Feedback!

I love feedback. And by that I don't mean the shrill whistle of amplifiers (as best heard on Night of the Living Dead Boys by the Dead Boys....which is a veritable feedbackapalooza), I mean hearing from folks who've taken the time to read whatever drivel I've posted. In response to this post of a few days ago, reader Jon writes...

But you lost me on the Ramones t-shirt thing, I just think the whole "authenticity because I heard it first and have the t-shirt to prove it" thing needs to just go away. I mean, I'd rather see my kid brother wearing a Ramones t-shirt than a Linkin Park t-shirt any day. Anything that can keep great music alive isn't entirely a bad thing. And besides, I'm sure those who were there for the Ramones shows in '76 would have laughed at you and your 1983 shirt for "not getting it maaaan". It's all relative.

A cogent point. Let me first point out that I am not above the odd bit of hypocrisy. Last Christmas alone, for my fledgling rock fan of a nephew, I purchased a slew of rock t-shirts, including ones by the Clash, AC/DC and Led Zeppelin (his faves of the moment). He couldn't have been more chuffed. Now, I should point out that he's only eleven. With the exception of AC/DC (still trudging along today, bless'em), these bands were long defunct before my nephew's mother had even graduated high school. But, as Jon states above, I'm heartened that he's taken an interest in bands like these as opposed to the dreaded Linkin Park, etc.. That said, he does harbor an unfortunate fondness for Good Charlotte, but even my heavy-handed brow-beating can't cure him of that (probably a good thing).

And yeah, by the standards of a Ramones fan in `75/`76, I was a complete johnny-come-lately to the band....but, y'know, at least I saw them. At least I could tell you who was in the band and could name more than five songs by them. It's not that the Ramones are especially esoteric, but my youthful championing of them wasn't just a fashion statement (as it seems to be today). Granted, your average snot-nosed kid on a skateboard wearing a Ramones t-shirt does probably like them, and does know who they were and does actively listen to their music, even if he wasn't alive when they were a going concern. It's the trucker cap-sportin' folks who wear rock t-shirts as either purely a fashion statement or as some sort've ironic gesture (dismissed eloquently by his eminence, Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden here) that get my oft-gotten goat.

Anyway, clearly I've got a needlessly sanctimonious hang-up about it (as has been laboriously expressed on the ILM boards.)

(The author captured being an abject poseur in October of last year. Not because he is not fan of Motorhead [quite the contrary], but because he decidedly loathes wine).