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Post by Partridge on Aug 1, 2022 23:45:15 GMT -5
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Post by eddiejinnj on Aug 2, 2022 8:23:28 GMT -5
Thanks for posting, boss, but it does unfortunately reinforce my view/s that it was not always easy being a Ronstadt fan. I saw Joe Jackson in Jackson, NJ at Great Adventure arena in early to mid-80's. eddiejinnj
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Post by erik on Aug 2, 2022 8:46:32 GMT -5
Quote by eddiejinnj:
So true. And I think part of the problem was that Linda had become such a money-making, and of course music-making, force by that time that the snarkiest elements of the music press were trying to tear her down for being such a huge success. I once again liken it to what happened in 1975, when JAWS was released in the movie theaters--critics fell over themselves to praise both the film and director Steven Spielberg in its first few weeks of release, but then, once it had made $200 million-plus at the box office, they went off and said that no film that made that much money could possibly be that good.
It may be that the only good defense is the George Klein defense: "If you're a fan, no explanation is necessary. If you're not, no explanation is possible." This would apply to Linda, though Mr. Klein, the late great DJ from Memphis, had said this about his good friend Elvis Presley.
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Post by RobGNYC on Aug 2, 2022 9:43:45 GMT -5
Fascinating to read these again, over 40 years after I first read them. Seems Creem had an editorial policy in 1979 (a year that she didn't release an album) of including at least one Linda item in every issue, no matter how dopey the topic or sketchy the facts. Just wondering--why the George Thorogood piece?
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Post by eddiejinnj on Aug 2, 2022 10:20:47 GMT -5
I actually was going to refence you Erik being known to write that quote and I agree. It is so weird that LITUSA was Number 1 the first week of Nov 1978 and in Feb of '80 the single "How Do I Make You" (some new Linda music) was released. They made it like she did nothing and took years off. An exaggeration but not by much, imo. Thank God (for us fans) Linda emerged at a time when an album a year was almost expected. Many country artists did 2-3 a year. eddiejinnj
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Post by Partridge on Aug 2, 2022 14:18:01 GMT -5
Fascinating to read these again, over 40 years after I first read them. Seems Creem had an editorial policy in 1979 (a year that she didn't release an album) of including at least one Linda item in every issue, no matter how dopey the topic or sketchy the facts. Just wondering--why the George Thorogood piece? I was a George Thorogood fan, and I suppose that's why I remember that particular review. Saying he couldn't sing but was not embarrassed about it. I think that fits many many singers even more than Thorogood, who can at least carry a tune. I realize he's no Caruso. One time I saw Thorogood I sat in the balcony because I did not want to be in the crowd of rowdies. Two guys started fisticuffs during a song and he jumped down from the stage, separated them, jumped back up and finished the song without missing a beat. He was a very high energy performer in his early days. |
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Post by RobGNYC on Aug 2, 2022 18:19:18 GMT -5
The Living in the U.S.A Creem review (January 1979, grade B) is from Christgau's "Consumer Guide." Down a notch from the B+ that he gave Simple Dreams.
The "Consumer Guide" grading system at the time was:
A B+ is a good record, at least one of whose sides can be played with lasting interest and the other of which includes at least one enjoyable cut.
A B is an admirable effort that aficionados of the style or artist will probably find quite listenable.
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Post by erik on Aug 2, 2022 18:47:34 GMT -5
Quote by RobGNYC:
And, um, who among us is surprised, coming from him?
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