[Severian]

Originally Posted by evollove

Severin, you should start a blog. Or become a critic. This might seem like an insult, and maybe it is, but really, you have the knack for this stuff.

Like how you said KNXWLEDGE - Hud Dreems was "must hear." That's a perfect example. It is, of course, no such thing. The truth is you found this record to be good and you think other people who enjoy this sort of thing will enjoy the record as well. That's all. Literally billions of people will lead full productive lives without hearing a second of this.

People get paid to make absurd pronouncements like this, so why not join them?

Hah. Well, to be honest that's one of the things that perennially frustrates me about myself, to be honest. I know I sound like a critic, and I'm keenly aware of how disingenuous that kind of writing sounds; how uniquely worthless it is to devote entire sections of websites and publications to one person's opinion. Now, biographies? Thad a different story. Writing features about the musicians themselves? That's more interesting and challenging by far.

And the truth is that I have done some review writing in the past, and I have done some blogging, but I think I just get really excited about music, and love to talk about it. However, not only is it next to impossible to make a career out of writing in this day and age, it's also a great way to lose your love of music. Record store owners tend to have similar experiences. They get into something because they love it, but as it inevitably becomes commerce, a paycheck (small one at that) and nothing more, you might as well own a sandwich shop or a shoe store.

Same goes for writing. I would certainly take a paid music writing gig if it was offered to me, but only because it would be infinitely less morally abhorrent than some of the business admin. and HR work I've done. And it would be an easy, if embarrassing, way to supplement my income if I ever give graduate school another try. But I wish I didn't sound so goddam much like a critic. As far as sub-disciplines of journalism go, what could possibly be less useful? I'd rather write about sports. At least there's an objective story to be told, and quantitative evidence that the story you're telling is true.

So, what this all boils down to is that I care about music and writing too much to chase a career in such a loathsome field, but because all fields are loathsome in their own ways, I'd do it temporarily over doing most other things.

Re: KNXWLEDGE - Of course Hud Dreems isn't a universal "must hear" (I hated writing those words, btw); but I do most of my posting in the hip hop café, so I guess I've grown accustomed to that audience. I genuinely do believe that it's an exceptionally good album, and that it's worth a listen for any fans of hip-hop, beat, jazz & funk, etc. looking for something new in 2015.

[Severian]

Also, when I was writing more frequently and keeping up with my blog, I tended to waste shit loads of time on it, fiddling with layout and phrasing and color schemes, diddling about with HTML and the jungle of costly features and customizability options on Wordpress, and other services. It took a lot of effort just to keep myself from feeling like I was neglecting it. Then, whenever I went back and read over something, I almost always thought it was hysterically crappy.

That's a lot of grief when the payout is, at best, the approval of a stranger.

[evollove]

Well, you know what they say about music writing and architecture dancing.

I can think of three reasons to write extensively about a piece of rock/pop,etc:

--The author has detected something that might be lost on a general audience. This could be some connection with another work, or perhaps a deeply technical musical exegesis.

--The author has an idea about something else and needs a venue. Greil Marcus does this a lot. He has an idea about, say, foreign policy that he then works into whatever he's reviewing that week. Kinda sad.

--The author wants to give a potential listener an idea of what to expect. I personally find this very useful. Here's a good example:

Originally Posted by Severian

it's worth a listen for any fans of hip-hop, beat, jazz & funk, etc. looking for something new in 2015.

Otherwise, maybe Beavis and Butthead were right. Something either sucks or rocks. Really, what else can be said that won't waste the author's time or the reader's?

[me.]

 

[!@#$%!]

not just about music / but my best experiences with critics have been when they showed me a way, or a new artist, or a new approach to someone i already thought i knew-- nabokov with stevenson, bataille with emily bronte + baudelaire, baudelaire with wagner, nietzsche with bizet. curiously most of these have been artists themselves but there are exceptions. oh, shit, and sister wendy ha ha ha.

[Genteel Death]

This guy is much more my idea of a decent music writer.
http://mutetremors.blogspot.co.uk/

[Severian]

Ok ok ok... I'll do it.

Evollove: I'm in. How does $100 published submission sound? Of course, we'll have to re-evaluate after a few months... Draw up a 12-18 month employment contract, negotiate salary and benefits, and the whole shebang. But I'm wiling to start slow and see how things go.

Alright, I'm excited! Now.... what publication/media group did you say you were recruiting for again???

...

[The Soup Nazi]

Originally Posted by evollove

Severin, you should start a blog. Or become a critic.

Please don't.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

This guy is much more my idea of a decent music writer.
http://mutetremors.blogspot.co.uk/

strikes me as more ornamental than anything-- not that he writes poorly but it's more like someone who is enamored with their own cleverness instead of trying to explain something to an audience.

Originally Posted by Severian

Ok ok ok... I'll do it.

Evollove: I'm in. How does $100 published submission sound? Of course, we'll have to re-evaluate after a few months... Draw up a 12-18 month employment contract, negotiate salary and benefits, and the whole shebang. But I'm wiling to start slow and see how things go.

