...

[denkinger]

12 years in the review coal mines of MRR gave me access to more dire shit than anyone else on this board. After my 10th shitty record in a row, I would dig back thru them to find even one SONG that I could say something nice about just so that I didn't feel like a total crank. Then I'd base the whole review around the one song where the Shit Band accidentally ripped something useful off, and just dismiss the rest of the record.

I don't think I regret a single review I wrote. I never liked modern ska or 90s pop punk/Lookout so I'm covered there, and I didn't go thru a "grind" phase neither. Rock 'n roll and noisy art crap is go. And the first couple of Strokes 45s are perfectly acceptable summer drive-time rock. Not punk at all, but lots of great stuff isn't.

[denkinger]

I also think alot of the stuff that gets gushed over on this board is gonna hold up because people are getting interested in SONGwriting again and are drawing from a broader set of influences than in the more strait-jacketed 90s.

[steve]

My point wasn't that Blank Generation was better than TB. I'd be a fucking idiot to suggest that. TB has blown BG out of the water in terms of quality from the start - interviews, columns, reviews, and all of the awesome special features like the Angry Samoans Files that have given TB a very unique feel. What I meant was that among the initial TB staff - 90% of whom came from BG - I thought there was more of an unspoken guidelines as to what we covered. If I remember correctly there were even internal emails about cutting out stuff like Erase Eratta reviews and whatnot. Could be remembering wrong there though cause Rich is a pretty open minded dude. My point wasn't waxing nostalgic for the "glory days" it was wishing that TB would narrow its focus a bit to make it more manageable for me to read. After thinking about it more though, I'm actually glad that TB covers more than just "garage." I'd elaborate more but I've gotta run...

[howard beale]

i like the groovie ghoulies not like i listen to em at all very much or anythign but a year or 2 ago part of their tour was cancelled and so they picked up some odd shows in wisconsin, one at a tiny place called michicot where they never really have shows or real bands play, it was great.  they covered the rip offs and devo, they had a new hot chick drummer and put on a fun high energy show.  afterwards i was talking to kepi and he remembered the last sons record i gave him over a decade ago, he even told me what color of vinyl it was on!  i get the feeling that guy lives to be in a band and tour and thats the kind of person that should be doing it and deserves support.  plus theyve been around forever.

as far as the boris the sprinkler review, i still like their stuff.  i was never that hot on it even at the time so for me its aged really well.  when i first listened to them i was a young teenager and i didnt think a bunch of 30 somethings playing pop punk were all that cool, they seemed so old. i read sicteen and norbs mrr column so i knew he had good taste in music, i couldnt understand why his band was so generic.  i thought they played too fast and lacked in guitar leads.  still, i bought everything they released.  i think the best of the bunch is the 113o Uomo 7" italian import on SuperSonic

heres a song from each side

Can't controllit
113th Man

[dusty medical]

things were better before the internet

[howard beale]

not for me

[SSR]

My point wasn't that Blank Generation was better than TB. I'd be a fucking idiot to suggest that. TB has blown BG out of the water in terms of quality from the start - interviews, columns, reviews, and all of the awesome special features like the Angry Samoans Files that have given TB a very unique feel. What I meant was that among the initial TB staff - 90% of whom came from BG - I thought there was more of an unspoken guidelines as to what we covered. If I remember correctly there were even internal emails about cutting out stuff like Erase Eratta reviews and whatnot. Could be remembering wrong there though cause Rich is a pretty open minded dude. My point wasn't waxing nostalgic for the "glory days" it was wishing that TB would narrow its focus a bit to make it more manageable for me to read. After thinking about it more though, I'm actually glad that TB covers more than just "garage." I'd elaborate more but I've gotta run...

