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5.08pm
1 December 2009
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Jon Landau was always a mediocre writer and an clueless "rock" fan later turned lousy record producer! (Ruined the MC5's "Back In The USA" album.) He had no idea about the new developments in rock after, like, 1968. That review (which I've had the misfortune to read several times before) is a cavalcade of RONG!
(Anyway, if he thought "Ram" was awful, just wait until he heard "Wild Life"!)
6.09pm
12 March 2010
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vonbontee said
Jon Landau was always a mediocre writer and an clueless "rock" fan later turned lousy record producer! (Ruined the MC5's "Back In The USA" album.) He had no idea about the new developments in rock after, like, 1968. That review (which I've had the misfortune to read several times before) is a cavalcade of RONG!(Anyway, if he thought "Ram" was awful, just wait until he heard "Wild Life"!)
And he seems to be loving to "hear" himself "talking:
In the review of "Band on the run" it takes him about 5 paragraphs (I'm not kidding!) to actually start talking about McCartney and the album after providing thoughts about musical culture, the Beatles etc. etc., but not in an interesting way.
Looks like a "blue print" critic – no self achievement, no clue of anything but keen on downsizing other stuff.
6.20pm
1 December 2009
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You should read his dumb liner notes for the first Nazz album – full of gems like "…their hard rock is the hardest of the hard!"
6.24pm
26 March 2012
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Music criticism is something that has always irked me anyway. Why are these people, who get paid to write down their (entirely subjective) opinions, the go-to to find out whether an album is good or not? Because they know more about music than the average consumer? It makes little sense.
6.29pm
1 December 2009
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They're more entitled because they get their records FREE!
7.12pm
10 August 2011
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Off topic, but since you mention Landau,
Jon Landau has also been Bruce Springsteen's manager (financially his most important role for sure) and he's been head of the selection committee for the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame.
We have a mutual friend, and I told him I'd always been a big fan of Jethro Tull – at least the early Tull (first 4 albums) – and that I thought they should be in the Hall of Fame, especially when you compare Tull to some of the other acts that have been inducted.
Here was his answer (anyone else think he was sarcastic?):
"Jon Landau here. I was sorry to learn of your early life traumatic episode with Jethro Tull. This is a fairly wide spread syndrome that attacks people with otherwise excellent ears who were exposed to this hallowed band early in life. The damage to their aesthetic judgment can, unfortunately, last a life time. That is what appears to have happened in your tragic case.
>
> FYI: We have a forty member nominating group that consists of the most extremely knowledgable people in all phases of rock music. Each year they prepare a ballot of fifteen names that is sent to a voting group of 500 professionals. I have been chairman of this process for 26 years and oddly enough, in that quarter of a century, no one has ever mentioned Jethro Tull. Mind you, there are no rules against mentioning them. Its just that in 26 years, not one committee member has thought has to do so. So, the arc to their possible induction is off to a rather poor start. Ron, based on my best statistical analysis (no mentions in 26 years) it is entirely possible that they won't be inducted in our lifetimes. Sad…but true.>
> I hope this provides you with some perspective on the issue at hand.
>
> By the way, the band is lucky to have you as such a dedicated fan.
>
> All best,
Jon"
7.30pm
26 March 2012
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What a prick.
8.14pm
1 December 2009
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Yeah, really! Condescending asshole…the RnRHOF is a joke anyways. And Mike Appel produced Springsteen's best records!
(I agree that the first four Tull albums are the best ones.)
2.25am
23 January 2011
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Wow! Landau sounds like a complete asshole. I've read that review before, and I can't for the life of me figure out what he was listening to at the time because it certainly wasn't RAM. He calls it boring? It's like the least boring album ever.
And he speaks as if Paul's "schizo" need to be a rocker and a lover is bad??? Versatility is appreciated, in my case. If Paul only wrote Helter Skelters, or only wrote Little Willows, I would be bored. Luckily, I can go to whatever album of his I want and find at least two different styles (and sometimes many more) on them…meaning I'm not bored.
I 
…just in case you didn't already know!
3.58am
19 September 2010
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Into the Sky with Diamonds said
Off topic, but since you mention Landau,Jon Landau has also been Bruce Springsteen's manager (financially his most important role for sure) and he's been head of the selection committee for the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame.
