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Post by the Scribe on May 21, 2013 12:39:50 GMT -5
I don't know why but when I posted it I actually thought it was funny and loved the comebacks by Linda. It showed she is quick witted and human. I am not so sure the interviewer was out to get her, he just had the kind of personality and humor that was antithesis to Linda's or to her mood that day. She has never struck me as the moody or vindictive type though so I think their "stars' were not aligned. Fire and water.
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Post by sliderocker on May 21, 2013 13:45:10 GMT -5
I know Slide. I wonder what the person interviewing Linda's tone was, because in the past she has been asked personal questions and she either answered or said she didn't want to talk about it.. . I can't remember what set either of them off during the interview in question and I could be wrong but when I originally read it, I thought she flew off the handle.. so yeah, it could of been the tone they used with her or she was in a bad mood that day. And the sarcastic satan worship question came up at the end after there was tension, it's not like the person threw it out there right off the bat. Usually when there is tension and emotions are running high, people will make digs. lol What either of their tones were is something that can't be determined just by looking at the printed word. The interviewer could've been in a joking mood and Linda in oh-too-serious mood or angry about having to do an interview in the first place, and things just went downhill. Or the guy could've been a first class jerk and was rude from the get go, and Linda gave back in the same fashion. But, also knowing RS doesn't print verbatim what was said in an interview, so we don't know what was taken out of context and what was left out. And we don't know whether either one were in a good mood or bad mood or mixed mood, and no harm was meant on either side. But, I felt what little there was put Linda in an especially negative light. One just had to hope people reading the interview didn't think Linda was acting like a superdiva or worse, as stuff like that could turn people off and could've potentially affected her album sales.
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Post by Richard W on May 21, 2013 14:24:26 GMT -5
The clue to me that it was the interviewer who had crossed some line was when Linda said, in effect, "listen, I've been at this for a long time..."
Does anyone have easy access to the interview? I know it's here (or on the archived site) and am just too damned lazy to search for it.
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Post by musicaamator on May 21, 2013 14:32:27 GMT -5
The clue to me that it was the interviewer who had crossed some line was when Linda said, in effect, "listen, I've been at this for a long time..." Does anyone have easy access to the interview? I know it's here (or on the archived site) and am just too damned lazy to search for it. Here ya go: www.ronstadt-linda.com/artrs95.html
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Post by erik on May 21, 2013 14:49:15 GMT -5
Not an easy "interview" to read through (IMHO). I think both the interviewer and Linda came out of this with egg on their faces.
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Post by the Scribe on May 21, 2013 16:10:06 GMT -5
I still think it is funny and at this stage I think Linda would probably agree. The guy was pesky, like an eyegnat but the exchange was amusing (maybe not at the time). Some people automatically put other people on the defensive and that is what he did to Linda. I worked with a guy like that, it drove me crazy but years later it seems so silly now.
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Post by sliderocker on May 21, 2013 16:13:29 GMT -5
Not an easy "interview" to read through (IMHO). I think both the interviewer and Linda came out of this with egg on their faces. I tend to have sympathy for Linda because of knowing what was printed in RS possibly was not the whole interview and what was there could possibly have been taken out of context. I remember when RS printed what I thought was an extremely cold-hearted comment by Elton John about Elvis, in which John said he didn't want to be fat and forty and playing in Vegas like Elvis. The fat comment was a poor choice of words but RS didn't print all of what John had actually said, until after Elvis died. The comment was John's recollection of meeting Elvis in Vegas in 1975 and seeing how sick he was and being made to go on with the show despite being in poor health. He felt for Elvis and thought they should've sent Elvis home to rest and recuperate. As he said, they could've rescheduled the shows but making him work possibly only made his health much worse. But RS trimmed what John said about meeting Elvis to the "fat and forty and playing Las Vegas" comment. How many people who read that agreed with John, not knowing what he really said? And how many Elvis fans read that and thought, what a cold hearted b*st*rd Elton John was - fans who might have been fans of EJ as well? The Linda interview, short as it was, could've been as it was or it could've been heavily edited and/or taken out of context. It did present Linda in a negative light and the reporter in a negative light, but I wouldn't trust it to be a 100% accurate reading.
