I agree that the writer kind of walks it back later. But I don't think that erases the sentiments above that I mocked. It's pretty clearly trying to have it both ways; you can't devote an entire paragraph earnestly validating humorless overly serious hand wringing thinkpiece bullshit and then turn around and say "but actually not really" and expect it to be like a get out of jail free card type situation. I also found The Pizza Underground funny and inoffensive, and don't see the need to provide any kind of validation to a completely bullshit narrative saying otherwise.
"In 2013, Macaulay Culkin gave the world something it didn’t need: a parodical Velvet Underground tribute band called the Pizza Underground. A lot of people hated it, and rightfully so. By re-working “Beginning To See The Light” into “I’m Beginning To Eat The Slice,” or “Candy Says” into “Papa John Says,” and replacing an iconic album cover with the image of a yellow anchovy (Anchovy Warhol, get it?), the Home Alone star was making a mockery of a canonical band. The Velvet Underground have changed more lives than all of Culkin’s roles combined, and many would argue that their status makes them untouchable."
Yeah fuck Macauley Culkin and his parody band. Fuck him right in his fucking face. I fucking hate him so fucking much what a fucking giant fucking asshole for making a harmless joke band and having the motherfucking nerve to mock THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, the most sacred of bands. We should have him drawn and quartered, and his remains dragged through the street. I am rightfully angry, and my anger is righteous, AND I WILL NOT BE SILENCED UNTIL THIS GROSS MISCONDUCT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO JUSTICE. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Seriously, The Velvet Underground & Nico is one of my favorite albums ever, but can we not with the self serious hand wringing over something so inconsequential?
I was once at Mt. Rushmore with my dad and we walked up to this park ranger to ask him a question. He had the whole "Serious Cop" look - crisp uniform, aviator sunglasses, thick mustache, stern expression. His name tag said "Woodcock" on it. My dad was talking with him and I was standing there trying not to laugh at fuckin' Ranger Woodcock and his Very Serious demeanor.
I just want to say that I think it's fucking hilarious that Pitchfork made a goddamn announcement yesterday that they were going to review Biggie's albums today. And then they gave Born Again a 6, which just makes the announcement ahead of time even funnier.
"SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: WE'RE GIVING AN ALBUM A MEDIOCRE SCORE TOMORROW"
It came out a few weeks ago, but I've been really digging Headnod Suite by Karriem Riggins. If you are a fan of Madlib-style hip hop beats, you will definitely enjoy it.
I make fun of Ed Sheeran for being a hobbit, which he is, and which I will never stop doing, but he doesn't seem like an asshole really. Seems likeable enough. Throwing the ring into Mt. Doom doesn't hurt either.
I think, with some exceptions, most of the time my disdain for huge top 40 radio pop music comes in when all the people who only listen to top 40 radio act like its objectively the best music because its the most famous and makes all the money and you're just an elitist hipster douchebag if you don't really care for top 40 radio and like other stuff better. I hate the "indie rock is objectively the best" crowd too, but I almost never feel surrounded by those people the way I do with the top 40 crowd.
Personally I'd prefer Ed Sheeran over Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift is extremely annoying and kind of a tone deaf asshole. But the real story is that we should all be proud of someone for getting so very far despite growing up in the Shire where they don't have electricity or anything resembling modern technology. And regarding the shitty songwriting, can you blame him? Have you heard the songs they sing at the beginning of The Hobbit? I skip over that shit every time.
First, I would hardly call the Grammys nominations "absolutely subjective." Let's not pretend like this dumb awards show nominates artists out of pure love for their music. If that were true, the nominations wouldn't always be the same like 5% of the musical landscape that just so happens to get heavily marketed by major labels and a lot of top 40 radio play. Maybe that just speaks to the voters' (boring) tastes, but there is a clear pattern with the nominations consistently being highly marketable, mainstream pop acts. The Grammys are more about $$$ than anything.
And yes, music is art and art is subjective. This does not mean that nobody can be criticized for their preferences or tastes simply because it is a matter of opinion. I could say it is my opinion that we should let pigs drive cars. You (hopefully) would tell me that opinion is 100% insane and question my intelligence. You can make justifiable observations about people based on their subjective opinions.
The Grammys have established a pattern over time of giving awards to white artists. Prominent black musicians usually get genre awards like Best Rap Album, but rarely take home the really major ones (Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Album of the Year). There are exceptions, like Chance winning Best New Artist this year, but for the most part if you look at the winners over the years, there is a pattern.
I don't think the Grammy voters are all like "well Beyonce is black, so we should give it to Adele" or whatever. I think it's more of an almost subconscious decision. It's probably, if any one thing, because the Grammy voters are a bunch of older white people and someone like Adele is more appealing and safe and familiar to them than Beyonce or Kanye or Kendrick. I get the feeling you are looking at the criticism of racism meaning malicious intent aimed at black people, when it's probably more of an inherent, subconscious bias due to cultural background and upbringing, etc.
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