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Guiltless non pleasures


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At last somebody almost gets it. its called having an opinion and not running with the herd . not because its cool to hate popular acts, (if that was the case i wouldn't like the smiths, radiohead,bowie and dylan amongst others), but because you just really dont like it. Are some people on here really so dumb to think you can't form an opinion on The Beatles without having heard an album? I grew up in 60/70's Britain, they were freaking EVERYWHERE!!

But what you did in the other thread was dismissed The Beatles as "drivel" despite never having listened to them beyond radio/tv osmosis. That's very different than saying "I gave them a try, but still don't care for them." One is an informed opinion; the other isn't.

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Are some people on here really so dumb to think you can't form an opinion on The Beatles without having heard an album?

Watch yourself.

 

 

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I think what people are trying to tell "you" is that it's wrong to dislike the Beatles (I put "you" in quotes because I forget whom we're talking about)

 

Watch yourself.

 

I don't see it that way

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I can see how someone could grow tired of the Beatles (how many times can you listen to a song before it looses its luster? 20? 80? 244?)

 

and I can also see how someone would grow tired of the over-saturation of the Beatles in our culture ( how many repackages, reissues, shoe commercials, elevator Muzac, movie soundtracks can one person endure?)

 

and I can see how someone would be annoyed with the BabyBoomer obsession with a band that hasn't put out a record in 40 years (considering all the fantastic music put out since; I feel kinda bad for those BBers who say the word "Rocktober" and crank up "Sweet Home Alabama" when it comes on Classic Rock Radio - they have missed out on so much)

 

but I cannot see how one could go any reasonable amount of time and not actually hear a Fab Four record. Say what you want, they are hard to miss...

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I would argue the opposite of the original premise. I think sometimes in our culture it takes a concerted effort to hear certain pieces of music as music. The Beatles are like this, as are U2 and the Stones. Their marketing has been so massive, their brand so ubiquitous that it takes effort just to hear a record of theirs as a band making songs. I get the same taste in my mouth from a U2, 3-D movie trailer, or cardboard cutout at Guitar Center as I do from a lame Nike ad. I have to divorce that experience from a very different experience of listening to Joshua Tree as just a great album by some Irish guys hanging out with Brian Eno.

 

I think it isn't heroic to dismiss something from popular culture merely because it is popular; it's pretentious. What is admirable is being able to take in media and process it (maybe even enjoy it) not for what it is publicized to mean, but what it actually seems to mean- in of itself, as well as an indicator for what popular culture values. I think Chuck Klosterman understands this.

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hmmmm...I couldn't get passed the arbitrary punctuation of that blog post (which is probably pretentious on my part). Also, I ran up against this and decided I probably wasn't that interested: "not sure I ever made it all the way through Blonde On Blonde"

 

 

I realize this isn't the exact point the blogger and original poster are making, but I always thought you should define yourself more by what you are (or what you love) rather than what you aren't (or what you dislike). I'd rather spend more time in the "I dig these Wilco characters" realm, as opposed to "god, I really hate the f#*&ing Beatles and here's why" (although I've said that before about the Eagles)...That's not to say you can't be critical, but at least be honest about it. So much music writing is bent on getting a rise out of people these days. I think if you spend too much time in that space where you're constantly slagging on things, then you run the risk of becoming a blowhard. Nobody likes that guy, even if you're right.

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hmmmm...I couldn't get passed the arbitrary punctuation of that blog post (which is probably pretentious on my part). Also, I ran up against this and decided I probably wasn't that interested: "not sure I ever made it all the way through Blonde On Blonde"

 

 

I realize this isn't the exact point the blogger and original poster are making, but I always thought you should define yourself more by what you are (or what you love) rather than what you aren't (or what you dislike). I'd rather spend more time in the "I dig these Wilco characters" realm, as opposed to "god, I really hate the f#*&ing Beatles and here's why" (although I've said that before about the Eagles)...That's not to say you can't be critical, but at least be honest about it. So much music writing is bent on getting a rise out of people these days. I think if you spend too much time in that space where you're constantly slagging on things, then you run the risk of becoming a blowhard. Nobody likes that guy, even if you're right.

There is some truth in this, for sure.

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i don't have any tattoos

 

i don't either, nor do I have a desire for one. I've seen some cool ones, and each to his or her own, but I don't want one myself. NPR did a story not too long ago about how there are no regulations or standards for tattoo inks, so it's hard to say what they contain.

 

Outside of Shania Twain, I can't tell one pop country music star from another. To me they are all twangy dudes in cowboy hats and chicks with fluffy hair. I have no idea what the latest top country songs are. The closest I get to country music is an occasional listen to Uncle Tupelo.

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Outside of Shania Twain, I can't tell one pop country music star from another. To me they are all twangy dudes in cowboy hats and chicks with fluffy hair. I have no idea what the latest top country songs are. The closest I get to country music is an occasional listen to Uncle Tupelo.

 

Aww but you are missing out on real country though. There's so much great rootsy country (way it should be) out there to be heard. Justin Townes Earle, Daniel Romano, to name a couple.

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If you don't like the Beatles, your opinions about music no longer carry weight with me. I know it's an unfair bias, but there it is.

I feel the same way about politicians who say the are skeptical about evolution. Their whole decision-making credibility is now in question.

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