The Bard of Stratford, the music journalist's poet has been holding forth against production values. For the sake of starting an argument I totally disagree (I'm getting the hang of the tub-thumping rant thing!) I find ANY culture oblivious to production bordering on the worthless. It's an unpopular thing to say I know. One's supposed to extol the virtues of the handmade blind to the quality of presentation. However the best DIY culture is always made to the most thorough standards possible. I believe the romanticisation of low production values is tied in (bogus-ly) to a woefully innacurate notion of "The Primitive" and Third World Culture. Those Third World denizens always take exquisite care in the production of their work.
And while I'm on the subject of thee amateur-ish The Punman is breaking my heart. He's taunting "record fan-boys" (Which I now take as the default term for me. I represent, ya get me! In da house!) that his archives of Deek (yes that's Deek NOT Derek) Bailey-styled pickings are not available for reissue. They sound like they might be the aural equivalent of Luka's blog (Fair?), and while I respect both poets with an intensity bordering on insanity, that may not be such good thing.
Penman also shares with us his mid-Paul Weller review epiphany. Ian, mate, slagging off Paul Weller's records is a creative act on a par with the opening chords of The Stooges "TV Eye". Get over it! Everything that is bad about Music Journalism is it's strength. Maybe I know fuck all (thinks, yep that's true) and certainly it's the prerogative at HIM AT THE TOP OF THE PILE, to indulge in "I'm too worthy" langours. But if it's not a "worthwhile" discipline, thank fuck!
On balance I think Eden is right. Luka's just lucky to be able to get away with it.
Posted by Woebot at July 30, 2003 03:10 PM