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Post by JasonKlose on May 21, 2013 16:19:22 GMT -5
The clue to me that it was the interviewer who had crossed some line was when Linda said, in effect, "listen, I've been at this for a long time..." Does anyone have easy access to the interview? I know it's here (or on the archived site) and am just too damned lazy to search for it. Here ya go: www.ronstadt-linda.com/artrs95.htmlOk.......I'm going to weigh in on this now. I have read this interview before, and I think it's one of the strangest interviews I've ever read, if not THE strangest. As it said at the beginning, Linda had not interviewed with Rolling Stone for 12 years, see if you can guess why. I don't think it's a coincidence that this interviewer was asking Linda inappropriate questions and just being downright rude. I think Jann Wenner had something to do with it......I wouldn't have put it past him. This interviewer makes no sense at all. I mean, why would you ask a question like "do you go bowling," or "what was the last movie you cried at?" He was supposed to be asking Linda questions about her new album. Personal questions are completely off limits. Be professional. Sure, I would like to know a little more about Linda myself and would love to know her personally, but that's ridiculous. Besides, the personal questions he WAS asking Linda were so stupid anyway. He also interrupted her several times while she was talking about the album. And that question about her Satan worshipping?! What was up with that?!! The questions didn't have anything to do with music or anything at all. It's like he just threw them out there, as if he wasn't even prepared for this interview and didn't even have questions ready for her. Any professional journalist would. Having a B.A. in Journalism and being a writer myself, I know what I'm talking about. In my opinion, this sorry excuse for a writer had one goal in mind, and that was to irritate Linda intentionally. And I don't think he was alone in doing it either. I think Linda was more than kind in her responses. She could have been a real bitch if she wanted to be, and if she had been I wouldn't have blamed her. Anyone would be irritated by questions like that. Linda didn't come off as arrogant or in a bad mood at all in my opinion. She seemed to be in a good mood at the start, and the interview started off okay until he started to ask her absurd questions. I hope that someday I will have the opportunity to interview Linda. And when I do, I will be professional, respectful and kind to her. And from what I've heard and read about Linda, I'm certain she will do the same for me and be as gracious as she has always been. In fact, I think there hasn't been a better time to interview her. She seems to be very happy and content with her life now that she's retired. I'm sure the constant touring became quite a burden to her. And with the health problems she has had in recent years.......we don't know how much it was affecting her. I just think people need to have more respect, compassion and understanding. Linda has those qualities and I will always have the same for her.
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Post by Richard W on May 21, 2013 16:33:05 GMT -5
Thanks, musicaamator.
I'm sorry, but I still believe the problems are all the interviewer's.
You can feel things start to go wrong with his facile (read: stupid) suggestion that they sell Trio II out of newspaper bins...
Still, as willing as Linda is to talk about the album -- how many times does she keep swinging the subject back to that? -- this moron keeps interrupting her potentially interesting comments about the making of the music on this album with left-field (read: idiotic) questions such as: "You don't do a lot of bowling, do you?"
And if you read the interview as a conversation, there are several times when Linda, even later in the exchange, still opens up and answers his questions in a conversational way, such as her answer to his innocuous (read: mundane) question, "Is there a target audience you want to attract?" To which she replies:
"I think more about who I would like to have playing with me - people like Jim Keltner, David Lindley. I love David Lindley. He's my cousin, and there's no reason he would ever not be in my life personally and professionally. I like him, I like his wife."
Now, a professionally astute interviewer who did his homework on his subject would immediately pick up on the fact that Linda brought up the subject of her cousin, David Lindley (someone she has rarely said that much about) and would have known that she produced Lindley's debut album, "Very Greasy." I imagine any one of us could have concocted at least a half-dozen good questions about that topic.
But did our intrepid (read: smart-ass) interviewer? Nope. He went for what he thought was a "gotcha!" moment which, as any seasoned -- and perhaps even novice -- interviewer knows, is death for this type interview.
He: Be careful, that was almost personal.
Even after the ominous "long pause" following another attempt to get into her personal life, she still gives him something to pick up when she talks about Annie Lennox being "best female pop singer in the last 50 years." Again, who here couldn't think of a better follow-up question following that tantalizing tidbit of musical opinion than: "Has there ever been something that you wanted to talk about that an interviewer didn't bring up?"
It devolves quickly from there.
To answer the question posed at the top of the interview, yep, it's easy to see why Linda hasn't spoken to RS in 12 years -- or since. When you assign a callow, rude, smart ass to interview Linda Ronstadt, this is the result.
