The height of music critic snobbery
Posted By Alan Cohen in Soundcheck on August 16, 2006
I'm not a big Dave Matthews person. Its nothing personal, I've just always enjoyed other artists in the jamband genre a lot more. But I give Dave credit cause he gives many of the bands that I really like a lot (such as Soulive, Galactic, and Robert Randolph & The Family Band) a wider audience by having them open for him. I certainly don't hate Dave Matthews.
I'll tell you what do I hate though - Geoff Johnston's commentary on DMB fans in this week's Observer. You can read it by clicking here.
This is the height of music critic snobbery. Its obviously not cool for a professional music critic like Geoff to enjoy something that the masses like, and the masses like Dave Matthews ... so Geoff finds it hilariously necessary to attack anyone who likes Dave's music. And in this case, its not just a fun piece, its actually mean spirited ostracizing.
Geoff uses a collection of stale one-liners in a race laced lampooning of all Dave fans. Here is an idea, leave the socio-political satire to Colbert.
I'm guessing Geoff went to school at the Wellington Institute for Music Critics That Kinda Hate Popular Music - yes, I know that one liner sucked every bit as much as the one's Geoff used throughout his article. But being a total dick made me feel witty - just like Geoff.
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Laura Evans, says:
Well, I'm offended already and I haven't even read the article yet.
Staff
3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
kevin, says:
Yeah, I read about half the piece before you posted this piece and gave up after realizing how dumb the whole article was. And, like you, I can also take-it-or-leave-it when it comes to DMB, so I wasn't taking it personally either.
Staff
3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Gregory, says:
They (the Observer) will do that often times, when there's nothing interesting (to them) happening.
Like when Jesse Hughley (or whatever his name is) blasted Blue October OUT OF NOWHERE, and it was a half-sheet piece. It wasn't an album review, concert review, or anything. It was literally "5 reasons why I hate Blue October".
The Observer hates us all. Obviously.
Anonymous
3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jesse Hughey, says:
My name doesn't have an "L" in it. That B.O. piece wasn't out of nowhere. It was a preview for the band's upcoming concert, like Geoff's was a preview for Dave's concert.
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3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
ch0, says:
As a prelude to announce an upcoming DMB show, it was out of line/irrelevant/unprofessional.
As a comedic piece made to jab at visible stereotypes - very funny. I know people who fit every depiction mentioned.
Anonymous
3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Alan Cohen, says:
I think Jesse's point is valid in regards the B.O. article. A negative review or preview in and of itself is not a bad thing. But I personally see some big differences between Jesse's piece and Geoff's piece. Jesse's piece actually dealt with the band he was previewing. I reject the idea that Geoff's piece was a preview of the upcoming concert.
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3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Alan Cohen, says:
As I said in terms of its comedic appeal, I just felt like the jokes were stale and unoriginal:
Which gives me an excuse to post this video (one that I'm sure Geoff has seen before)
<object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p7YSGh5mm3I"><embed height="350" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p7YSGh5mm3I" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425"></object>
Staff
3 years, 5 months agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
What do you think?