The wait for true music criticism continues: we need an Everett True.
The last few weeks have seen the Australian music and entertainment media a little hot under the collar over the remarks made by a well-known British music journalist Everett True.
In his blog for the Guardian True, who now lives in Brisbane, called some of Australia’s most successful acts, namely, Silverchair and The Vines, musical “abominations” and blamed their success on the leniency of the country’s music press who, according to True, will often disregard the obvious lack of merit in an artist and be supportive rather than downright critical.
True’s comments kicked up a major furore within the media here and swiftly prompted a backlash that was and continues to be brutal, a whole month later. Why? First, because people seem to listen to True. After writing about music for about two decades he is seen as something of a veteran music journalist who, among other significant events, was closely associated with the global breaking of the Seattle grunge scene in the early nineties, and for having introduced the late Kurt Cobain of Nirvana to his wife Courtney Love.
The second reason for this major media retort could easily be put down to typical Australian nationalist pride. In most cases, Australians are generally very supportive of fellow Australians. This is especially so if they are successful musicians (or sportspeople) who help sell the national identity.
There is little doubt, then, that had Everett True mentioned anything about AC/DC being crap, he would have been treading very, very dangerous ground. But True is a character who is often controversial, has been called egotistical, and if his only aim was to seek attention or cause a ripple, he has succeeded brilliantly.
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To a bystander like me a lot of this serves as pure entertainment. However, watching a nation trying to tug its music cred back from a mischievous journalist does seem to have more serious implications. What come through most clearly in this debate between industry and music scribe are signs of a robust and healthy music environment where everyone involved passionately supports what they believe in or passionately expresses their disagreement.
Place this in the context of the Indian music industry, now, and what we are presented with is a rather unfortunate picture. From the few music columns and reviews that appear in mainstream newspapers and music magazines I can’t seem to pick out a single one that anyone in the country, including music fans, takes very seriously. In fact, a few years ago there was one instance where a journalist filed (in the most widely read English newspaper of the day) an album review that was cut-and-pasted off an Amazon.com customer review. And the newspaper actually published it!
When we talk about music journalism in India the question that we need to ask ourselves really is, “What music journalism?” With a handful of glossy magazines and mainstream papers that thrive on international content and patronisingly feature Indian classical and film legends and mediocre Indian rock and pop (and, of late, electronic) acts that aren’t worthy of much attention, what Indian music needs desperately is an Everett True.
Someone equipped with a fair amount of knowledge who feels strongly about why he likes or dislikes certain music and doesn’t care if he is the only one who hates it. Someone who, through passionate and constant criticism, will actually raise the overall standard by sifting the good, bad and truly gifted. Maybe then we won’t have to wait as long as we now have to for a good artist to come along and amaze us. But then again, is Indian music ready for this voice?
The one that tells you that the supposedly cool music you are listening to is basically as worthless as a used napkin or that your boyfriend’s band should seriously focus on their day jobs. On the flip side, this could also be the voice that introduces you to music that could change your life, and that’s worth way more than any napkin or day job.