[written and posted after jason's comments, which I did not see until after the fact]
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Post by sliderocker on May 21, 2013 16:40:26 GMT -5
Ok.......I'm going to weigh in on this now. I have read this interview before, and I think it's one of the strangest interviews I've ever read, if not the strangest. As it said at the beginning, Linda had not interviewed with Rolling Stone for 12 years, see if you can guess why. I don't think it's a coincidence that this interviewer was asking Linda inappropriate questions and just being downright rude. I think Jann Wenner had something to do with it......I wouldn't have put it past him. This interviewer makes no sense at all. I mean, why would you ask a question like "do you go bowling," or "what was the last movie you cried at?" He was supposed to be asking Linda questions about her new album. Personal questions are completely off limits. Be professional. Sure, I would like to know a little more about Linda myself and would love to know her personally, but that's ridiculous. Besides, the personal questions he was asking Linda were so stupid anyway. And that question about her Satan worshipping?! What was up with that?!! They didn't have anything to do with music or anything at all. It's like he just threw them out there, as if he wasn't even prepared for this interview and didn't even have questions ready for her. Any professional journalist would. Having a B.A. in Journalism and being a writer myself, I know what I'm talking about. In my opinion, this sorry excuse for a writer had one goal in mind, and that was to irritate Linda intentionally. And I don't think he was alone in doing it either. I think Linda was more than kind in her responses. She could have been a real bitch if she wanted to be, and if she had been I wouldn't have blamed her. Anyone would be irritated by questions like that. Linda didn't come off as arrogant or in a bad mood at all in my opinion. She seemed to be in a good mood at the start, and the interview started off okay until he started to ask her stupid questions. I hope that someday I'll have the opportunity to interview Linda. And when I do, I'll will be professional, respectful and kind to her. And from what I've heard and read about Linda, I'm certain she will do the same for me and be as gracious as she has always been. Good points, Jason, but to play devil's advocate here for a moment, I know a common complaint from celebrities, especially singers, is being asked the same questions all of the time. Yes, they are there to talk about their new album, part of the promotional effort, but many times they also expect to be asked questions totally unrelated to the music. Reporters certainly ask celebrities their opinions of politics and war - opinions which anger a certain segment of the public. I think some however want to know what the celebrity does when they're not working at being a celebrity. Are they like you and me or that reporter or anyone else? Do they go to movies? Concerts? Bowling? It's insane but some celebrities don't seem to mind being asked questions like that. There's no question though that some do mind and some have a chip on their shoulder about it. It's also possible the reporter wanted to cover something other than the usual type of questions that Linda had been asked in the past. Once you get past the questions about a new album, what do you talk about? Given Linda herself had been critical of her own music, it's conceivable she may not even have wanted to talk about her music, new or old. And if that was the case, what could they talk about then? The reporter was there to talk and perhaps Linda's management should've given the reporter a list of topics he could talk to Linda about. But, if Linda was in a bad mood, I got a feeling a page with a list of topics to talk about could've been a blank page.
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Post by JasonKlose on May 21, 2013 16:47:27 GMT -5
Thanks, musicaamator. I'm sorry, but I still believe the problems are all the interviewer's. You can feel things start to go wrong with his facile (read: stupid) suggestion that they sell Trio II out of newspaper bins... Still, as willing as Linda is to talk about the album -- how many times does she keep swinging the subject back to that? -- this moron keeps interrupting her potentially interesting comments about the making of the music on this album with left-field (read: idiotic) questions such as: "You don't do a lot of bowling, do you?" And if you read the interview as a conversation, there are several times when Linda, even later in the exchange, still opens up and answers his questions in a conversational way, such as her answer to his innocuous (read: mundane) question, "Is there a target audience you want to attract?" To which she replies: "I think more about who I would like to have playing with me - people like Jim Keltner, David Lindley. I love David Lindley. He's my cousin, and there's no reason he would ever not be in my life personally and professionally. I like him, I like his wife." Now, a professionally astute interviewer who did his homework on his subject would immediately pick up on the fact that Linda brought up the subject of her cousin, David Lindley (someone she has rarely said that much about) and would have known that she produced Lindley's debut album, "Very Greasy." I imagine any one of us could have concocted at least a half-dozen good questions about that topic. But did our intrepid (read: smart-ass) interviewer? Nope. He went for what he thought was a "gotcha!" moment which, as any seasoned -- and perhaps even novice -- interviewer knows, is death for this type interview. He: Be careful, that was almost personal. Even after the ominous "long pause" following another attempt to get into her personal life, she still gives him something to pick up when she talks about Annie Lennox being "best female pop singer in the last 50 years." Again, who here couldn't think of a better follow-up question following that tantalizing tidbit of musical opinion than: "Has there ever been something that you wanted to talk about that an interviewer didn't bring up?" It devolves quickly from there. To answer the question posed at the top of the interview, yep, it's easy to see why Linda hasn't spoken to RS in 12 years -- or since. When you assign a callow, rude, smart ass to interview Linda Ronstadt, this is the result. [written and posted after jason's comments, which I did not see until after the fact] To Richard W: Ditto!!!! You somehow got into my head or I got into yours. It seems we share almost exactly the same opinions. You seem to know a lot about professional journalism. Have you done any writing? That creep was about the rudest interviewer I've ever seen. Maybe he did ask Linda some of those stupid questions on his own, and maybe it wasn't his only goal to intentionally get under her skin. But I have a feeling a certain jerk at RS, who I don't need to mention, also had something to do with it.
