Nearly anyone associated with the business side of music reads “industry insider” Bob Lefsetz’s “Lefsetz Letter,” even though he’s frequently wrong, his opinions border on the absurd, and he spent a recent column defending Grand Funk Railroad. I’m sure he did something once to merit the “insider” tag, but with his most recent posting, it’s possible dear old Bob has gone totally nuts.
As far as I know, apparently he received some nice speakers from an acquaintance, which reminded him of a Laura Nyro show, and girls he once dated? I have no idea… you try to figure it out.
Funny thing about this Internet, you end up hearing from everybody you’ve ever known. Long after the people in your life have faded from three dimensions into two, you see their names in your inbox. Like they ambled down the hall and stopped in your dorm room to ask you a question. I used to think only the records followed me through this life. But I’ve learned the people you listened to them with are still there, waiting to come back to life, to tell you the way it was. Stunningly, they haven’t changed, and neither have you. And the records, they’re literally the same.
In the last five days I’ve heard from two friends from college. One of whom was hanging in the ether for fifteen years, our relationship having lapsed for that long. He read my piece about the Stevie Winwood track somewhere online, he wanted to give me his take on the show at Madison Square Garden. He’d traveled down from Boston to see it. You see, that’s what we have in common, the music. That’s what I have in common with you.
We broke the shrinkwrap and dropped the needle on fragile black records. But what came out of the speakers was full-bodied. The sound blew into the room and enveloped us. We had to go to the show to get closer to these people. They didn’t wear head-set mics, they didn’t dance, they were positively human. They displayed anxiety, self-consciousness and bravura. We felt if only we could know them, our lives would work. Admit it, that’s why you got into this business. Sure, there was the supposed glamour and financial reward, but you wanted to get closer to the artists, you wanted to know them, you wanted to be there when the spark caught fire.
Lefsetz ruins my one theory behind the genesis of this missive later on when he states “I gave up the herb decades ago,” because that’s the only premise behind which any of this would make sense at all. There’s something about not wanting to hear your unsigned band (a sentiment I can largely understand) and something else about visiting Web sites for towns in Connecticut, but someone should really check Lefsetz’s combination of meds. Something might not be quite right. Even a Jackson Browne disc can’t do that sort of damage to someone’s mental stability.
Something Fine [Lefsetz Letter]
Having never heard of this guy, I read this particular column…what’s so awful about it? I actually found it touching, if not a bit long-winded and overblown.
Though, here he’s just talking about the connection we have to music and how unique it can be to everybody, as opposed to reviewing music (I’m assuming he does that often?)
For few things are more irritating that long-winded, overblown pieces by “music critics” that haven’t cracked a smile or allowed themselves to anything anything recorded post-”Sgt Pepper.”
@HONEYBFLY: I meant “enjoy anything”. Perhaps I was a bit long-winded myself, sorry lol
hey, those first few grand funk records are pretty sweet.
/obligatory record nerd response
Seriously. For every ten emails he sends, seven of them are windy reminiscence about some gawdawful geezer band. I’m finding his stuff less and less interesting and relevant with every passing day.
There aren’t enough hours in the day for me to make time for stuff like this.
Thank you for confirming that my filter has the right settings.
His emails have become more personal and bloggy lately. You really found this one all that weird?
My only criticism of his writing lately is he tends to beat his themes to death every day, but I don’t see this particular email as any sign that he is going crazy or some old coot.
I like that most of his posts are about the pure enjoyment of music, reminding people that sales figures and radio charts are all bullshit. He just happens to have different taste than I do, and he routinely puts down Metal to my disdain, but his heart is always in the right place which is why I subscribe.
Of all the wacky e-mails Lefsetz sends out every year, you choose this perfectly sane one to pick on?
am i the only person who’s starting to feel the same glee that used to accompany unwrapping the shrinkwrap on vinyl, now with downloading a file… its a similar eager anticipation and awe watching 25%… 33%… 87%… got it, let’s load that shit thru the speakers…
not the same feeling, but very similar
Back when the music *mattered*, maaaaaaaaaan ….
so wait, the music used to matter?
i don’t get why this is so bad? he actually makes sense.
This guy definitely writes a must-read-when-you’ve-exhausted-every-other-blog kind of blog.