I dont think I am giving anything up here but very soon after I came on I made both a public and private push for TB to start breaking down genre ghettos. Personally, I thought they were stupid, especially since a record like A Frame Plastica was closer to Erase Errata's first 7" than it was to the Briefs or Thee Flying Dutchman. Rich and I burned through dozens of emails on this and basically agreed. Note that that shift meant that things like AAA and the Strokes got cut out for stuff like Cheveu and SIDS. I think that is a perfectly reasonable exchange, though really it was less an exchange and more a natural progression. Five years ago there were a few labels that bridged or didnt recognize the gap between art-punk (weird punk) and garage punk (ITR, Royal/Polly Maggoo, Load, and S-S - there might be a few more that I am forgetting). Now there are at least a dozen. As Trickknee said in the thread where you got pummeled, there is a zeitgeist happening, something that was building. TB and the labels mentioned just happened to be around and open to documenting it when it happened. As far as TB goes, I think what has happened hasnt been so much the "zine" is the home of weird punk and then some other stuff, but rather it focuses on good records from the underground punk scene regardless of genre ghetto. I know that regardless of whether a record is minimal synth, 1-2-3-4 garage punk, grind, power pop, "weird punk", DIY, KBD, psych punk, indie rock/punk or whatever, if it gets a rave review, I am reasonably sure it is a good record and I'll take a chance on it. If the record blows I know that someone at TB will say so. I think that the reviewers for TB are much more mature in their listening habits than those at BG, I also think that they are way less likely to give their friends' bands or labels a pass. I respect that. While I dont agree with Erick's mild slam of the Llamarada LP I would much rather see that than a mindless rave, and there were plenty of mindless raves at BG. Dont get me wrong, I enjoyed BG, but the zine of the hour (print or web) back then was HoZac (which also had little need for the art-punk/garage divide). While I didnt care about the porn shit, the music stuff was good and the reviews honest and reliable. If there is a passing of the torch, it was from HoZac to TB not BG to TB. 

[teenagegurls]

(is hip hop about anything OTHER than hooks?), but whatev's....

you mean besides mediocrity, repetition and (bad/not good) mindlessness?

[SSR]

good point on the messethics comps....

[steve]

Scott - you would really think a "grind" record was good? Yow.

[SSR]

Steve - I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are surprised I like some grind rather than you thinking, "man, you are dumb for liking some grind." For if it is the later than you really are a stupid son of a bitch and I mean that with all sincerity. If you are simply surprised, think about it a bit: There are good records everywhere. Everywhere.

You ever listen to Napalm Death? To paraphrase you, if you don't appreciate From Enslavement to Obliteration, I can't trust your opinion about music. From Enslavement... is one of the best and most influential rock & roll records ever. Fantastic stuff, though I seriously doubt you'd enjoy it. Too bad.


I'll admit that my listening doesnt run that way too often but I know a great record when I hear one, like the Iron Lung/Brain Oil split from a few years ago. Great record.   

[grandmaster satch and the bi-curious five]

You ever listen to Napalm Death?

i don't know anything about steve or his tastes, but i bet he'd love "you suffer"...

[steve]

Steve - I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are surprised I like some grind rather than you thinking, "man, you are dumb for liking some grind." For if it is the later than you really are a stupid son of a bitch and I mean that with all sincerity. If you are simply surprised, think about it a bit: There are good records everywhere. Everywhere.

You ever listen to Napalm Death? To paraphrase you, if you don't appreciate From Enslavement to Obliteration, I can't trust your opinion about music. From Enslavement... is one of the best and most influential rock & roll records ever. Fantastic stuff, though I seriously doubt you'd enjoy it. Too bad.


I'll admit that my listening doesnt run that way too often but I know a great record when I hear one, like the Iron Lung/Brain Oil split from a few years ago. Great record.   

Settle down hoss. I wasn't trying to make fun of you. You're tone has painted me into a corner where I either look like I'm kowtowing to you or I'm going to have to start an argument about something I don't care about. It was sort of like when I found out my friend's girfriend's older mom is a big Mekons fan, with the difference being I know I wouldn't enjoy any grind record in existence. That's just not how I'm wired.

[steve]

And sure there are "good records" in every genre. That doesn't mean I can enjoy a great liturgical chant or free jazz song because they are forms of music that by their very nature don't appeal to me. Same with death metal/thrash/grind, etc. Some people aren't as omnivorously set up as others when it comes to music.

[grandmaster satch and the bi-curious five]

While I dont agree with Erick's mild slam of the Llamarada LP I would much rather see that than a mindless rave, and there were plenty of mindless raves at BG.

had to go hunt down erick's 'mild slam', but he pretty much nails it with this: "truthfully, much of it seems unfinished".  

ooooooh, but the more recent myspace stuff is sounding nice!  i'm still up for album number two!!