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Post by JasonKlose on May 21, 2013 16:57:13 GMT -5
You do make a good point too, but if it had been me I would have asked her more intelligent questions than this guy did. Like Richard W. said, when Linda did respond to a question and seemed interested in talking about it, the interviewer could then go into that particular topic and keep the conversation going. For instance, when she mentioned her cousin David Lindley.
As for interviewing Linda today, it would be a lot easier to come up with any number of topics, considering she is now retired and has seemed to come to terms with her entire career and life. But I would still keep it professional and treat Linda with the utmost respect and admiration.
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Post by Dianna on May 21, 2013 16:58:30 GMT -5
I;m sorry in all due respect I can't say the person conducting the interview was completley at fault here. IMO I think she came off real snobby.. "I only go to the ballet and the opera," the interviewer was trying IMO to remind her of her roots and what made her a very wealthy woman.. and so what, why should that person have to kiss ass or be phoney about it.. he or she was being honest..granted it wasn't handled in the best way and yes, when I feel people are being uppity I tend to get snarky back . : Oh, I only go to the opera or the ballet. ...(my inner voice would think).. what a phoney, so I guess bowling is out. lol Some of the other questions I agree were stupid.. and I sticking to my guns to, both are to blame here.
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Post by JasonKlose on May 21, 2013 17:19:16 GMT -5
I;m sorry in all due respect I can't say the person conducting the interview was completley at fault here. IMO I think she came off real snobby.. "I only go to the ballet and the opera," the interviewer was trying IMO to remind her of her roots and what made her a very wealthy woman.. and so what, why should that person have to kiss ass or be phoney about it.. he or she was being honest..granted it wasn't handled in the best way and yes, when I feel people are being uppity I tend to get snarky back . : Oh, I only go to the opera or the ballet. ...(my inner voice would think).. what a phoney, so I guess bowling is out. lol Some of the other questions I agree were stupid.. and I sticking to my guns to, both are to blame here. I'm sorry.......you're definitely entitled to your opinion, but I just can't say I agree with it. I mean, why would he ask Linda the question about bowling? He waited until after a few other questions to ask her that. It's almost as if he knew that she probably didn't go bowling because she goes to the opera and the ballet. He assumed she probably wouldn't be into that, so he thought he'd just stick it to her. That was extremely rude. And just because Linda goes to the opera and ballet, that doesn't make her a snob. Personally, I'm not into those things too much myself, but I don't think it's fair to judge someone just on what they like to do in their spare time. What I especially liked at the end was Linda's answer to the question, "Never mind. I think we're done." Her answer: "Good. I hope I've given you something to write about." That was classic! What a great comeback by Linda! She's very intelligent and quick-witted. She knew that he didn't get much material to work with because of all the dumb-ass questions he asked. And of course not knowing what RS would print from the interview, and if you could base it on conversation about music and edit out all the other stuff, what would there be left to print? He had nothing! Of course being RS, why wouldn't they print all the crap and stick it to Linda like they have always done and still do to this day (including another organization which I don't need to mention). Again.......Linda was all too kind to this jerk and didn't deserve to be treated that way. What I say to her getting the last word at the end: Good for you Linda!!
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Post by Dianna on May 21, 2013 17:34:23 GMT -5
well my point here..he was making a smart ass comment to her and imo she set herself up for it. ... Linda made a name for herself singing rock/country rock...and no it doesn't make one a snob who prefers fine arts.. that isn't my point.. It does make you sound like a snob when you seem to dismiss a part of your life/career which made you very successful and the people who supported you through it. We've even discussed this here (many times)on the forum how she tends to snub what made her famous.. rock. Shes even made negative comments about rock audiences vs the mexican ones (which she prefers). Anyway, I'm not looking at the interview as a fan because that tends to make me bias to my idol.. and I understand some fans see no wrong no matter what..
