Sunday, March 29, 2015

Disaster Apologia


Disaster Amnesiac has recently been reflecting on the length of time that this blog has been in existence. I started it with the encouragement of my friend Michael Row in 2008, and, with the exception of pretty much the entire year of 2010, have pursued it ever since that time. I'm not going to toot my own horn here, because I realize that not all of the writing that springs forth from the mind of Disaster Amnesiac has been stellar. However, I feel like I've made an honest attempt at objective and descriptive writing about cultural phenomena, mostly of the musical variety, that has felt worthy, for whatever subjective reasons, of receiving such treatment.
Of course, we all make mistakes, and over the years, a few of what I consider to be blatant flubs have slipped forth from whichever keyboard was then being used. It is with these mistakes in mind that Disaster Amnesiac would like to issue brief apologia.

1. Myspace vs. Facebook-I used a very collegiate compare/contrast model from which to praise the usefulness of Myspace for the purpose of finding new sounds and bands. In light of the fact that Myspace seems to be as dead a web presence as Hillary's email server, I must apologize for that flub. How long has it been since you went to Myspace for anything?

2. Bill Graham-Disaster Amnesiac said mean things about the Man That Built This City. Don't get me wrong, I can't stand Bill Graham Presents. Their venues suck, their staff are rude, their shows feel less like living experiences than they do slick ad campaigns, etc. That said, I should have kept my criticisms professional and human. Sorry, Bill.

3. Pussy Riot-When Disaster Amnesiac first saw rough, grainy video of Pussy Riot, and its attendant Punk Rock with drum machine (Metal Urbain!) soundtrack, I was hooked, and spent a lot of time watching and listening. Their early, raw sound was incredibly exciting to me! Three or so years later, as I watch Pussy Riot become just another celebrity skin show, and hearing their not great English language offerings, presumably served up as demos for an opening slot on some leg of the Sleater Kinney "Hey, We're FINALLY BACK TO SAVE ROCK 'N ROLL" tour, Disaster Amnesiac cringes. Please accept my heart felt-est,  folks.

So, there you go. I guess it's up to the Big Guy Or Girl that Barry Bonds used to point upward to, post Historic Number ..... now, as to whether or not Disaster Amnesiac will be granted forgiveness. And yes, I realize that in seven years' time I may have to consider doing another one of these posts, especially in light of the Sleater slung snark. Until that time, though, don't expect me to go anywhere. Disaster Amnesiac guarantees some more mistakes in the interim.
For that, no apology.

No comments:

Post a Comment