Re: Klosterman

What's the consensus on Chuck Klosterman? I read Fargo Rock City and really liked it a lot, but haven't read much else of his )haven't bothered with Spin for years, for instance) - but I have read an awful lot of harsh commentary about him, but don't know if it's well reasoned or just sour grapes.

"Consensus"? On THIS board? Honestly now, Reno ...

I like reading Klosterman, very much. I haven't read any of his books yet (he's published three to date, according to Amazon), but he's easily one of the most enjoyable writers on the staff at *Spin*. (Yes, I read *Spin*.)

The harsh commentary about Klosterman may have something to do with the fact that Chuck writes about topics that he appreciates, whether they're the hip thing to write about or not. His piece in *Spin* about the Carnival Cruise "rock getaway" that featured on-board performances by Styx, Journey and REO Speedwagon was priceless, IMO. Not because those are three bands I like, or want to read about ... but because it was funny, well-written, and gave honest consideration to the bands and their fans on the cruise, rather than just skewering them as over-the-hill or out-of-touch. The way he concluded that article, in fact, was nothing less than compassionate.

Is Chuck unhip or uncool? Is *Spin*? Others can debate that, and surely will. He's an excellent writer, and one of my favorite writers in rock journalism today. Hopefully this state of affairs will continue for a while.

No writer gets cred as long as he stays with a teen magazine. Especially one that lost its mission and slowly declined its reader age. He's not a bad writer and I've looked at part of the book, but it's not exactly revelatory. All print magazines are dead or dying anyway. 'The world doth change and those that nay-tarry can spin or deboard'.

Klosterman's writing is very entertaining. His "voice" is prominent--a little too prominent sometimes. The only real problem I have with his views falls on his actual taste in music. He's a slightly aged metal fan--'80s metal of all things--that has an obvious disdain for some of his audience and most of the alt-indie music world. Other than that, peachy.

I like his more general pop culture takes in Esquire. His most recent piece--on how the fact that no one believes that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are really in love is a positive sign for our culture--is pretty funny. He refers to Cruise's bizarre, so-in-love behavior on Oprah as "wolf-**** crazy." But in terms of rock crit.---I don't get the sense that he listens far and wide enough anymore. Might just be me. I like his evolution (like Tom Carson) into more of a TV/Movie/cultural critic type.

Holy moley--the TP board automatically censored the expletive out of my post!

it did?

Just going back to a previous post, but not Klosterman related : Is Tom Carson the guy who wrote the chapter on "Rocket to Russia" in "Stranded"? That's a great piece of writing.....

Yeah, Carson wrote that. He's moved more toward commenting on TV and pop culture. . . A good writer--very insightful.

Ya know, I always wondered why I could curse like a sailor in my reviews but had to watch my tongue on the message board. This pleases me very.

shit piss fuck motherfucker goddamn tits

Come on, Steve, which would you rather have?
Our military serving to provide the Bush family comeuppance by finishing the war that Clinton merely put on hold for 8 years but has no relevance to America -OR- a miltary ready to aid the gulf coastline?
It's your choice. Oh. Wait a second.....

Yeah, it really did, Ira...I wrote "wolf-[synonym for 'poop'] crazy"

let me try it again: "wolf-**** crazy"

yep, did it again...

**** **** **** **** **** ****

This is a test. I am not enjoying this at all, of course, since this is only a test.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Shit shit shit shit. Motherfucker.

Apologies to all who wish to curse (this board has been amazingly free of naughty language -- where are the potty mouths?). Apparently, the software has a built-in censor that you have to turn off manually. The only word censored now is the name of a certain female vocalist who once starred in a movie whose title ended with three consonants:

*****************

Curb your enthusiasm!

Did you guys turn off the fucking censorship thingamajig? Holy shit, I think you did.

ayup! fuck fuck fuck

cocksuckers--some ggod news

Fats Domino Found in New Orleans
By Gina Serpe


One of rock 'n' roll's chief architects has been rescued from the
rubble of
New Orleans.

Fats Domino, who had been unaccounted for in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina,
was plucked from the flooded city by a helicopter late Thursday. He
was
reported to be in good condition.
An APB went out for the musician and his family earlier in the day.
The musician's niece, Checquoline Davis, posted a plea on
Craigslist.com for
information on her missing relatives, writing that Domino and his
wife,
Rosemary, and their children and grandchildren "didn't get out" of
their New
Orleans home. Her plea was one of thousands seeking information on
missing
friends and family on the site.
The R&B legend had last been heard from on Sunday night, a day
before the
storm struck. During a phone call with longtime agent Al Embry, the
77-year-old performer insisted he would ride out the hurricane in his
three-story home.

It is not immediately known if Domino's family made it to safety.
Domino's house was located in the city's 9th Ward, an area that is
heavily
flooded and littered with dead bodies.

The singer and boogie-woogie pianist, born Antoine Domino, has sold
over 110
million records in his nearly five-decade career highlighted by the
jukebox
staples "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That a Shame." The New Orleans
music
fixture's 1949 recording of "The Fat Man" is considered by some to
be the
first rock 'n' roll record, and Domino was among the inaugural group
of
inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Another Hall of Famer, singer-songwriter Allen Toussaint, was listed
among
the missing, although Fox News reported that Toussaint may be among
the
20,000-plus refugees seeking shelter in the Super Dome.

Toussaint arrived safely in NYC today. I can vouch for that. The latest bad news, however, is that Alex Chilton is mia.

The time has come to throw that shifty eyed scum drikin shit eatin rat fuckin president of ours out on his deadbeat wart infected pimple puss ass.

I'm not sure either...
"Mr president, the $10.5 billion that has been allocated to aid the victims of the Gulf states is being diverted, uh, I mean, sent along conveiniently through Houston Texas, is that right?"
pres: "That's right, in an unfortunate situation like this I just can't but put myself in those poor peoples soaked shoes and shoot heck fire, I might as well help myself to a new pair or two along with 'em."

i dunno, spin is okay
there was a great peice about CBGBs in the August issue

gee, thanks.

Oh shit,
But how could he have known?
Like me he's probably dyslexic. Whatta do skin 'em alive? The guys gotta skin don' he?
Well, if he want's ta keep it he won't go tossin names 'round like spare change, lessin he want's to be robbed.
Holy fuckin beejeezus...spin and cbgb... I'd rather have a learning disorder than read them two words side by side.
Now that i 've had the chance to mull it over, Kill that fucker on first sight!!!



Post Edited (09-17-05 03:16)

I just finished his latest book and found it to be very readable and insightful (at least in certain parts). Although ostensibly a rumination about dead rock stars and our culture's fascination with such things, it's really just about himself and chicks he can't get over. He makes salient arguments for appreciating Tesla and the four Kiss solo albums. Although I'm not sure I agree (and I know my solo Kiss albums), aren't you more intrigued nowadays by such an indefensible argument instead of reading Part 6 of an ongoing discourse on whether Farrar or Tweedy is the greater artist?

As for Rob Sheffield - and Rob, my apologies if you're on this board under a nom de plum - stop reading now or your feelings will get hurt - your'e a hyperbolating shill. How many more reviews will you rank as "the best ____, ever?" Am I the only one who can't stand this?