music critics are in a VERY safe position, where they're paid to criticize,
but nobody is paid to criticize THEM. That's sooo damn easy for them-hehe
True enough, Fabio, but here's the rub for the critic: It's darn hard to get PAID for writing criticism, because it's not easy to land the critic jobs that actually pay something. There aren't that many of them, and too many of them go to hacks who can't be trusted with "real" reporting jobs. I'm talking here especially about newspapers' TV critics, but I strongly suspect the same goes for music critics. The music critics in my experience have mainly been punko-wannabes who concern themselves more with whether their columns will look hip enough to other critics than with knowing anything about a broad musical spectrum. But all in all, it isn't that SAFE a job because it's darn hard to get to be a critic. You've gotta get somebody to run your stuff (easier to get into the alternative "free" press because not only is the publication free to the reader, most of the material in it is free to the publisher). As a career it isn't a whole lot safer than being a musician. Remember t!
hat the critic's column is a performance, too, and somebody (at least the editor) has to applaud loud enough to keep the critic in the paper. Granted, there aren't many critics of the critics out there, but in a sense the readership and editorship play that role. (Remember the old put-down line, "Everybody's a critic.") So when you see lousy criticism (imagine that!), you can as much blame a lazy publication as a lousy reviewer. The honest, conscientious critics -- and there are some of them -- will either explain their thinking or admit that they can't be experts in all of the artistic styles they're called upon to cover, and describe their approach. I'm thinking of the music critic in the StL Post-Dispatch as a good example. He's written on exactly this subject. Remember that 85 percent (or 90 percent, depending on your source) of everything is crap. So, for the critic, slamming anything outside his/her knowledge or personal taste is a pretty safe bet. (Full disclosure: I !
have served on public radio as a media commentator, which is uncomfortably close to being a critic. No, I didn't get paid for it, but I never would have been given the platform if it hadn't been for a certain amount of experience and supposed expertise in the area.)
John Broholm
Lawrence, KS
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--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: jbroh1@netscape.net (John Broholm)
Subject: genius and grammy
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>>He finally wins a Grammy
with Bayface which to me finally recognizes his musical genius to the
world.<<
Actually, he won a grammy before that... for Bad Love, which you mentioned earlier.
>>Then comes Journeyman which gave everyone hope he was going
back to Cream days(Bad Love has that sound),<<
I'm one of those who likes Journeyman a great deal, but I wouldn't say any of it has a "Cream sound." He did (consicously) swipe the Badge/bridge chord change for Bad Love, but other than that, I doubt many people think of it as Creamy. What he did was begin playing his guitar with more conviction than he had in some years.
John Broholm
Lawrence, KS
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--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Scott Wallenberg"
Cc: "Slowhander"
Subject: Re: Concert poster?
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Didn't stop them from printing the Reptile tour program!
Scott ----- Original Message -----
From: Green
To: Scott Wallenberg
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2002 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: Concert poster?
> August 12, 1997
> Rock and Roll T-shirt maker files for Chapter 11
> Winterland Productions, the San Francisco T-shirt manufacturing firm
founded
> by rock and roll promoter Bill Graham, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
> protection. The reorganization plan will allow the two New York investment
> companies which own Winterland to re-finance the business and keep it
> running. A $5 million injection of new capital should also allow
Winterland
> to give its 300 employees their first raises in three years.
>
>
http://sanfrancisco.bcentral.com/sanfrancisco/stories/1997/08/11/daily4.html
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Scott Wallenberg"
> Cc: "Slowhander"
> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2002 1:10 PM
> Subject: Re: Concert poster?
>
>
> > I would try Eric's official merchandise vender Winterland Productions in
> San
> > Francisco,CA
> > Scott
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Michael Delman
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 5:35 PM
> > Subject: Concert poster?
> >
> >
> > > Hi, Slowhanders:
> > >
> > > Does anyone know a good source for concert posters? Specifically,
> > > I'm looking for the poster for EC's November, 1994 appearances at
> > > the Fillmore in S. F.
> > >
> > > Thanks for the bandwidth,
> > >
> > > Michael Delman
> > >
> >
>
>
--=_--SlowhandDigest--
From: "Apurva Parikh"
Subject: Recommendations from 80's and 70's
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SDers:
I wanted to get people's impressions on Eric's much maligned 1980's studio
albums? Is the general consensus that although he had his moments, there
weren't any top notch albums released?
What would be your top five picks for Eric's studio albums in the 1980s, in
terms of his playing, singing, material, in that order?
Also, do you feel the same about his 1970's studio work? not incl. Layla
One more note, goto your magazine stores to check out the December 2001
Guitarists Icon magazine, they dedicated the entire mag to eric, and his
career.
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End of slowhand Digest V02 Issue #20