Ah, that makes me sad, I'd like to think that Bruce would realise he's an ass.
9.24pm
1 December 2009
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Well, he's been great for Springsteen's career, that's pretty undeniable. (Google the phrase "I have seen the future of rock 'n roll…") Great manager, that is. I'm sure Brian Epstein would've made a lousy record producer or rock critic as well…
11.24pm
26 March 2012
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There really are times when I think Ram is as good as Abbey Road.
1.41am
4 December 2010
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paulsbass said
Wow, what can you say about a review that calls "Heart of the country" the lowpoint of the album.
Leaving aside Monkberry Moon Delight (my favourite song on the album, but I can just about see why he'd call it boring- why he'd pick it out over Long Haired Lady, I don't know), what would you consider the low point? The only one I don't think I can remember you praising is Eat At Home.
Ringo famously said there were no tunes on Ram. I'm not sure if he even listened to it, because there is very little that isn't tune.
1.49am
9 May 2012
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The Walrus said
paulsbass said
Wow, what can you say about a review that calls "Heart of the country" the lowpoint of the album.Leaving aside Monkberry Moon Delight (my favourite song on the album, but I can just about see why he'd call it boring- why he'd pick it out over Long Haired Lady, I don't know), what would you consider the low point? The only one I don't think I can remember you praising is Eat At Home.
Ringo famously said there were no tunes on Ram. I'm not sure if he even listened to it, because there is very little that isn't tune.
I think all Beatles dissed the album because of song "3 legs" and the backcover.
1.51am
26 March 2012
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The Walrus said
paulsbass said
Wow, what can you say about a review that calls "Heart of the country" the lowpoint of the album.Leaving aside Monkberry Moon Delight (my favourite song on the album, but I can just about see why he'd call it boring- why he'd pick it out over Long Haired Lady, I don't know), what would you consider the low point? The only one I don't think I can remember you praising is Eat At Home.
Ringo famously said there were no tunes on Ram. I'm not sure if he even listened to it, because there is very little that isn't tune.
I was stunned by Ringo's evaluation of Ram as well, he can't have given it many tries. Although John famously hated the album, I was touched to see he did give constructive criticism and say which bits he liked- "Eat At Home" being among them.
2.18am
9 May 2012
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I think George also had similar comment about it? Don't quote me on this one though.
2.20am
26 March 2012
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Long John Silver said
I think George also had similar comment about it? Don't quote me on this one though.
The Bible article doesn't say anything about George's opinion, but I'd imagine it was similar to John's.
5.46am
16 August 2012
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It has to be mentioned that 'Ram' was almost universally savaged at the time. After 'McCartney' was forgiven slightly for having "Maybe I'm Amazed" on it, everyone was expecting a proper pop masterpiece to follow it. And they got 'Ram'. Another self-recorded album of wierdness.
This pissed off a LOT of people.
At least most of these critics have re-evaluated it in the proper perspective, and it's now appreciated as the "cleansing" experience as it was intended.
8.26am
12 March 2010
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SatanHimself said
And they got 'Ram'. Another self-recorded album of wierdness.
Weirdness – yes.
Self-recorded? Hardly.
It's hard to find something as elaborate as Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (too funny Landau called "Backseat of my car" THE "production number of the album") anywhere.
Some songs still have that acoustic touch, but all in all I think he tried very hard to deliver a "real" album this time – and he did.
Must have been quite devastating for him that the critics didn't recognize it.
Ergo he took the next step:
"If I'm really not good enough alone, let's start a band!"
8.33am
12 March 2010
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The Walrus said
paulsbass said
Wow, what can you say about a review that calls "Heart of the country" the lowpoint of the album.Leaving aside Monkberry Moon Delight (my favourite song on the album, but I can just about see why he'd call it boring- why he'd pick it out over Long Haired Lady, I don't know), what would you consider the low point?
Hard to talk about "low points", since all the songs have their charms.
My least favourite are 3 legs, Eat at home and Smile away.
All three showcasing his vocal versatility, but I didn't really need that. All three with quite simple chord patterns. Still, 3 legs has the charme of "Seamus, the dog" from Meddle, Eat at home a nice guitar riff, Smile away a nice fat "a-uh-badabmduah" backing vocal line.
Yeah, the end of MMD goes on for one and a half minutes, that's just a bit too long. Still far from being boring, imo.
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