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Post by the Scribe on May 21, 2013 17:36:47 GMT -5
Holy mackeral. The thread changed drastically in the short time it took me to write this. They both got in some good "gotchas" and the event was probably a draw. It was still amusing and should probably be made into a movie.
Going back a page ago:
When Linda was at her height of popularity and "beauty" she didn't seem to think she was "all that" so fast forward 40 years and who really cares?
Corporate food is crap and will put 50 pounds on you in a year if you aren't careful. She also has Mexican genes (which haven't adapted well to our current food if you've read the studies) and she is short in stature which compounds any weight gain.
There is nothing wrong with her appearance today. She still gets out there and fights with Conservatives and has no problem being on film doing that. Her supposed "sex kitten" images were from another lifetime. Maybe she will dabble in music and maybe not but I wouldn't expect her to perform ever again but not because of her appearance.
I've always looked forward to 50 (or retirement) because that was the age men could begin to wear bermuda shorts with Hawaiian shirts, black shoes, white socks and "dick cheney" anyone who didn't like it or basically look like your typical Floridian.
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Post by Dianna on May 21, 2013 17:47:29 GMT -5
Holy mackeral. The thread changed drastically in the short time it took me to write this. When Linda was at her height of popularity and "beauty" she didn't seem to think she was "all that" so fast forward 40 years and who really cares? Corporate food is crap and will put 50 pounds on you in a year if you aren't careful. She also has Mexican genes (which haven't adapted well to our current food if you've read the studies) and she is short in stature which compounds any weight gain. There is nothing wrong with her appearance today. She still gets out there and fights with Conservatives and has no problem being on film doing that. Her supposed "sex kitten" images were from another lifetime. Maybe she will dabble in music and maybe not but I wouldn't expect her to perform ever again but not because of her appearance. I've always looked forward to 50 (or retirement) because that was the age men could begin to wear bermuda shorts with Hawaiian shirts, black shoes, white socks and "dick cheney" anyone who didn't like it or basically look like your typical Floridian. Yes, it did because I have no clue what your response is connected to.. bermuda shorts and hawaiian shirts? .. I thought this was from the I hate cold weather thread. ha ha
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Post by the Scribe on May 21, 2013 17:50:16 GMT -5
This thread reminds me of the Linda Ronstadt vs. Robin Quivers threads. Ah, the good ole days!
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Post by erik on May 21, 2013 18:15:40 GMT -5
Quote by Dianna:
Nobody came out the winner in this; and in fact, I think Linda came out looking like more of a loser. That's not an easy thing for me as a fan to say, and probably not politically correct to say here, but there it is.
I do agree with you Dianna on the point that, whether consciously or not, she has in the past come off sounding like snob when she dismisses what made her popular to begin with, and the fans who helped make it happen.
I make no apologies, either, for my opinion about her confrontation with Robin Quivers, which, I would gather, contradicts pretty much everyone else's, though I'm not a Howard Stern fan by any means. I am a fan of Linda's, but I'm also objective; and I am not going to say "Brownie, you're doin' a heckuva job" when I myself don't believe it in my own heart, not even for Linda.
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Post by musicaamator on May 21, 2013 20:13:26 GMT -5
As much as it pains me to say it, but luckily hiding under the guise that I am just a newbie fan, Linda does not come off well in this interview. So on that I agree with Dianna and Erik.
When she said about worrying how to sell the album, the interviewer, in my opinion, was trying to lighten things up, but Linda did not. Maybe she was insulted by it, and from there things turned ugly.
Also, about the bowling question, again I read it as again the interviewer trying to lighten up the mood.
When I read this article the first time I was just taken aback by it. Kind of not a good representation of Linda--but we all have our bad days. This was just caught in print.
