The Rock Snob's Dictionary: An Essential Lexicon of Rockological Knowledge
Finally, a book has come along that can help explain some of those Chuck Eddy reviews we read in the Voice. Does anyone really understand Check Eddy when he says things like "tribal-drummed neo-no-wave," "electro-punk robo-scuzz," or strangest of all "80s post-hardcore pigfuck hard-rock." We're not making this up.
Or how about this impenetrable Eddy prose:
So on the eve of Hitler's birthday I'm pulling out old Laibach and Enigma records in horror of the papacy's return to that old Oberammergau catechism, and I reach for the most seminal goth-rock number of all. It's on The Yardbirds Great Hits (Epic, 1977, one vinyl disc, liner notes by Ira Robbins), and the album cover's got reams of ticker-taped That Was the Year That Was headlines, and there the unexpected words were, (accidentally?) next to the title of the 'Birds Gregorian high-mass stained-glass pagan-pop plaint "Still I'm Sad" (later covered by Boney M): "Pope Paul VI makes a 'peace pilgrimage' to Istanbul." Eerie ...
The Rock Snob's Dictionary will hopefully shed some light. It's funny and informative and, best of all, thorough. Here's a quick excerpt:
Albini, Steve. Self-consciously difficult Chicago-based record producer who chafes at being called a producer, insisting that he merely "records" bands; best known for having produced-er, recorded-Nirvana’s studio swan song, In Utero, and for issuing snarky comments to the press when some of the album's uncompromisingly raw songs were later remixed by other producers. Albini, who pushes the bounds of hard-rock iconoclasm by wearing glasses and having short hair, enhanced his outsider cred by playing guitar in the not-very-good hardcore bands Big Black, Rapeman, and Shellac.
Rewards repeated listens. Euphemistic phrase employed by rock critics to confer value upon a dubious musical work that, given the reputations involved, has to be better than it sounds.
Seminal. Catchall adjective employed by rock writers to describe any group or artist in on a trend too early to sell any records.
But come on.... Shellac rules
Check out the book website. They have some funny excerpts and blog updates including a Snob List vs. Honest List of favorite records for the two authors. ("The first list being the albums that you'd honestly take to that desert island for your listening enjoyment, the second list being the albums that you'd claim to be taking to impress other Rock Snobs.") We listed them after the jump:
FOR STEVEN DALY
HONEST FAVORITES
1. Young Americans, David Bowie
2. Nils Lofgren, Nils Lofgren
3. The Harder They Come, original soundtrack
4. The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Joni Mitchell
5. Parade, Prince
6. The Documentary, the Game
7. Funky Dory, Rachel Stevens (import only)
8. Ultimate Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton
9. J to Tha LO! The Remixes, Jennifer Lopez
10. Quadrophenia, the Who
SNOB SUBSTITUTES
1. Jobriath, Jobriath (reissue with liner notes by Morrissey)2. Like Flies on Sherbet, Alex Chilton
3. Arkology, Lee "Scratch" Perry (box set)
4. Not the Tremblin' Kind, Laura Cantrell
5. Inspiration Information, Shuggie Otis
6. When the Revolution Comes, the Last Poets
7. The Vogue Years, Francoise Hardy (import only)
8. More a Legend Than a Band, the Flatlanders
9. Mutantes Ao Vivo, Os Mutantes
10. Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, the Small Faces
FOR DAVID KAMP
HONEST FAVORITES
1. Revolver, the Beatles
2. Imperial Bedroom, Elvis Costello & the Attractions
3. Unearthed, Johnny Cash (boxed set)
4. English Settlement, XTC
5. Warehouse: Songs & Stories, Husker Du
6. Circle in the Round, Miles Davis
7. The Soft Bulletin, the Flaming Lips
8. Quadrophenia, the Who
9. White Light/White Heat, the Velvet Underground
10. Al Green's Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2, Al Green
SNOB SUBSTITUTES
1. Grievous Angel, Gram Parsons
2. Brian Jones Presents: The Pipes of Pan at Jajouka, the Master Musicians of Jajouka
3. The Bells, Lou Reed
4. Pacific Ocean Blue, Dennis Wilson
5. Young Loud & Snotty, the Dead Boys
6. I Don't Know (What the World Is Coming To), Bobby Womack
7. Born to Be with You, Dion
8. Musings of a Creekdipper, Victoria Williams
9. Rough Mix, Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane
10. ( ), Sigur Ros
Comments
Self-respecting people don't deny themselves of music they geniunely like because it is too mainstream OR try to like a band that your ear tells you suck ass. If you claim to like Os Mutantes better than the Beatles than you are just plain full of shit. Nobody can convince me otherwise.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 21, 2005 12:21 PM
What happens if the honest list and the snob list both seem like a snob list? That is, if we are self-respecting music fans, shouldn't most of what we listen to seem obscure to the rest of the world? I can't tell if this is good or bad.
Posted by: Gunnink | May 17, 2005 06:33 PM
Big Black were not only in no way a hardcore band, but they were probably one of the 80s most influential rock bands, their quality being neither here nor there.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 17, 2005 01:13 PM
a good 10 years ago, WNYU was obsessed with this "sicilian punk band" that was produced by albini... horrid crap, it was. he produces dozens of boring and/or unlistenable material every year, i don't know why anyone still cares.
Posted by: H. | May 17, 2005 11:42 AM
steve albini ordered a cappucino from me when i worked in a chicago coffeehouse. he was wearing an old high school girl's softball t-shirt and i was bored at work, so i joked "hey... what years did you play? i used to have a friend on that team" he gave me a dirty look and mumbled something entirely too literal about shopping at a thrift store in bucktown.
afterwards, my co-workers were embarassed of me... "didn't you know who that WAS??? that was fucking STEVE ALBINI"
um. yes, but since all you starfucking sissies ran into the back room and left me to serve him... i got to play. whatever. he was kind of an ass. and he didn't tip.
Posted by: bonnie | May 17, 2005 09:17 AM
i've seen shellac. they weren't very good.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 17, 2005 08:02 AM