I don't get people who say they hate whole genres of music--when the genres are defined as broadly as "rap" and "heavy metal". I can't imagine dismissing a whole style of music just because I didn't like the few examples of it I happened to hear.

Right the eff on. I can't wrap my head around people who love music but hate certain genres or only listen to one genre. It actually makes me angry (I know that seem irrational but there you go). People don't love music and "hate rap, heavy metal, country, gospel, etc."? Whatever whatever. But fans? I do not get it.

I am done reading about the SFJ/Merritt debacle. As per usual, I think all sides drew extreme conclusions. I have to say though, I think SFJ pretty much redeemed himself by apologizing for the cracker remark while still maintaining that there is something weird about a musician/music critic mapping out the greatest albums of the 20th century and leaving music by black people out of the equation completely.

I have to say though, I think SFJ pretty much redeemed himself by apologizing for the cracker remark while still maintaining that there is something weird about a musician/music critic mapping out the greatest albums of the 20th century and leaving music by black people out of the equation completely.

It wasn't much of an apology:

An apology? Because I used an unkind term in a snarky post? "Sorry" will make you feel better? Sure. I am sorry I called Stephin Merritt a cracker. It's not nice, and it's distracting.

Bah. And he didn't even try to apologize for calling him a racist. He just asked if we could move the discussion "away from the big bad 'r' word".

He just asked if we could move the discussion "away from the big bad 'r' word".

If we move away from the 'r' word, is there any more discussion?

I certainly understand the idea, from personal experience, that there are large (as opposed to many) genre's of music where the time and effort it would take to find something in it that appeals to me (and might not appeal on anything other than an intellectual level). I try not to disparage music other people are fans of, and I'm a helluva lot less elitist, music-wise, than I was in my teens and twenties. I'm not terribly forgiving what I assume to be TOP 40 music, however, but that has as much to do with being subjected to it in stores and resturaunts as anything else.

That's a lot of "I" statements.

Bah. And he didn't even try to apologize for calling him a racist. He just asked if we could move the discussion "away from the big bad 'r' word".

That's a good point. I think the truth of it is that I kind of agree with SOME of SFJ's position (though not his execution or him calling Merritt a cracker but I certainly think he was more evenhanded about all of it than the Chicago Reader girl) so I am more inclined to agree with him regardless. I can see why people feel differently and think he's a dumbass though.

That said, I do think it's moronic to think you can look at someone's CD collection and be able to tell based on white-to-black-artist ratio if they are a racist or not. I also think looking at a serious fan's collection and critical writings can tell you many things about them that do not have anything to do with "music".

"As" stupid as ... slagging Beck, Outkast and Radiohead

One's feelings towards Beck, Outkast or Radiohead depend on where one's priorities live. They've all got problems and if you find one of those particularly malodorous, then hating them is fair game.

I agree with that, but I should fully disclose that I have Emmett Miller in my record collection but not Outkast and am therefore, obviously, a Grand Poobah of the Klue Klucks Klan.

"As" stupid as ... slagging Beck, Outkast and Radiohead

Um, out of those three, only Outkast doesn't make me wince. I just don't like Beck or Radiohead. And believe me, I've heard plenty by them because Pete does like both of those artists.

Hey, musicistas. I have a question that I'm having a hard time researching.

I was at work one day, and "Brown-Eyed Girl" came on. A coworker commented that she doesn't like that song, as there aren't any songs about girls with green eyes. By the end of the conversation, I had pledged to make her a CD of such songs.

Anybody know any? Preferably up-beat and likely to be liked by someone who likes music like until Brown-Eyed Girl.

How about "Life in a Nutshell" by Barenaked Ladies?
>She memorized
>Every pencil crayon colour in the box
>Her blue-green eyes
>Complement the burnt sienna in her locks
>She's at the movies, I'm on the phone
>When we're separated we're never alone, but still
>it's never enough, it's never enough,
>No it's never enough

A fun, pop-but-smart love song.

"Temptation", by New Order, sort of.

"Oh, you've got green eyes / Oh, you've got grey eyes / Oh, you've got blue eyes"