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Post by JasonKlose on May 21, 2013 21:25:11 GMT -5
I don't know why but when I posted it I actually thought it was funny and loved the comebacks by Linda. It showed she is quick witted and human. I am not so sure the interviewer was out to get her, he just had the kind of personality and humor that was antithesis to Linda's or to her mood that day. She has never struck me as the moody or vindictive type though so I think their "stars' were not aligned. Fire and water. I think your comments here say it pretty well. Maybe the interviewer's personality just clashed with Linda's. And maybe she was in a bad mood. But I still don't see what other people are saying. I'm a writer and I've interviewed people. I can put myself in that guy's shoes and pretend I'm interviewing Linda. First of all, I wouldn't ask the kind of questions he was asking her. But if I felt that a certain question struck a nerve with Linda and her response was not what I was expecting, I would just let it go and move on. But he kept persisting and continued to make her uncomfortable with irrelevant questions. As for what Dianna said, I know we did discuss Linda's tendency to dismiss her '70s rock 'n' roll heyday. So is that the reason why she is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I don't see it as arrogance toward the people that helped her become successful, including her fans. What I don't believe in, is when people are fans of someone and they have this attitude that says "We as fans made you who you are. You wouldn't be anything if hadn't been for us buying your records and going to your concerts." To me that just spells jealousy. Sure, any fan wants to see their idol appreciate them and thank them for their support. But it's another thing to say that you made them. I just don't like that kind of attitude. Linda has a gift and she has shared that with the world. She deserves everything she has received. If I feel anything for her besides respect and admiration it's envy, not jealousy. I would give anything to have lived such a rich and full life like she has. If she embraces her heritage and enjoys that music over the rock 'n' roll, that's fine. She can do and think whatever she wants to. Personally, I agree with her about playing in the stadiums and arenas, and the comments she has made many times about the guitar solos from the week before still ringing around in the rafters. She's absolutely right. They're not good places for music. I much prefer to see a concert in a theater type setting. And I don't think she has completely dismissed her rock 'n' roll days. Why did she have to talk about the '70s when she could talk about the new album she had done when she was interviewed for that article in 1995. Linda has said before that she has never been one to dwell on the past, but instead moves forward. I would rather not look back on the past either. This interview was from 1995.......it was 18 years ago. Why not focus on Linda now? From everything she said at Grace Cathedral back in February, I think Linda is very appreciative of everyone who has helped her in her career and has come to terms with everything she has accomplished, including the rock 'n' roll. That's what we all need to focus on here.
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Post by JasonKlose on May 21, 2013 21:41:57 GMT -5
Quote by Dianna: Nobody came out the winner in this; and in fact, I think Linda came out looking like more of a loser. That's not an easy thing for me as a fan to say, and probably not politically correct to say here, but there it is. I do agree with you Dianna on the point that, whether consciously or not, she has in the past come off sounding like snob when she dismisses what made her popular to begin with, and the fans who helped make it happen. I make no apologies, either, for my opinion about her confrontation with Robin Quivers, which, I would gather, contradicts pretty much everyone else's, though I'm not a Howard Stern fan by any means. I am a fan of Linda's, but I'm also objective; and I am not going to say "Brownie, you're doin' a heckuva job" when I myself don't believe it in my own heart, not even for Linda. You're certainly entitled to your opinion too Erik, just like everyone else here. But I have to disagree with you on both points. I don't know how you can say Linda came out looking like more of a loser than the idiot who interviewed her. I mean, just look at the questions he was asking her. How would you answer them? How would anyone answer them? Would you say you would answer them any better? Honestly. Read Richard's comments if you haven't already. As for the Robin Quivers incident on the Tonight Show, maybe it was a little inappropriate for Linda to confront Robin when and where she did, but I agree with her on what she was saying and how she felt about it. I don't know.......maybe it's an age thing, due to the fact that I'm considerably younger than most of us here on this forum. I'm not old enough to remember Linda in the '70s too much........just catching her on the radio at age five or six in the very late '70s. I didn't get to grow up with her music as a teen or in my 20s and see her concerts, so I may not have the love and appreciation for her rock music that some of you do. I guess I just don't see the arrogance about that part of her career that you think she has. I love her rock songs from that era, but I love what she has done since then even more.
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Post by erik on May 21, 2013 22:07:25 GMT -5
Quote by jasonk73:
I probably should clarify for the record that my concern is more out of the way people are going to perceive what she says and the way she says it. To others, it can seem like she's putting on very snobbish airs, even if this isn't really the case. She isn't always cognizant of how she comes off in the media; and especially in today's media, perceptions are everything, more so than the reality, which is, I think, a very sad comment on things today.
