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 Post subject: The End of the Rock Snob...
PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:08 am 
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Don't know if anybody else posted this, but a really interesting and sometimes funny story that somehow hit a chord with me and probably will for about 27% of you.

http://www.slate.com/id/2129511/?GT1=7407

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:53 am 
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He has it half right. It's true that rock music does not have the dominant cultural position it once did so a learned rockologist has fewer people who might actually be impressed by his knowledge. However, the 'digital revolution' does not spell the death of the rock snob--it is his dream come true. Contrary to the article's contention, the non-snob isn't catching up with the snob even though the opportunity is there--tracking services show that the vast majority of downloads are congregated around a relatively few tracks/albums. So the non-snob taste is still narrow--just like they used to buy current hit 45's or albums.

It's the snob (as the author puts it)/muso/enthusiast/whatever you want to call it who takes advantage of downloading and raises his obsession to a whole new, sometimes absurd level. The rock snob had lists of albums he'd read or heard about but never dreamed he'd locate for purchase. Now he can search the globe for some long out of print vinyl album maybe a single person ripped to mp3. A typical snob wants to hear everything--back catalogs even of artists he's not even necessarily that into. Now s/he (he mostly) can do that via, e.g., subscription services with unlimited downloads or, at least, unlimited listening. In summary, the snob isn't being caught up with--he's widening his lead, pulling away even further from the non-fan. Maybe the non-fan was branching out at first using downloading to sample new stuff, but with all the RIAA lawsuits and stuff he probably got scared and gave up or maybe the novelty wore off. but I think it's mostly a lack of interest. even if we actually had the mythical virtual jukebox (every recording of all time available) normal people aren't going to suddenly develop an interest in hearing every Charlie Parker outtake or whatever. the already existing musos are the ones who'd be all over it.


Last edited by Buck_Wild on Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 4:23 am 
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Buck_Wild you couldnt be more right


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:35 am 
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aside from downloading, just the WWW itself expands the universe of the enthusiast.

BEFORE you had your personal friends who are also into music. maybe you left them all back at college and now you are disconnected altogether from hardcore music fans.. after all, as a % of the population there really arne't that many super hardcore music fans. NOW...you got music chat rooms, bulletin boards, etc. where it seems perfectly normal that everybody's heard of ,e.g., Nick Drake. you hear about new stuff you wouldn't have otherwise

BEFORE you might have all the published record guide books (which are always falling behind of course). you subscribe to as many publications as seems prudent to your budget. At the end of the year, maybe you pick up the Village Voice annual music issue for a list of what you missed. NOW you got a constantly updated AMG which is several times more extensive than all their print books combined. if you didn't have all the books, now you can access, e.g., the entirety of the trouser press record guides--free. there were zines before but now there's more online. A virtual clip file of every music list known to man, even from other countries, i.e., Rocklist. Even the old Voice list. It's improved because online, now you can click a name and see all the individual lists. That's even more possible albums you might have missed.

The net (no pun intended) effect is pre-net you might have thought you knew everything--probably because you did (within what was available to you). Now even the hardest of the hardcore discover new stuff they would not have pre-WWW. And it all feeds on itself.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:22 am 
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Thing is, people my around my age or younger have never known a world where you didnt have immediate access to music online, as well as resources like AMG and boards like this. The internet has allowed us to be as into music as you want - without other constaints like money, location, albums being out of print etc. It's leveled the playing field.

And still, with all these resources, I know people who have 3 or so albums, two of which are Korn and the other being a 'modern rock' comp


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:27 am 
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splates and buck, good posts.

Some music enthusiasts are more like historians and explorers than traditional snobs. Probably there are thousands of true music snobs, but I don't come in contact with them very often where I live. When I do, they're annoying because they dismiss good popular music because it's popular.

I think I'm more of a guy who has to HEAR everything, rather than someone who dismisses pop music. And sometimes I search out that rarest of songs only because I loved it once when I heard it but it went out of print. I just want to hear it again, have a copy if possible.

Couldn't stand being a music snob just for the sake of being elitist and dismissive. Just happens that some obscure songs I like more than non-obscure ones. Plus, you can still hear pop songs on various radio formats and don't have to search them out much to hear them.

Case in point: I'd LOVE to have Clive Pig & The Hopeful Chinamen's A Sense Of The Size Of The World on CD, but not becasue it's so obscure that it barely exists. I want it because it's one of my favorite albums, but my cassette is worn-out. The vinyl went to Chicago with my little brother a dozen years ago and never came back with him. I want it because I love the songs. But I can't find it on CD.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:39 am 
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I think the writer of the article would consider you a music snob, but in a good way.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:41 am 
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Quote:
A vulgar snob—someone wearing Sergio Tachini and flashing his million-gig iPod—would prefer the Steely Dan version. A faux Rock Snob—someone ready in the instant to introduce you to what you don't know—would reflexively prefer the Minutemen; but a true representative of the type Rock Snob would throw both versions on a mixed tape, along with Grenadine's "Steely Daniel" and a boot of the Mountain Goats performing "Doctor Wu" live. Now, that, my friends, is a Rock Snob.


See, that's something you might do. And I believe it's stated with admiration, as it is something the author would do having stated his love of both cuts.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:00 am 
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Oh. Well, as long as snob is meant as a superlative, rock on and stuff.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:07 am 
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snob on garth.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:20 am 
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a true rock snob would not admit to liking steely dan


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:37 am 
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A true rock snob doesn't give a fuck what you think. They're above reproach.

see: Pitchfork

They like all kinds of horseshit, and they diss plenty of good music, and they just don't give a fuck.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:42 am 
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Prince of Darkness Wrote:
A true rock snob doesn't give a fuck what you think. They're above reproach.

see: Pitchfork

They like all kinds of horseshit, and they diss plenty of good music, and they just don't give a fuck.


you are so mainstream :D


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:31 am 
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scottycash99 Wrote:
Prince of Darkness Wrote:
A true rock snob doesn't give a fuck what you think. They're above reproach.

see: Pitchfork

They like all kinds of horseshit, and they diss plenty of good music, and they just don't give a fuck.


you are so mainstream :D


what, and you read pitchfork?

;)

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:42 am 
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Prince of Darkness Wrote:
A true rock snob doesn't give a fuck what you think. They're above reproach.

see: Pitchfork

They like all kinds of horseshit, and they diss plenty of good music, and they just don't give a fuck.

Ya know, I totally agree with it even though it gives them more credit than I ever thought they deserved. Nice one, Phil.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:52 am 
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i'm tired of columns about the state of rock critics and snobs.
just what we need, more critics taling about themselves.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:11 am 
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^
|
|

rock critic critic

I dig the unintended humor.

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