“Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.” (Frank Zappa) -Comment



Frank Zappa was an American music god, who sadly passed away in the early 1990s. He was definitely one of the better musicians of years gone by and if he had to be around today, he would probably have more to say about ever present pop music and the over glorification of this kind of music.

Before his death he made the bizarre statement that “Rock journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.”

In any case, for those of you who don’t know Frank Vincent Zappa, he was an American self-taught composer, performer and writer of more than 30 years as well as record engineer and producer. Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist who gained widespread critical acclaim with a lifetime achievement award in 1997. Zappa’s known for his diverse musical influences that led him to create music that was often impossible to categorize. He died in 1993 from prostate cancer and had four kids from his wife Gail who manages the Zappa Family Trust today.

The comment made by Frank Zappa about rock journalism is one of great substance. Musician Zappa, according to quoteinvestigator.com, made this comment in 1977 during an interview for the Toronto Star newspaper. Lets break it down a bit further to fully wrap our heads around what is being said. Zappa is alleging that:

- A rock journalist is someone who cannot write;

- The interview recipients of rock journalists cannot talk; and

- Those that enjoy rock journalism cannot read

The bottom line of what is being said in this statement is that rock journalism is for the simple-minded, and is dull, lifeless and insignificant.



http://stephvanassche.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/blue-rock-roll-design.jpg?w=384&h=269

Although my knowledge and interest in rock is a bit limited, I do not agree with the statement made. Granted, I do not know much about the rock genre of music, or rock journalism for that matter, but being a journalist, I know, is no easy feat. We live in a world where the problem is not the lack of information, but the abundance of it. Journalists have the task of gaining people’s attention around relevant information.




Picture Reference

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