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Post by Dianna on May 21, 2013 22:29:57 GMT -5
Jason, I can only speak for myself.. regarding jealous fans or rather possessive fans, you're right, I've been to concert meet and greets where some people are so rude, I had to walk away from embarrassment.. 1 woman screamed at this particular artist from his bus.. get over here and sign this.. to. so and so.. we made you!! now that is rude.. and some people do feel entitled to piece of that artist they help support. This isn't the case here with Linda.. we're all pretty much gracious fans of hers.. from what I read on this forum we all admire and respect her deeply.. for her contributions in music and some of us for her political views too. I personally feel the interview went south after the Gershwin remark.. (songs for vocalists) and she kind of tossed the Eagles a backhanded compliment.. "oh, they're good but I don't go see those types of shows.. (I go to the opera).. lol.. to me it sounded a little hateful and uppity. Jason, I realize you are a professional and I think richard w might be too, because you guys express things well like a journalist would.. I'm not a journalist but I read the interview as if I'd witnessed a heated conversation btwn 2 individuals with 1 person I knew or liked and the other a total stranger.. I don't know who this Chris Mundy is or if they are male or female, so I'm listening totally giving Linda the benefit . lol. This is an old interview and she probably doesn't even remember it or care. I think she had the upper hand in this interview and could have made her point more thoughtful and gracious... without cutting down the music she is best known for just to build up another style she seems to prefer nowadays. She didn't have to do that. and I bet Chris would have been a lot nicer.. anyway.. I always thought there was a symbiotic relationship btwn interviews...
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Post by musicaamator on May 22, 2013 8:11:29 GMT -5
Quote by jasonk73: I probably should clarify for the record that my concern is more out of the way people are going to perceive what she says and the way she says it. To others, it can seem like she's putting on very snobbish airs, even if this isn't really the case. She isn't always cognizant of how she comes off in the media; and especially in today's media, perceptions are everything, more so than the reality, which is, I think, a very sad comment on things today. Good point--if I was not a fan of Linda and read this article, she would come across as...well...to put it mildly....not kind. She just doesn't come across too good in this interview. Sure, the manner in which the interviewer led her that way--defensive, curt responses--played a part, yet still, from a reader's perspective, especially of a non-fan whom may have read it, it comes across as rude, snotty, irritable.. It's nice and meaningful to have discussions that aren't always siding with Linda (or whomever). Not everything a particular artist does will be well-received by all fans. Look, I am one (of many too) of THE biggest Beatle fans, but I don't like all their stuff: The forays into Indian music by George, Lennon's Revolution 9, Ringo's Don't Pass Me By, Macca's Maxwell's Silver Hammer are just a few I don't particularly care for. But that does not make me less of a fan. And the same can be said of Linda. Although I side with her against Quivers, here I am not. And that's ok, cuz " I am good enough, smart enough and doggone it, people like me."
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Post by Richard W on May 22, 2013 9:47:13 GMT -5
What's ironic here is that while Linda apparently dismisses the country-rock music that made her name, she's promoting a new album of -- country-rock!
And isn't that dichotomy itself a potentially interesting topic to pursue?
So, yes, although she may not attend country-rock, country or rock concerts, instead preferring opera (and lest we forget, opera was a big part of her musical life as a child, not to mention that she was in an operetta herself), she is still (at the time) making the type of music that made her famous and promoting it with an interview with RS.
I suspect, like jason, that this was a Wenner snipe job (I can almost hear him sniggering in the background), that the interview was never supposed to be successful. The interviewer says from the top that she hasn't spoken to RS in 12 years, yet he doesn't explain why. I think we know why.
I'm not a fan(atic) apologist for Linda, but when I read this hatchet-job the feeling I most come away with is regret, regret for all of the interesting things we could have learned about the music on this (ultimately forsaken) album, interesting things Linda vainly tried to tell us.
Which should have been the point to it all.
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Post by the Scribe on May 22, 2013 12:47:28 GMT -5
When I read this article the first time I was just taken aback by it. Kind of not a good representation of Linda--but we all have our bad days. This was just caught in print.
Everyone here seems to be making the assumption that this interview is unedited, the writer is writing verbatim and without prejudice of any kind. He could have taken partial statements from fuller answers Linda had given him. A clever writer, like a music critic can make anyone look good or bad. It is their job. Considering the source (Rolling Stone) this could have just been a hit piece on Linda. Personally I would give Linda Ronstadt the benefit of the doubt rather than believe some guy who may have an agenda. These people ususally record interviews so let me hear the recording and then I will form my opinion. In the meantime I still think the piece is humorous as it stands unlike comments surrounding it that are ready to condemn Linda.
