who is Bob Lefsetz?

his "quote a lyric, then riff on thoughts you're having about it" style is so incredible

We just want to do it over again. Everything. With you. Start with a kiss, graduate to sex, we’re completely enthralled.

Funny that the 2014 song of the year features the lines

I’ve been listenin’ to the radio all night long
Sittin’ ’round waitin’ for it to come on and here it is

This roots the song, I scan XM ALL DAY LONG!

I worked an event for about a week earlier this year, and hit it off with one of the other guys on the backstage crew for the first couple days. then once he start raving about how great Luke Bryan's "Play It Again" and it just kinda ruined it. hate that song so much.

Is Luke Bryant one of those dudes who wears a baseball cap instead of a cowboy hat? Actually, that's pretty much of all 'em these days, isn't it.

Graduate to Sex: My Life in Music by Bob Lefsetz

^^There's a Cumme Laude joke in there, and I'm ruining the chance to make it.

there's a moment in the Nashville episode of Sonic Highways where someone is making a boilerplate comment about modern commercial country music, and they cut to a quick scene of Luke Bryan looking like this performing at an awards show without even saying his name, and it's such a cheap shot but i loved it anyway

http://www.cmt.com/sitewide/assets/img/events/2012/cma_awards/show/cma_awards_jk_155123869-x600.jpg

Luke Bryant rocks, fuck the Foo Fighters

i first read that as like "the 'sonic highways' episode of nashville" and thought whoa nashville goes a lot harder than i thought

President Keyes w a hot take, sizzlin!

What is with you guys and "hot takes"?

That was more of a drunk take

another blazing hot take

How so?

he can't stop!! he's a natural!

Bully

President Roosevelt?

just playing pres

call me Johnny Hottakes

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d5/Ep73_01.jpg/300px-Ep73_01.jpg

ok, 'Johnny Hottakes'

johnny take in the buildin

Being a hipster might make you cool, but it won’t make you rich.

Of course, some hipster music breaks through. And that’s great, we need the bleeding edge, that’s what’s wrong with too much of today’s pop, the formula. But most hipster music is just not made for mainstream consumption, which is fine, but please stop complaining that no one wants it.

Imagine making a tech product no one wants. Do these people complain, no they PIVOT! An incredible percentage of tech companies started out making something different, and when no one wanted it, they took the essence and turned it into something else.

Which means if you know how to play, you don’t only have to play the music you do.

no they PIVOT! <--new indie bnd name

I used to get angry whenever I saw this thread at the top of Site New Answers. Now I weep.

that was already an indie band name

Now I weep

Emo band?

I don't know, his combination of cluelessness and weirdness makes him more interesting to me than e.g. Klosterman -- whose views are less obnoxious but also very dull.

Found an old clip from Lefsetz's public access TV days:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xG00OC_imA

Glanced at a second of that: guy looks just like Dan Aykroyd in Tom Snyder drag.

And Imagine Dragons are really good.

I know you don't want to hear that, because if they're good, you're not.

Now I'm not saying you can't be nearly talentless and be successful. But that's a different kind of talent, one of conception, one wherein you look at the world a different way and come up with something so mind-blowing that people pay attention. That was Lou Reed's gift. But we haven't had that spirit here for so long.

He just emailed this one...

That was Lou Reed's gift. But we haven't had that spirit here for so long since 1969.

FIXED

That doesn't fix it for me. Lefsetz preceded the above with this quote:

But it's in the struggle that you hone your chops, that you get really good.

So Imagine Dragons have chops and Lou did not?

how was Lou Reed "nearly talentless"?

Maybe he meant it in a dodge the bullet sense. Like "Lou Reed was nearly talentless, but fortunately he started writing songs and playing music and discovered, phew, he did have talent after all."

Lefsetz is a mainstream baby boom rocker who probably never listened to the Velvets, but after later hearing Lou's solo songs that got radio play, decided in hindsight that Lou's skill was just of conception.

It's dumb and wrong and goofy just like this sentence of his I know you don't want to hear that, because if they're good, you're not.

Josh, read the post that Lefsetz wrote, don't rewrite it for him so it makes more sense.

I know you don't want to hear that, because if they're good, you're not.
peak lefsetz. beautiful.

Now I'm not saying you can't be nearly talentless and be successful.

his own career is a testament to this

tylerw otm

And if you want to grow up, emulate Billy Joel. He’s let himself age, he’s gained weight and has no hair. And he’s honest and believable. And he puts out no new music. BECAUSE NO ONE CARES!

Once upon a time you were a leader, now you’re running after a train that has left the station when everybody else is taking Uber.

It’s like having your aunt kiss you at the graduation party. You know, the creepy old one who wears too much makeup and winks at you when you’re in the kitchen… The one who’s unmarried and seems to want to sleep with no one so much as YOU!

Explains so much about how this guy's world view was shaped.

his ability to consistently amaze me with the shittiness of his thoughts and writing is really staggering, he manages to top himself each and every time

the obliviousness of being able to confidently state that as a universal experience

Once upon a time you were a leader, now you’re running after a train that has left the station when everybody else is taking Uber.

just realized you can sing this to like a rolling stone

I guess I'm trying to understand, but if the train is an overland commuter train, taking an Uber seems pretty damn expensive...and if you were in NYC with a big subway system I don't think it's retrograde to take the subway, I really doubt everyone is taking Ubers everywhere....

maybe he means the Bay Area and BART?

i should probably shoot myself in the head for even thining about this

he is based in santa monica though

so maybe he's just talking about LA's pretty decent but failed subway system