DON'T EVER TRUST MUSIC JOURNALISTS...

Current mood: HONEST JOHN Category: HONEST JOHN Music I once read a review of a Tricky gig that had taken place in Amsterdamn. It was a wonderfully written slagging, suggesting Tricky was complete shit live and that one shouldn't bother attending any of his gigs ever.. For some idiot reason (I guess because his music could be the sort that might not translate well live) I believed this review and didn't go to see him as planned in a small venue that next week.... Later that same year, I saw him play Glastonbury and my head was blown off by his performance. Somehow he played a remarkable and identical LIVE version of Pumpkin off Maxinqauye with Goldfrapp doing her vocals, and like i said, my head was off in the clouds. That perfomance had energy and agression and feeling and spirit and more than 10 years later it remains in my top 10 LIVE shows... Since that day, I've never trusted music journalists.. Currently listening : Maxinquaye By Tricky Release date: By 18 April, 1995 14:25 - 9 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

	stephen	who can we trust then? and considering your current line of employment why should i believe any of this??? are you attempting to create some sort of myspace-blog-truth-lie-logic-feedback loop from which i shall never escape now that i have bought into this? Posted by stephen on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 14:51 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Paul Giovanni	As the Buddha apparently once said: You should never trust anything anyone says unless it agrees with what you yourself know to be true (somethin like that anyway) I'm only aiming to further the quality of my own writing with this blog, using you readers as quality control guinea pigs/editors... Posted by Paul Giovanni on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 15:13 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Elizabeth	i have to say i agree with you. the music journos i know barely leave the house. music is about life, which = experience, and taste is very subjective. i don't like people who judge in black and white terms, without having a fucking clue what they are talking about. i read an interview with ringo starr in an old Q recently. the journalist totally slated him, and he also totally missed the point. namely that ringo was taking the piss out of him because he truly didn't give a shit what the reporter said. that kind of self-assuredness is very appealing and charismatic... plus, i think that all forms of expression have their merits. i just personally choose not to listen to some of it. Posted by Elizabeth on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 14:52 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Paul Giovanni	I saw a music writer standing at the front of a gig the other day. He was looking intelligent and holding his pad at shoulder height and making notes as if he were some kind of penlty fare enforcer... Hasn't this guy got a fucking memory? I wondered I liked the scenario tho. I was there watching the music writer watch the band... Posted by Paul Giovanni on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 15:16 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	John David	in most cases, it's a always a good idea to reserve judgement on a music outfit until you see them perform live... the problem with music journalism is the obvious payola factor, but also editorial styles. one of my favorite music review strategies is to be non-committal. the devious flip side is to reverse your writing. for example, if you hate the band's music live, just write a nice glowing review. or vice-versa, encourage the band you are reviewing (that you may like, and want to write positively about) by writing a shameless bad review for publication worldwide. either way, i always read music journalism with kid gloves. you don't always get what you pay for... i have always gone out of my way to see new touring bands...if i really like it, i'll buy the t-shirt. i can't tell you how many times i have been turned on by a live show after feeling somewhat indifferent to the recorded material...or, loving the album then feeling blase' at the live show... it's that dichotomy that makes music & musicians so fascinating to me... Posted by John David on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 14:56 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Paul Giovanni	Judging quality is never objective and music writers only have opinions that may or may not be accurate... Any decent reader can tell the difference between the one who knows what they're talking about and the one who likes the 'money for nothing and their chicks for free' I always make sure i take my time and know enough before making any judgements...This should include some knowledge of the acts history, live work, etc etc I want my MTV Posted by Paul Giovanni on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 15:20 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Bubbles	I never listen a to a word of what you music journo's say anyway. Music to me is personal, I don't care if some pretentious bedsit dweller rattles on about shit that don't mean anything. I'm currently listening to a band called Vega4, I saw them 6 months ago supporting James Dean Bradfield. Lots of people I know don't like them and I've read bad reviews (albeit not many, most are positive) but to me, their music and lyrics have touched me deeply. If I'd have listened to and trusted the wrong journo's I probably would have steered well clear of them. They have changed my life, I drive all day between customers and their CD NEVER comes out the stereo. I only read reviews after I've formed my opinion. Music is too important to me for some little spotty eric to bare any influence over it Posted by Bubbles on Monday, April 23, 2007 at 19:28 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Paul Giovanni	I think you've touched on something pretty important here which is that musics value and meaning to an individual has a lot to do with the time and place of it's hearing and very little to do with it's quality or substance as judged by clever people who live in cities, skank Cds and go to lots of gigs... When I was working my nuclear job, there was a whole bunch of shite on the radio...At least i thought it was shite, but as the tracks became ingrained on my soul, I realised they were very far form shite.. It's all about a time and a place and what that means and signifies.. Posted by Paul Giovanni on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 01:05 [Remove] [Reply to this]

Bubbles

Absolutely spot on!!! I like some music that I should hate with a passion, but due to events surrounding those songs, I like them. I'm ashamed to play and listen to them sometimes, but it certainly doesn't stop me liking them Posted by Bubbles on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 at 09:56 [Remove] [Reply to this]