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1artturnerjr
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/28/showbiz/paul-williams-obit/index.html
Don't know if anyone else here is a fan, but I for one always enjoyed Mr. Williams' erudite and passionate criticism. Whether he was writing a piece about Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? or a Beatles single, I always knew that Paul would bring new insight and a new perspective to my reading of the work. I'm going to miss him; if you take it for granted that The Rolling Stones and Theodore Sturgeon are now taken as seriously as Miles Davis and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you should, too.
Don't know if anyone else here is a fan, but I for one always enjoyed Mr. Williams' erudite and passionate criticism. Whether he was writing a piece about Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? or a Beatles single, I always knew that Paul would bring new insight and a new perspective to my reading of the work. I'm going to miss him; if you take it for granted that The Rolling Stones and Theodore Sturgeon are now taken as seriously as Miles Davis and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you should, too.
2nemoman
A shining light in the pantheon of rock journalism. He wrote with Christgau's insight, but without coming across as a pompous ahole.
3artturnerjr
>2 nemoman:
Nicely said. Christgau was quoted in the New York Times obit on Williams (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/01/arts/music/paul-williams-father-of-rock-criticism-is-dead-at-64.html?smid=pl-share); in a rare moment of humility, he stated that "rock ’n’ roll writing was indebted to Mr. Williams and his magazine 'for its very existence.'"
Nicely said. Christgau was quoted in the New York Times obit on Williams (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/01/arts/music/paul-williams-father-of-rock-criticism-is-dead-at-64.html?smid=pl-share); in a rare moment of humility, he stated that "rock ’n’ roll writing was indebted to Mr. Williams and his magazine 'for its very existence.'"
4Mr.Durick
I'm old so I may be remembering wrong. I remember Crawdaddy as coming before Rolling Stone and achieving some kind of east coast admiration. I have a copy of his Das Energi here somewhere, but I have never read it. I especially feel a loss when someone who has achieved something respectable dies younger than me.
Robert
Robert
5nemoman
Hey, we are not old. Crawdaddy came before Rolling Stone (Wenner) which was followed by Creem (Bangs). All were essential reading to parse the late sixties musical conundrums.
6nemoman
>3 artturnerjr: Although Christgau is rather full of himself, he is quite gifted. I particularly recall his early dismissal of Janis Ian as a "post-adolescent sob-sister." I also enjoyed his dismissive approach to albums that did not even merit a critique- "Meltdown." Think Air Supply.
7Mr.Durick
I'm 68. I was just up on my porch roof doing some work thinking I don't want to be the newspaper item "Old Man Falls and Dies Trimming Trees."
I listen mostly to classical music now, but Meatloaf can elevate my pulse still.
Paying attention to music came out of my reading those magazines; bless them all.
Robert
I listen mostly to classical music now, but Meatloaf can elevate my pulse still.
Paying attention to music came out of my reading those magazines; bless them all.
Robert
8artturnerjr
>6 nemoman:
Oh yeah, I know. I wasn't casting aspersions upon his ability at all - he's an excellent writer and is often hysterically funny; it's just that he's very much aware of it.
One other thing I will say in Christgau's favor - he does answer his mail. I wrote him a rather effusive letter back in... uh, let's just say it was way before the Internet, to which he replied promptly and graciously. It meant a lot to me at the time, iirc.
Oh yeah, I know. I wasn't casting aspersions upon his ability at all - he's an excellent writer and is often hysterically funny; it's just that he's very much aware of it.
One other thing I will say in Christgau's favor - he does answer his mail. I wrote him a rather effusive letter back in... uh, let's just say it was way before the Internet, to which he replied promptly and graciously. It meant a lot to me at the time, iirc.
9nemoman
>7 Mr.Durick: I'm 62, and I now hire others to climb ladders. >8 artturnerjr: I guess In defense of Christgau it can be said that any opinion worth holding might as well be a strong one. He was an east coast guy and I was west coast. When our tastes coincided, he was a reliable and intelligent guide to new music. I simply disregarded his biases, as he ignored mine.
10artturnerjr
>9 nemoman:
I guess In defense of Christgau it can be said that any opinion worth holding might as well be a strong one.
Yeah - "half-assed" is definitely not a phrase I'd use to describe him.
On a broader note, I've always felt that a certain degree of arrogance is almost a prerequiste for a pro critic, rock or otherwise. If you don't have the courage of your convictions, criticism is not really the right line of work for you.
I guess In defense of Christgau it can be said that any opinion worth holding might as well be a strong one.
Yeah - "half-assed" is definitely not a phrase I'd use to describe him.
On a broader note, I've always felt that a certain degree of arrogance is almost a prerequiste for a pro critic, rock or otherwise. If you don't have the courage of your convictions, criticism is not really the right line of work for you.
11artturnerjr
Received Williams' The 20th Century's Greatest Hits: A Top 40 List in the mail yesterday and of course immediately tore right into it. Reminds me of why I liked this guy's writing so much; a pretty bittersweet experience. :'(
