Re: Liz Phair & Me...today's ny press

Date: 04 Jul 2003 19:12:04 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.punk
Size: 2,665 bytes

>>
email-address-deleted (Big Cock Benalto) wrote in message
news:<email-address-deleted>...
>
> In defense of George, I think he means that the "rock press" totally
> sucks these indie rock guys dicks (in regards to their musicianship).
> It's not to say that J Mascis isn't a good guitar player, but he's was
> over rated.
Yeah, but if you look at a different segment of the "rock press" (ie.
George and writers like him), you could say exactly the same thing
about Johnny Ramone.
> I could wrong about George's intent, but that's how I saw his article.
You're probably right. What I found interesting was the fact that his
criticisms of "indie rock" were EXACTLY the same ones that have been
levelled at "punk rock" over the years. I'm guessing that either his
perspective is so narrow that this didn't occur to him, or he figured
NY Press readers wouldn't be familiar with punk rock and its history,
and wouldn't catch the cognitive disconnect inherent in the guy from
Furious George criticizing bands for playing "simple chord
progressions."
Morgan.<<<<
Okay, once more:
Having played punk rock for years, I watched in horror as this thing called
"indie rock" showed up. These people were just wanna-be punk rockers who said
they "grew out of it". Of course, the scene they started, with the whole DIY
thing, was totally STOLEN from punk. If you look back and read interviews with
these "indy" people, most of them say "punk sucks" or "we're not punk".
Truth is, most of them were elitest trust fund twits. By saying they were
"indy" they were signed more easily. You see, punk rock was not always as
popular as it is today. As most people here will tell you..it was tough being
a punk in the eighties and early nineties. Now, with bands like Good
Charlotte, etc, it's so easy that if I were a kid, I'd HATE punk just cause it
is now the conformist's music.
But remember, it wasn't always like this. The "indy" people strattled the
fence - saying they had "punk influences", but weren't not that god-awful
punk....which couldn't sell records.
Pere Ubu were great. No doubt. There are other great "indy" bands. But that
term just came from a bunch of people who were trying to market "punk" with a
softer and more arty sound.
And I stand by what I said about their musical ability. Well, that, and their
HORRIBLE song writing. Songs have to make sense..these people saw them making
cents. Aweful.
And Johnny Ramone was right on.
In the words of the imortal Dirty Harry:
"Man has got to know his limitations."
That is all for my rant. Except for the word "grunge".
Gee, I wonder what that meant?
GT