Quality of Music Journalism?

[Kenny]

ladylex said:

I mean, are you going to start writing about fashion simply because someone offered you the $$ to do so?

Ha ha - that's pretty funny. Money's never been for me what it's about for me, nor has it for those writers I have learned so much from.

I hate to think how much less rich my musical life would've been had it not been for the likes of Paul Oliver, Mike Leabitter, Neil Slaven, John Broven, Macon Fry, Nick Tosches, John Morthland, Gary Giddins, aj and dozens more. Not a player among them.

[isaacs]

marksiks said:

you can do smilies in a quick reply box i think

-
Yes but you need to know the exact keystrokes. If you put a "nose" in the smiley it won't render as a picture for example. Whereas the main reply box gives you the icons for 16 different emoticons - try remembering the keystokes that generate all those!

[ladylex]

kennyweir said:

ladylex said:

I mean, are you going to start writing about fashion simply because someone offered you the $$ to do so?

Ha ha - that's pretty funny. Money's never been for me what it's about for me, nor has it for those writers I have learned so much from.

I hate to think how much less rich my musical life would've been had it not been for the likes of Paul Oliver, Mike Leabitter, Neil Slaven, John Broven, Macon Fry, Nick Tosches, John Morthland, Gary Giddins, aj and dozens more. Not a player among them.

Well see – thats my complaint. Journalists groan that they have to write about things they don’t want to write about to pay the bills. Hell – I don’t know many artists who can just kick back and NOT worry about the bills. One must suffer for their art otherwise, where can the deep feeling be sourced from?

You obviously write from the joy of it. As you and every writer should. Okay.. not every musician is going to release an incredible album every time or be amazing at every performance. But to criticize simply to condemn and disparage? Pfft to them I say. That’s not talent. That’s a hack.

[Kenny]

ladylex said:

But to criticize simply to condemn and disparage? Pfft to them I say. That’s not talent. That’s a hack.

I agree.

Notwithstanding Mark's comments about the listlessness of some (most?) Australian jazz writing, with which I also tend to agree (AND including some of my own output), I think the sort of thing you're referring to is much more common in rock/pop circles and the notoriously bitchy work of some northern hemisphere jazz writers.

As far as I can subjectively judge, I have ended up a much, much better writer/broadcaster than I would've ever become as a player of any sort.

And surely the opposite is true of your theory - just because someone can play an instrument, no matter how brilliantly, doesn't mean they can write. Although there are, of course, plenty of glorious exceptions.

[ladylex]

Notwithstanding Mark's comments about the listlessness of some (most?) Australian jazz writing, with which I also tend to agree (AND including some of my own output), I think the sort of thing you're referring to is much more common in rock/pop circles and the notoriously bitchy work of some northern hemisphere jazz writers.

I guess the courier mail fits in there too. Im pretty bored by Jazz reviewers generally, finding their info more interesting than their style.

As far as I can subjectively judge, I have ended up a much, much better writer/broadcaster than I would've ever become as a player of any sort.

And surely the opposite is true of your theory - just because someone can play an instrument, no matter how brilliantly, doesn't mean they can write. Although there are, of course, plenty of glorious exceptions.

But see.. you personally know the hard work and suffering that it takes to perform and play music. This isn’t applicable to a great many music journos. Some music journos have no clue about music – they are noted music journos because of their network with musicians for the last 20 years, when 20 years ago, there was no one else keen to write about it. [sic] huuuuge generalisation here.
I know a great academics who don’t perform anymore either. Doest mean the quality of their musical thoughts and applications are any less than first-rate. IMO: Whatever one does in the music industry, it should come from the honourable and loving place within the soul.

[Kenny]

ladylex said:

[Whatever one does in the music industry, it should come from the honourable and loving place within the soul.

For sure. And I know the vast majority of my outpourings have been so motivated, and those of the geezers I namechecked.

[ladylex]

well dammit. That ends that parry of words! lol

[Kenny]

Yeah, though I suspect we're talikn' about different things anyhow.

Although ... I just checked and found out that seven of my reviews have appeared in Brisbane's Sunday Mail in the past couple of years! ha ha.

[ladylex]

The Sunday Mail and the Courier Mail are two different entities.

[Kenny]

ladylex said:

The Sunday Mail and the Courier Mail are two different entities.

I hear you. I long ago lost count of the number of times I've had to make the same point about the Herald Sun and the Sunday Herald Sun.

[ladylex]

I refuse to contaminuate my brain cells with either. Sorry - no disrespect intended to your writings there.

[Kenny]

I can understand that - I'm sure your brain cell is quite well enuf contaminated as it is.

[ladylex]

*blush. I blame my husband. *teehee

[kingkazoo]

Perhaps the quality of writing is a direct reflection of the quality of music. Give the journalists something worthy of great words and they will write them, or else get cut down here. If I reviewed the output of many of our "finest" players I would write with a tepidness (or is that tepidity), as yet unheard of.

[tinky]

Nice one King.