Yeah, Hyden's the real deal. He's in his mid to late 30s, I think, which means he feels about, say, Radiohead the way I feel about the Beatles and Dylan and Springsteen, but he's also a damn good professional rock critic, which means he also feels about the Beatles and Dylan and Springsteen the way I do. But, again, because he's younger, he's also got much deeper and more informed opinions about, whoever, Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend and Kanye and Jay-Z and Japandroids and so on and so forth. I mean, in their Rivals podcast, he and his cohost went deep on the respective merits of the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync...and it was interesting.
That was indeed the book Scott P! I rented it from the university library where I was going to school at the time, was supposed to be upgrading for grad school when I found Greasy Lake 10 2007, rented out music books only to get drunk in a cab with friends on a Friday night and lose them, still in university collections for that damn book. I'd read it now if I can find a cheap one, maybe I'll look on Amazon, coz I don't care that most hate Marsh for sucking Bruce's dick, I love his music writing and that is that.
Also wanna check out the music critic you mention, coz if they're good, they're usually damn good and that stimulates my brain.
Dave Marsh wrote a great book about the song Louie Louie back in the 80s or 90s, and it really surprised me because every damn page was about Louie Louie. At something like 250 pages, I just assumed there would be long digressions to fill the thing out. But no, it was all about the long history of that song, and it was plenty entertaining.
Hilarious, I do recall reading this before, how the hell can a 250 book on one bloody song be entertaining, but plenty say it is so hell I'd pick this up in the bargain bin too.
Another excellent tome. At one point, I had at least a half dozen books he'd written, and maybe more.
I still enjoy rock criticism, when done well. I admit it does seem there are fewer really good ones these days, or perhaps it's just harder to find them. But Steven Hyden is my favorite critic of this century And I don't say that just because he mainly agrees with my opinions. He's often made me see things in a different light, which is one of the hallmarks of a good critic. Also, being younger—he's in his mid to late 30s, I thik?—he's got quite a different perspective, and I like that. He and another critic had a podcast on rock rivalries and I loved it, even if I didn't always agree with their takes--and I don't much care for podcasts, in general.
Is it considered out of touch to still praise rock critics today?
Hell I think I still love them, I never have to agree with their assessments but if they write well and I learn about something new then I'm all for them.
Read it to literal tatters, then did the same with the subsequent blue volume--so much so that I had to buy a second copy. Also had the yellow jazz volume and then the red, white and blue 1992 volume and finally the all blue (again) 2004 volume. And even with a handheld supercomputer connected to the internet at all times, I really, really wish they'd come up with an new, updated volume.
@Scott Peterson The book that shaped my record collection back in my teen years was a little older than the Record Guide. It was The Rolling Stone Book of Record Reviews, from 1971. The original reviews printed in RS, covering the amazing era of 1968-1970. There was a good Vol 2 a year or 2 later, that extended it to 1972 or so. The writing ran from great to terrible, but you got opinions from a large group of writers, while the Record Guides provided a more limited scope. Like, if Dave Marsh disliked a band, he'd be dismissive of their catalog. With the RSBoRR, different critics would come to a band from different perspectives. Wore the spines off of those books.
Any merits that come to mind they discussed? Besides the tune "Backstreet's Back" I like that one.
Yeah, Hyden's the real deal. He's in his mid to late 30s, I think, which means he feels about, say, Radiohead the way I feel about the Beatles and Dylan and Springsteen, but he's also a damn good professional rock critic, which means he also feels about the Beatles and Dylan and Springsteen the way I do. But, again, because he's younger, he's also got much deeper and more informed opinions about, whoever, Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend and Kanye and Jay-Z and Japandroids and so on and so forth. I mean, in their Rivals podcast, he and his cohost went deep on the respective merits of the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync...and it was interesting.
Already reading Steven Hyden's review of Sturgill's newish bluegrass album, Cuttin' Grass. I love me some bluegrass and I dig him.
That was indeed the book Scott P! I rented it from the university library where I was going to school at the time, was supposed to be upgrading for grad school when I found Greasy Lake 10 2007, rented out music books only to get drunk in a cab with friends on a Friday night and lose them, still in university collections for that damn book. I'd read it now if I can find a cheap one, maybe I'll look on Amazon, coz I don't care that most hate Marsh for sucking Bruce's dick, I love his music writing and that is that.
Also wanna check out the music critic you mention, coz if they're good, they're usually damn good and that stimulates my brain.
Dave Marsh wrote a great book about the song Louie Louie back in the 80s or 90s, and it really surprised me because every damn page was about Louie Louie. At something like 250 pages, I just assumed there would be long digressions to fill the thing out. But no, it was all about the long history of that song, and it was plenty entertaining.
I also don't recall that Dave Marsh book regrettably, I thought he wrote the best 100 albums of all time or something and people loved that?
I rented that one out of the school library once and lost it in a cab never to be recovered.
Is it considered out of touch to still praise rock critics today?
Hell I think I still love them, I never have to agree with their assessments but if they write well and I learn about something new then I'm all for them.
Loved that freakin book...
I love music. I love Bruce. I love being able to share my recordings and my feelings here.
In 1980, this was my Bible.
I read a lot of books and reviews by the guys he mentions when I was young and exploring a lot of uncharted rock and roll territory.