OK, so this book is not for everybody. In fact, its not for me, and its certainly not for you! All of the articles in this anthology were written for no one but Dick Meltzer. The rock reviews wont help you decide on your next album purchase in the slightest (there may be more pages devoted to pro wrestling than to music), and the "autobiographical" bits dont make Dick sound like the kind of guy youd like to meet, or even an interesting person. And yes, no matter what Dick says, Lester Bangs was a better writer (better than Keroac, too). But you shouldnt let any of that stop you from reading this. Its better than Dicks lame "Aesthetics of Rock" and it makes "Gulcher" unneccessary. Yes, you need to know the skinny on Dicks Beef with the Blue Oyster Cult. Yes, you need to know how little he remembers from his college philosophy courses. Why would you want to read a book of articles that you agree with? This is stimulating, if petulant, material that youll want to read from cover to cover, especially if you keep it in the john like I did. I dont think Dick would mind my saying that. Rock and read on!
Make no mistake: this is a Richard Meltzer anthology, not an anthology of music writing. Its a funny and fine autobiography, produced piecemeal through the various obscure journals that indulged Meltzer over the years. As for music, there doesnt seem to be anyone Meltzer even remotely likes, except for Jim Morrison, and I wish Meltzer had a less embarassing idol than that "crooner in the rock mileau." Also, I was annoyed with Meltzers potshots at music writers who became bigger than he did, specifically, Bangs and Christgau. He did it before Bangs, Meltzer reminds the reader, as if Bangs didnt do it better. As for his criticism of Christgau, its strange, to say the least, for Meltzer, who makes a point of NOT listening to anything he reviews, to accuse the Village Voice reviewer of not listening hard enough. Huh? Still, a fun book.
Well, heres something new: a music critic who doesnt like music -- kind of makes me want to go to this years National Embroidery Festival and write 50,000 words on it just for kicks. In truth, Meltzers a lightweight bore. Im sure in 1966 (or whenever he started writing about rock music, I forget exactly when it was and the thought of flipping back through this lame, vindictive volume again to check my facts fills me with dread) his stuff was "interesting" -- maybe even "shocking" -- but now it all sounds dated, disingenuous, and dumb. (Hey! That last line, with all the alliteration, was pretty good -- maybe Ill send it into CREEM magazine.....naw, Christgau will hate it.)
