ROCK CRITICS: IT'S ALL REFURBISHED

When I started studying Music I hated critics, despite the fact that Robert Schumann had his own publication (Journal) where he even "launched" Chopin, and I love Schumann and Chopin. Anyway,after studying classical piano I studied Journalism and thought music criticism wasn't as simple as it seemed, and today, after some years of reflecting about Music and Journalism I found this recommendation by Lester Bangs, which by the way,everyone is following except me. I guess is the only time I can thank I'm late:
"The only thing left to to mention before you embark on your career as a rock critic is that talent has absolutely nothing to do with it, so don't worry if you don't know how to write. Don't even worry if you can't put a simple declarative sentence together. Don't worry if you can only sign your name with an X. Anybody can do this shit; all it takes is a high level of unconsciousness and some ability to sling bullshit around. Also, the bullshit is ready-made; you don't even have to think it up, all you have to do is invest in a slingshot. All the word-type you need has already been written anyway. It's in old issues of Shakin' Street, Rolling Stone, Creem and all the rest; just sit around reading and re-reading the damn things all day and pretty soon you'll have whole paragraphs of old record reviews memorized, which is not only a good way to impress people at parties and girls you're trying to pick up with your erudition, but allows you to plagiarize at will...It's the same shit all over. Just stir and arrange it every once in a while."
Quote from Shakin Street, by Lester Bangs

NIN CONCERT CANCELLED

Pic. by raquel Castaño

Everybody's upset because NIN's concert that was programmed for Oct. 12 2008 was cancelled in Bogotá, Colombia (South America).
There was a lot of speculation about the cancelation but Alfredo villaveces, Evenpro's representative was clear when he said that it was the band who decided to cancel the concert because it's not a profitable show if you think about the production expenses and all the equipment that needs to be transported and stored for the show.
Yes, it's true it's easier to have the gig in the U.S, but what about the music? and the fans? and the experience?. I guess some people forget about the beauty of art when money comes in the way, and I'm not saying they should loose money, but WHAT ABOUT THE MUSIC?
Well, NIN also cancelled their shows in Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre and Trent Reznor wouldn't dare to talk to Colombian media.
So, eventhough I like NIN's music, it looks like they've forgotten about it and this is just bussines, so here's something I want you to think about. Specially you colombian NIN fans (just so you stop blaming Evenpro):
It's true Trent Reznor is responsible for creating the first industrial album to sell a million copies with Pretty Hate Machine in which he wrote the songs, coproduced and played every instrument. But beyond that, and the fact that you can enjoy NIN's music for purely enterteinment and not a critical experience, what's the ultimate creation of Reznor?.
Really, I mean, we're talking about a guy that described himself in 1997 in a Spin interview like this: "I'm boring...and I kind of made this pact with myself that I would just be honest(...)I am 31. I was born in Pennsylvania. I wasn't a male prostitute. I'm not gay. My tongue is my own. It's not like a Marilyn Manson situation".
So I guess I agree with Melissa Maerz (senior editor of Rolling Stone) when she says that "ultimately the most interesting art reznor has ever created is Marilyn Manson".
So yes, the show was canceled but still, Marilyn Manson WAS in Bogotá. So no worries.

VINYL RETURNS. THE PROS AND CONS

last Rolling Stone Issue presented an article by David Browne titled Vinyl Returns in the age of MP3. The article listed the increase in vinyl production and sales by bands like Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Elvis Costello and Catpower, as well as the increase in turnetables' sales. But beyond what the article presents there are some questions that popped into my head.
First: Radiohead and their green tours main challenge as opposed to their production of vinyl records which compared to CDs and MP3 materials are less friendly with the enviroment. So in spanish you'd say: "lo que hacen con la mano lo borran con el codo" which in english would be something like: what you write with your hand you erase with yor elbow, or something like that. So, what's the point in all the effort they invest in the live tours earth fiendly venues and equipment if the real concept, which I undertand is to be friendly with the enviroment, is not taken beyond a tour?. Maybe it's hard to believe comming from a band I admire like Radiohead and specially Thom Yorke, but is it still all about the money?. Because as we all know, vinyl is selling.
Second:All the experts talk about the warm sound of vinyl, and I agree, but being realistic, what's the percentage of people that really care about the warm sound?, so as they well cite in the article, vinyl sales have a celing. And maybe it's just a trend that would only last for real music lovers (melomanos).
Third and most important of all to me, and something the article doesn't even mention. The vinyl trend is a great way to redescover old records that made history and that had concepts that mainstream music has forgotten. Let's say jazz recordings which in my experience, sound very different in digital format that in analog, or classic recordings that we all well know souch as Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Hendrix, Beatle's Saergent Pepper's lonely hearts club band,etc...which not only made history with the music concept and sound but with the art that came with music. So, will the vinyl return bring all the good music and the profound creative concept as well as the old fashioned sound back?
Hopefully it will, at least while the trend lasts.