Worst "genre" created by a journalist part 4534547668686 : 'Hypnagogic Pop' by David Keenan.

it's not a good combo when the writer of the piece is just as full of shit as their interviewee!

I could envisage David becoming a character in the ongoing Chronicles of Boaby on ILX, I'm not sure how to depict an Airdrie accent though because I don't believe such a thing exists. Possibilities are there for a Four Yorkshiremen type sketch, could do with maybe one more West of Scotland windbag though.

(xp) Not exactly uncommon though!

"shroomadelica" c2000 had to be the most barrel-scrapey of the lot

For Keenan, logic is secondary to logos. He uses language as an instrument of spell-casting, of grammar as grimoire, distrusting the literary algorithms of plot mechanics, objective realism.

Fuck off with your plotless grimoire you talentless fuck. I saw his free jazz trio once, he's not exactly Albert Ayler put it that way.

I don't really have a problem with the guy, he's a bit of a hustler and a bullshitter, always was, but he's done well for himself. Plus he had to grow up in Airdrie, so he has my sympathy

I've not read any of his books so shouldn't laugh too much either I suppose. Anyone else?

I read his first novel and it was just OK. I actually wanted a more 'realistic' treatment - I live quite near to Airdrie now, and would like to have learnt more about its history, and more about the Scottish alternative music scene prior to the 1990s. But that might be more appropriate for non-fiction rather than fiction.

England's Hidden Reverse is p essential, and Volcanic Tongue was a great source of out sounds. In person have always found DK to be pretty genial and certainly not averse to having a chat, or an argument, with anyone. He's an enthusiast as much as he is a bullshitter and a hustler, and I can forgive him a lot for that. The Subcurrent Festivals he put on in Glasgow were fantastic.

Yes, I think he's been involved in some good things. Some not so good, mind you.

Wikipedia article on Keenan:

In an August 2009 piece for The Wire, Keenan coined "hypnagogic pop" to describe a group of musicians whose work resembled "pop music refracted through the memory of a memory". His article incited a slew of hate mail that derided hypnagogic pop as the "worst genre created by a journalist".[2]

Citation:

The article in The Wire magazine that defined the term "hypnagogic pop" garnered a slew of semi-hate mail, describing it as the "worst genre created by a journalist".

England's Hidden Reverse is peculiar and obsessive and unsettling. Even if you're not into the music he uses as a framing device (Coil, Current 93 etc) it's well worth a read.

he never answers my calls - tough guy to get a hold of

I got England's Hidden Reverse out of the library thinking I would just read the few pages about Psychic TV. Despite not having heard any records by Current 93, Coil or NWW, I found the whole book gripping and read it all. It has a lot of interview input from the artists, and insightful observations of the role of the occult in music and culture.

i like david keenan!

there, i said it.

Did anyone listen to the new album track on his website? Aside from the singing, it's like an outtake from The Unforgettable Fire, I didn't expect that, guess I was expecting angles and Pere Ubu.

I like him too, but there are more than one

I really like Keenan (irl and on the page - both are something of a construct you have to get yr head around) and have long felt vaguely guilty about slagging him off on this particular thread 11 years ago. He's clearly one of the good folk when you look across the entire field of play (not that he's even a music writer any more).

hypnagogic pop is a good term.