"Rockism", round three

In which we wrap up the analysis of Kelefa Sanneh’s piece from this Sunday’s New York Times. I realize that I’m over-reacting to what is, in essence, a troll. I should probably just shrug it off and scamper on my merry way. Except I can’t seem to do that, not least because nobody gets a free pass at calling me a racist. You jump into my shit like that and I’m gonna be jumping right back at you, with whatever I can muster. So, with that in mind, let’s dive back in and see if we can’t wrestle this thing to some sort of conclusion.

I’ve already touched on the sweeping generalizations made about those who don’t share Sanneh’s lust for pop, and (hopefully) poked a few holes in some of his weaker arguments. I’d like to take a moment and look at the way in which he lays out those arguments.

There is a surprising amount of intellectual laziness in his piece. He sets up a number of straw man attacks: regarding the Ashlee Simpson lip-synching affair, he writes “ After that night, everyone knew that Jessica Simpson's telegenic sister was no rock 'n' roll hero - she wasn't even a rock 'n' roll also-ran. She was merely a lip-synching pop star.” I may have missed something, but I don’t think anyone has ever attempted to claim rock & roll status for Ashlee Simpson. The issue is not one of rock & roll vs. pop, but rather one of believability and integrity vs. playing your fans for chumps. Simpson has presented herself as a singer; lip-synching undercuts her credibility in that respect, to say the least. The assumption is that at least it was her voice on the tape, but how are we to be sure even of that much? Simpson has lied to her fans, and doubtless disillusioned a number of them. On the other hand, some, like Sanneh, don’t care. That’s his prerogative, of course, but it doesn’t further his argument to muddy the waters with extraneous claims.

Similarly, when he writes “ Two weeks ago, in The New York Times Book Review, Sarah Vowell approvingly recalled Nirvana's rise: "a group with loud guitars and louder drums knocking the whimpering Mariah Carey off the top of the charts." Why did the changing of the guard sound so much like a sexual assault? And when did we all agree that Nirvana's neo-punk was more respectable than Ms. Carey's neo-disco?”, he’s dodging the issue again. First off, Vowell never claimed "respectability" for Nirvana, just chart position. The two are not the same thing. Neither did she claim to speak for everybody. And equating “knocking the whimpering Mariah Carey off the top of the charts” with sexual assault is just pathetic. C’mon, Kelefa; if you’re gonna play the game, play it right. Leave that weak shit at home.

Resorting to hyperbole is another favorite tactic. “You can argue that the shape-shifting feminist hip-pop of Ms. Aguilera is every bit as radical as the punk rock of the 1970's (and it is), but then you haven't challenged any of the old rockist questions (starting with: Who's more radical?), you've just scribbled in some new answers.” Science Girl just about had an aneurysm when she saw that one. We’ve got two whoppers packed into the same sentence: the laughable image of Christina Aguilera as feminist (which is what set SG off - having and exploiting breasts does not make one a feminist. I’d really like to hear the argument behind his contention), and the idea that her schtick (and schtick it is) is “every bit as radical as the punk rock of the 1970's”. When Madonna first did it back in the early Cretaceous period it was somewhat “radical”, I guess, but by now it hardly qualifies.

“Ever wonder why OutKast and the Roots and Mos Def and the Beastie Boys get taken so much more seriously than other rappers? Maybe because rockist critics love it when hip-hop acts impersonate rock 'n' roll bands.” Impersonate? I’d suggest that Sanneh take that one up with the bands in question. What he sees as impersonation, I see as employing another idiom for artistic purposes. That may be a case of tomayto/tomahto. I dunno. I do think it’s fair to point out that the Beasties started out as a punk band, so the “impersonation” accusation isn’t gonna hold a lot of water there. Having read a few interviews with ?estlove of The Roots, I think he’d be surprised at the claim, too. Ditto Andre2000 from OutKast.

And then there’s some stuff that’s just downright stupid. “There's a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for doo-wop groups and folk singers and disco queens and even rappers - just so long as they, y'know, rock.” Gee whiz, Sherlock, that wouldn’t be because it’s the, y’know, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME, now, would it? The statement is disingenuous at best.

In a similar vein, we have “Van Morrison's "Into the Music" was released the same year as the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight"; which do you hear more often?”, which is not even a remotely fair comparison. By 1979 Van Morrison, while still popular, wasn’t exactly setting any trends. A less biased contrast would be between “Rapper’s Delight” and The Clash’s “London Calling”, also released that year. Both records broke a lot of new ground. I can easily tell you which one I hear more often, but it’s not the one Sanneh wants me to think of.

Nor do I draw the conclusion Sanneh does. He seems to be advocating for an aesthetics of mendacity and chicanery, one in which the marketplace determines quality. Surface gloss is everything, and the herd mentality rules all. “ Rockism makes it hard to hear the glorious, incoherent, corporate-financed, audience-tested mess that passes for popular music these days. To glorify only performers who write their own songs and play their own guitars is to ignore the marketplace that helps create the music we hear in the first place, with its checkbook-chasing superproducers, its audience-obsessed executives and its cred-hungry performers.” Or, to put it another way: Fuck art, let’s merchandise.

And if that’s the way it is, I want no part in your revolution.
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When I was in my twenties, I was awfully dogmatic about my taste in music. If you liked what I liked, you had impeccable taste; if you didn’t not only were you devoid of taste, but you were WRONG.

As I’ve gotten older (much, much older), I’ve come to realize that I don’t have a corner on the good taste market. I like what I like, but everyone else doesn’t have to like it. WRONG is no longer part of the equation, just a difference of opinion. (The fact that many people don’t always share my tastes makes that part a lot easier.) Generally speaking I’m a live & let live kinda guy now, and I’m much happier for it.

I don’t know Kelefa Sanneh’s age, but it seems to me that this essay was written from a similar place to the one I was in at, say, 25. If I had to boil the whole thing down to one little kernel, I’d say that he’s frustrated that we “rockist” dinosaurs aren’t going extinct fast enough to suit him. I suggest that he bide his time, as death comes to us all sooner or later. I think that if he does so, he’ll feel a little more relaxed. Right up until the point when some kid writes an essay about how those damned old “popists” are in his way.

(Looking for Round One? It's here. And Round Two is here.)

Comments

[Michelle]

I happened upon your page, researching the Ashlee Simpson lip synching incident, and trying to create an informative speech on the music industry......but it's only turning out persuasive. If you have any suggestions, that'd be superb. If not, I'd just like to say kudos anyway. I'll be honest, your post made me say, "F*CK yeah!" :) Thanks for the refreshing opinion, after such an article from the NY Times page.

[Tony]

All i have to say to this blog is WOW. Finally someone who appreciates the concept of music being an art form and NOT pre-packaged merchandise. The fact that this Kelefa Sanneh person doesn't care if the music is geniunely talented or not proves that people who SERIOUSLY appreciate real music and the artform of music are a dying breed. It's horrible to think that people don't have the appreciation for a band or solo artist anymore unless they look attractive or "cool". Thank you for writing this blog/article as it proves to me that NOT everyone is a culturless,braindead, trend following cunthole.