It seems weird to me that this guy, who mere months back was just a minor oddity I liked with a pretty cool synth sound and some minor songs, is now making so many people so butthurt
― merked, Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:26 (thirteen years ago) link
maybe we can get Charleton Heston to picket Upset The Rhythm
― james blood ulver (Whiney G. Weingarten), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:26 (thirteen years ago) link
there is no way this maus character is as good as mdc
― king of torts (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:27 (thirteen years ago) link
i dont want to shut down record stores and i like the ones i go to obviously, but the difference between now when the internet means i have access to music compared when I was growing up andthe shitty safe selections made by the crappy record shops in my hometown stymied my fandom so much. like it generally felt like record shops were barriers to the music i wanted to hear as opposed to gateways. its a point that resonates with me in the context of the presumed cosmopolitanism of pitchfork etc.
― ℗⎣▲✘ (ico), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:27 (thirteen years ago) link
by taking his dumm anti-record store comment seriously you end up kinda legitimizing it
― I AM JOHN MAUS (Lamp), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:28 (thirteen years ago) link
i don't get you folks--are you so wrapped up in a world of irony and lols that you don't take things people say at face value?
― one dis leads to another (ian), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:29 (thirteen years ago) link
i feel like i'm the only one that actually *gets* this
― ℗⎣▲✘ (ico), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:30 (thirteen years ago) link
well even if you take it at face value not one person reading p4k's 'guest list interview' with JOHN MAUS is going to stop buying used blues records at your store because he said he h8s record shop clerks so
― I AM JOHN MAUS (Lamp), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:30 (thirteen years ago) link
no of course not, but i still don't want to support someone who thinks record stores are a toxic environment.
― one dis leads to another (ian), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:33 (thirteen years ago) link
i honestly just can't fathom anyone making an honest or well reasoned argument for getting rid of record stores. maybe it's cause of the type of people i surround myself with or the fact i am a frequent supporter of those stores, but i automatically dismiss the 'physical music is irrelevant' type arguments, and in this case i do believe he was quoted out of context (i could be wrong but kinda don't care either way)
― a lagoon par la mer (psychgawsple), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:34 (thirteen years ago) link
These questions are difficult because they're part and parcel with a situation that would define us as a list of cultural commodities we've consumed. This is a very banal idea. Facebook doesn't seem to have our genetic code on it-- it has the list of books we "like." That's how we define ourselves today. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound like a douchebag making an obvious point. One can't help but sound like a douchebag when talking about the books you like.
tell, don't show
― goole, Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:35 (thirteen years ago) link
lovin ian itt
― james blood ulver (Whiney G. Weingarten), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:35 (thirteen years ago) link
it's rare that i get passionate about posting on ILM, but for some reason this whole thing has gotten me kinda pissed off.
― one dis leads to another (ian), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:38 (thirteen years ago) link
I doubt this guy could find a $20 vinyl record for free on the internet, come on. There would at least be shipping and handling!
― polyphonic, Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:41 (thirteen years ago) link
TS john maus vs. ian
― swaguirre, the wrath of basedgod (bernard snowy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:42 (thirteen years ago) link
(I gotta go with maus, only cuz I've always wanted to firebomb something, and it might as well be an independent record store)
i am always so charmed by apologies.
― ogmor, Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:43 (thirteen years ago) link
i have purchased a john maus record at a real record store in the past fwiw
― a lagoon par la mer (psychgawsple), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:44 (thirteen years ago) link
don't know if jokes on you or the record store.
― one dis leads to another (ian), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:47 (thirteen years ago) link
― swaguirre, the wrath of basedgod (bernard snowy), Thursday, August 4, 2011 4:42 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark
thanx bud, just give me a heads up so i can get into my bomb shelter in the basement.
― one dis leads to another (ian), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:48 (thirteen years ago) link
haha yeah i bought his newest at a record store, for about $20, like a month or so ago
― I AM JOHN MAUS (Lamp), Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:49 (thirteen years ago) link
its a point that resonates with me in the context of the presumed cosmopolitanism of pitchfork etc.
― ℗⎣▲✘ (ico), Thursday, August 4, 2011 4:27 PM (20 minutes ago) Bookmark
the filter bubble
hadn't thought of that
interesting point
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 4 August 2011 16:49 (thirteen years ago) link
A response via Marathonpacks:
http://marathonpacks.tumblr.com/post/8475820060/a-defense-of-john-maus-and-bratty-artists
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 4 August 2011 17:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Great response imo
― classic albums live! (Ówen P.), Thursday, 4 August 2011 17:25 (thirteen years ago) link
can't believe one of the dudes from spoon is on tumblr
― markers, Thursday, 4 August 2011 17:27 (thirteen years ago) link
Man, the shout-outs to classical music and Jean Luc-Nancy are kind of hilarious! It reads like the perfect satire of overly educated unemployable grad students.