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Post by sliderocker on May 22, 2013 15:03:22 GMT -5
Jason, I can only speak for myself.. regarding jealous fans or rather possessive fans, you're right, I've been to concert meet and greets where some people are so rude, I had to walk away from embarrassment.. 1 woman screamed at this particular artist from his bus.. get over here and sign this.. to. so and so.. we made you!! now that is rude.. and some people do feel entitled to piece of that artist they help support.
Fans can sometimes make a spectacle and embarrassment of themselves. Michael Nesmith made a rare appearance at a club in 2010 or 2011 in southern California, and some fan, I think, from Indiana had come to see him and hopefully get a chance to meet him. Nesmith was with his daughter and his daughter had made some kind of plans which made his schedule very tight, so he couldn't meet with the fans after the show. Anyway, this guy from Indiana, he's begging and pleading for Nesmith to come over and meet him, almost to the point it sounds like he's crying. Nesmith apologized but the fan still kept up with the whining, the begging and the pleading. Someone posted a video on youtube of that incident, and it made me cringe. I'm the type of fan where if I can meet the celebrity, great, but if the celebrity's time is limited and they don't have time to meet with the fans, that's okay too because I recognize their time is valuable to them too and they may have things they need to attend to.
This isn't the case here with Linda.. we're all pretty much gracious fans of hers.. from what I read on this forum we all admire and respect her deeply.. for her contributions in music and some of us for her political views too. I personally feel the interview went south after the Gershwin remark.. (songs for vocalists) and she kind of tossed the Eagles a backhanded compliment.. "oh, they're good but I don't go see those types of shows.. (I go to the opera).. lol.. to me it sounded a little hateful and uppity.
Linda has made other comments in the past where she sounded kind of uppity and snobbish. When she told an interviewer (published in Goldmine) that she didn't hunger after a Kitty Wells record, she added to the comment by saying she and Emmylou Harris had a little more refined upbringing or were more refined or something like that. Maybe she meant no insult or slur and meant something else but it sounded snobbish and uppity and maybe also something of a putdown. Reading a comment like that, I'm not sure how she could've listened to and been influenced by Hank Williams, since his music was also from the same part of the US and also considered (by snobs) to have been hillbilly music.
Jason, I realize you are a professional and I think richard w might be too, because you guys express things well like a journalist would.. I'm not a journalist but I read the interview as if I'd witnessed a heated conversation btwn 2 individuals with 1 person I knew or liked and the other a total stranger.. I don't know who this Chris Mundy is or if they are male or female, so I'm listening totally giving Linda the benefit . lol. This is an old interview and she probably doesn't even remember it or care. I think she had the upper hand in this interview and could have made her point more thoughtful and gracious... without cutting down the music she is best known for just to build up another style she seems to prefer nowadays. She didn't have to do that. and I bet Chris would have been a lot nicer.. anyway.. I always thought there was a symbiotic relationship btwn interviews...
I also give Linda the benefit of the doubt, one, because it was published in Rolling Stone. I don't know if Mundy though was an employee for RS or just a freelancer but here again, knowing RS doesn't print verbatim what was said in an interview, they could've done a hatchet job on both the writer and on Linda. With RS, you never know just what you're going to get as far as honesty is concerned.
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Post by Dianna on May 22, 2013 15:47:09 GMT -5
Linda has made other comments in the past where she sounded kind of uppity and snobbish. When she told an interviewer (published in Goldmine) that she didn't hunger after a Kitty Wells record, she added to the comment by saying she and Emmylou Harris had a little more refined upbringing or were more refined or something like that. Maybe she meant no insult or slur and meant something else but it sounded snobbish and uppity and maybe also something of a putdown. Reading a comment like that, I'm not sure how she could've listened to and been influenced by Hank Williams, since his music was also from the same part of the US and also considered (by snobs) to have been hillbilly music>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I remember that article too, Slide.. My first thought was.. WTH? That doesn't sound like something Linda would say.. and okay refined.. maybe that comment was taken out of context as well .. with that, didn't our Linda grow up in the desert.. on a ranch? I'm not gonna say she's full of it because, I don't think she meant harm by it.. and yes, Linda is a class act IMO.. True you don't need to be wealthy or have an ivy league education to be refined and she has mentioned her humble beginnings with the stone poneys. Sometimes she says the most bizzare stuff, without thinking, it seems. lol
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Post by the Scribe on May 22, 2013 17:59:13 GMT -5
She is outspoken and fast thinking where what she says isn't always what she means or is taken differently than she means. And other times it is exactly what she means. She is blunt (like a New York woman) and many find that offensive but in my culture it is expected.
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