The Village Voice was so fun to read at its height. Both these guys were so passionate about music. Nothing like great writing to make you invest your hard earned money on a record.
But really? I respect your right to claim these two as your favourites, John, but really?
Greil marcus is far and away the best of that generation's music critics, and he's still as sharp as a tack.
Of course, this is an entirely American view of rock music, so I get the focus on these two Americans. But over here in the UK, we had terrific writers, too, such as Charles Shaar Murray, Kris Needs, and Paul Morley, and I always found them more alive than most Americans, Lester Bangs and Greil Marcus, of course, excepted, when talking about pop music (for it is mere popular music, is it not?).
But, and I freely admit this, Christgau was right the first time about U2...ha-ha!
But hey, different strokes for different folks...this was still an enjoyable piece, John...thanks!
I have most of Marcus’s books and I agree he’s the best. But he’s almost in another category to me. He’s done record reviews of course. But I see him more as an author - Invisible Republic, Mystery Train, etc.
I agree Mark. I am an American (sometimes) music critic, and though I grew-up reading both Creem and The Village Voice, as I got older I discovered NME and Melody Maker and fell in love. In the '80s there was also writers Frank Owen and Simon Reynolds, both whom I found quite inspiring.
Robert Christgau is still cranking them out too.
And It Don't Stop
https://robertchristgau.substack.com/
The Village Voice was so fun to read at its height. Both these guys were so passionate about music. Nothing like great writing to make you invest your hard earned money on a record.
But really? I respect your right to claim these two as your favourites, John, but really?
Greil marcus is far and away the best of that generation's music critics, and he's still as sharp as a tack.
Of course, this is an entirely American view of rock music, so I get the focus on these two Americans. But over here in the UK, we had terrific writers, too, such as Charles Shaar Murray, Kris Needs, and Paul Morley, and I always found them more alive than most Americans, Lester Bangs and Greil Marcus, of course, excepted, when talking about pop music (for it is mere popular music, is it not?).
But, and I freely admit this, Christgau was right the first time about U2...ha-ha!
But hey, different strokes for different folks...this was still an enjoyable piece, John...thanks!
I have most of Marcus’s books and I agree he’s the best. But he’s almost in another category to me. He’s done record reviews of course. But I see him more as an author - Invisible Republic, Mystery Train, etc.
I agree Mark. I am an American (sometimes) music critic, and though I grew-up reading both Creem and The Village Voice, as I got older I discovered NME and Melody Maker and fell in love. In the '80s there was also writers Frank Owen and Simon Reynolds, both whom I found quite inspiring.