With the record store thing though, saying you're happy there's little closed signs on their doors might be harsh, but I'm with ico. Most record stores in my city growing up DID feel more like barriers to music. I'd have bad experiences dealing with staff all the time, and it was crazy how expensive records were. I wouldn't say that I'm glad people are out of job, but to be honest, that kind of exclusive access to music was terrible.
― MikoMcha, Thursday, 4 August 2011 17:46 (thirteen years ago) link
Is dealing with "snotty" (minimum wage) record store clerks really that shattering an experience? Man, some people are so fragile.
― jer.fairall, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:02 (thirteen years ago) link
most of the clerks around here rule so fuck that
― markers, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Xpost This is a problem with people and prices, not record stores as a collective. I'm still not convinced by his back pedalling saying he only meant big chain stores. Big chain stores don't carry little signs that say 'closed' on them.
― Why'd You Wanna Tweet Me So Bad? (dog latin), Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:05 (thirteen years ago) link
some of the most genuinely nice clerks anywhere over the years
On the Marathonpacks response: glad someone pointed out the disparity between the megastores and snotty record store clerks. Don't wanna put words in his mouth (he has enough there already) but aren't "snotty record store clerks" synonymous with indie stores? If megastores deliberately hire people who don't know anything about music, what are they being snotty about? His attempt to backpedal on his original statement only confuses things further.
― jer.fairall, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:08 (thirteen years ago) link
i mean guys its pretty transparent to me here that he WAS talking about indie shop snobbery and is backpedaling by bringing in big box stores to defend himself, are we really talking about this like there's something else going on?
i hate when xps make my post irrelevant lol
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:09 (thirteen years ago) link
i don't think ppl are complaining about snottiness so much as limited access? which, though i do sooorta *get* it, is ultimately an argument i don't care to engage much with. any independent record store is worth preserving these days (even the ones selling 'dare' for $30 or w/e) and nobody suffers from that lack of access anymore
― a lagoon par la mer (psychgawsple), Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:19 (thirteen years ago) link
xp yes this is why his "apology" is completely disingenuous; either that or he is actually a dumbass.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:20 (thirteen years ago) link
well we shouldn't confuse two things--i think he had no idea that 1) his aesthete routine would come off so obnoxious thx to a lack of self-awareness 2) that there would be such a backlash about his poorly phrased but not illegitimate bit on indie record store elitism
he made an honest mistake and is also totally tone-deaf
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:34 (thirteen years ago) link
Really the part I agreed with him on is that all new vinyl shouldn't be 20 bucks or more.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:38 (thirteen years ago) link
I wish he hadn't back-pedaled on the record store thing tbh. I mean he sort of "had to" (via the internet) but I think what he said was provocative if poorly worded. I really enjoyed reading the Numero Group guy's "Record Store Day is bullshit" thing earlier this year. The romantic kneejerk defending of all record stores will die sooner or later, especially with the next generation of music consumers reaching maturity and not simply "not caring" about buying music in a store, but never having that experience at all. That shift will have profound consequences but the "OMG we have to save record stores or culture will die" reactionary bit hear from some corners is a really naive way to look at things.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:41 (thirteen years ago) link
Record stores are never going to completely die. They're going to dwindle in number and become very specialist, but I don't see them ever completely disapearing.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:48 (thirteen years ago) link
we're a hair's breadth away from the death of CDs (once best buy takes 'em out it'll be game over) but it's naive to think record stores are going away anytime soon, in my area there are several and a new one just opened up
xp what jon said
― big triffid in my backyard (Edward III), Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:55 (thirteen years ago) link
like used bookstores xp
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:55 (thirteen years ago) link
there's no question in my mind that his whole rant was about independent stores. it's interesting that he goes right from that straight to talking about how awesome "free" music is. no mention of itunes or buying direct from labels online. definitely an ill thought rant and he deserves any blow-back he gets.
― rockapads, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:56 (thirteen years ago) link
that said, i voted for the ringtone rant as his most tedious.
― rockapads, Thursday, 4 August 2011 18:57 (thirteen years ago) link
I didn't read this thread but I will
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:00 (thirteen years ago) link
maus has been giving interviews like this for years btw
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:01 (thirteen years ago) link
he's a philosophy adjunct professor at some university iirc
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:02 (thirteen years ago) link
kind of wish maus was british so we could get some better whiney posts in here
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:05 (thirteen years ago) link
ok I read a couple posts in this thread now
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:13 (thirteen years ago) link
I believe he's actually a TA or tutor, rather than a professor. I'm pretty sure that he hasn't got his PhD, he's still a graduate student. For instance, I don't think he's published or anything. I only bring this up since it's something that gets continually mentioned in his bio or on blogs, but there seems to be some confusion.
― MikoMcha, Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:28 (thirteen years ago) link
he is a professor in my heart then
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 4 August 2011 19:36 (thirteen years ago) link
This is superb.
― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Thursday, 4 August 2011 20:24 (thirteen years ago) link