Jim Carroll shows why he is the best music journalist in the country by reviewing the new U2 album.
I get so fucking sick of seeing the same journos wheeled out to blab on about how great a new U2 release is everytime one is unveiled. I get so sick of the circle jerks that are "listening parties" where the same old faces hang out to hmmmandhawwwww about how great mediocre rock and roll is (for the record, I didn't get invited to Principle Management's listening party for 'No Line On The Horizon' last week or whenever it was.)
I get so sick of journalists who refuse to actually tell the truth about something just because it will be to their own personal detriment. I get sick of journalists who care about guestlist, and blags, and staying on the right side of PR heads and promoters, and not wanting to tell a truth that might hurt or that might be nasty, or that might mean there's no plus one for them in the post, or that might piss people off.
This mentality is INGRAINED in music journalism in Ireland. Just ask people who used to work for Hotpress whose album reviews were intefered with to save face. Just ask people who write reviews for certain publications that they don't fucking believe in! Just ask those people who wank all over an album or a festival or a band just because it is to their own personal benefit to do so.
I hate that shit. But it's easy to take that route, very easy in fact, far more comfortable! And it means you can chill the max backstage at any festival you want, get priority on interviews, get all the right invites, get all the guestlist you want, and exclusives and all the backslapping you want. And it stinks.
Which is why I have nothing but respect when Jim goes and writes something like this. Because he doesn't have to. But when you tell the truth, and when you're honest, you don't have to answer to anyone.
Respect.
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7 comments:
Good call, Una. Five years ago, this was the very reason I got into this biz in the first place: to do my little bit to help shoot down that most ridiculous public acceptance that blandness was all Ireland could do. Mercifully, there seem to have been a lot of other people who failed to spot the Emperor's clothes too, which is why things are a lot more fun today.
Good stuff una,
May I add that one of things that annoyed be about the music business in Ireland was this apparent search for "the next U2"?
Are our current batch not politi-cool enough to do justice to an overtly perverse media as it is?
Could Ireland's biggest band be inversely Ireland's biggest curse?
To paraphase chuck d, "yeah, tell it like it is"
Ah jaysus una, you've just gone and made me blush
thanks - missing your blog already
x
Good review in that its honest I guess. Completely disagree with it though. Have heard the album and love it. Didnt like the last record and Bono is a bit Ned Flanders but some really quality stuff on the album...Macnificent is up there with their best...
I watched U2's performance on the Brits cringing. That song is dire. And I love U2! I'll make my own mind up when I hear the album, but if the rest of it is as bad as that, something is very wrong in the state of Denmark. And Irish journalism. If you don't call people on their shit, they'll keep doing it.
Great post Una - carroll's review hits all the targets. You can see it in the fact that the best the u2 fans over his blog can do is try to attack him.
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