Alright, I'm excited! Now.... what publication/media group did you say you were recruiting for again???

...

don't forget unlimited review copies

[rebeccagotcursedout]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

This guy is much more my idea of a decent music writer.
http://mutetremors.blogspot.co.uk/

strikes me like a dickhead like you you fuck.

no one gives a shit about yr boring taste in anything. asshole!!!

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Genteel clearly has a fan

 

[guest]

foreverass you're the biggest fucking twat you know

Originally Posted by Severian

I missed what you said at the top when I skimmed through this the first time because I was too busy looking at the cover of White House and saying "right on, right on" while slowly nodding in approval.

No idea what to say about your frustration, other than that I can probably sympathize. I frustrate and confound myself constantly.

hahaha yeah I don't really know what I was on about, just a momentary gripe about taste counteraction but I was being a curmudgeonly little shit. let's all listen to outside.

[guest]

 

 

 

 

guys it's fucking winter guys

[evollove]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

This guy is much more my idea of a decent music writer.
http://mutetremors.blogspot.co.uk/

"Music-themed creative non-fiction," I'd call this, until someone can come up with a catchier title.

Originally Posted by Severian

what publication/media group did you say you were recruiting for again???

I don't have anything to do with any music publication. Because I have some self-respect, I prefer selling crack in the innercity to pregnant women for a living.

[Genteel Death]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

strikes me as more ornamental than anything-- not that he writes poorly but it's more like someone who is enamored with their own cleverness instead of trying to explain something to an audience.

I disagree. Erick is not only a good writer but he also writes about music he knows a thing or two about with humour and without taking himself too seriously. He's very involved in underground DIY music either booking tours for other bands or by playing himself. Severian's writing, on the other hand, is an amalgam of journalistic clichés and tedious generalisations with results that read too pompous and poorly researched not to be involuntarily amusing.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

 

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

Severian's writing, on the other hand, is an amalgam of journalistic clichés and tedious generalisations with results that read too pompous and poorly researched not to be involuntarily amusing.

I agree.

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

I disagree. Erick is not only a good writer but he also writes about music he knows a thing or two about with humour and without taking himself too seriously. He's very involved in underground DIY music either booking tours for other bands or by playing himself.

right, like i said he (i don't know his first name) does NOT write poorly, so we agree there.

he's got a thing for words, but maybe it's the problem of an insider talking to other insiders that creates that hermetic bubble.

insiders are of course critical to any cultural work but without communicators those worlds stay closed.

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

Severian's writing, on the other hand, is an amalgam of journalistic clichés and tedious generalisations with results that read too pompous and poorly researched not to be involuntarily amusing.

dang.

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

 

this one of the times when i find your meme posting apt

[Severian]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

I disagree. Erick is not only a good writer but he also writes about music he knows a thing or two about with humour and without taking himself too seriously. He's very involved in underground DIY music either booking tours for other bands or by playing himself. Severian's writing, on the other hand, is an amalgam of journalistic clichés and tedious generalisations with results that read too pompous and poorly researched not to be involuntarily amusing.

I kinda beat you to that burn when I acknowledged that I sound like a critic, and called my writing disingenuous, and even hateful (still scratching my eyes out over that "must have" bullshit).

But hey - I'm not saying I like my music writing. Nobody else is either. It's empty propaganda, but I like telling people about music. The most efficient way to do that is to draw up a couple hundred words about what the music sounds like using clear and universal terminology.

Also - I come by this shit honestly. My father's family is made up completely of journalists, editors, reporters and writers, with the exception of one clinical psychologist, who is the only person I can have a conversation with in the whole bunch. I was pushed into a journalism major when I first went off to college (back when newspapers, y'know, existed). I went back for a science degree when I realized how fundamentally flawed the system was, and how depressing and opportunistic careers in the media could be.

Regarding your buddy's astonishing credentials, I've got news: it's not hard to be part of a scene. Especially an "underground DIY" scene. You know this.

I'm tempted to ask the board at large to give a quick show of hands if they haven't been "very involved in underground and DIY music" at some point. It's not a rare thing, to play music or be otherwise active in a scene, especially among users on a Sonic Youth discussion board.

You make it sound like it's some trial by fire that only the truly worthy can handle. Uhh it's not. I played in multiple bands, and ran an analogue studio and venue out of my basement with some of my fellow musicians. Yeah, it was in a past life, but plenty of those folks are still making music, running venues, booking bands and so on, to this day.

That doesn't make me any kind of authority on anything. It just means that I, like most music fans, chose to try my hand at making the stuff for a while. So get over it. Get over yourself and all the insane old school cred you and your buddies have. It really makes you sound like a stripe-counting little cunt. Like someone who's more interested in image than in music.

I mean, what's next? Calling people posers? You're ridiculous.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

"I know my head is my worst enemy.." Sleater-Kinney