Page nails us!!!

[Nech <tytlane@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While reading through the ZigZag articles sent to me by our most 
gracious Freda ( THANK YOUUUU!!!!!!! ) I came across a friggin great 
quote that made me want to run and hide my head in the sand for 
awhile.... check it out and see what I mean...

ZZ: ...from your own experience you must realize that most "rock 
critics" haven't got a clue what they're talking about.

JP. Well I began to wonder. On our last American tour, this guy came up 
and got talking to me;he said he was from Rock, which is quite an 
eminent, respected magazine in the States isn't it? He asked me things 
like " Does Plant still gyrate about on stage?" and I said "well if it's 
a fast number he does move about,yes, but it depends what we're playing" 
- and his conversation went on at that sort of level until, bit by bit 
from the sort of questions he was asking, it became evident that he 
didn't really know what he was on about. So I asked him exactly when 
he'd last seen the band;"quite awhile ago now" he mumbled, and when I 
questioned him a bit more it transpired that the only time he'd seen us 
was in 'Supershow' which was a film made a couple of months after we'd 
formed.  ....slight snip...So here was a respected critic, who had done 
reviews of our albums, and he didn't even know the first thing about 
us...didn't even know that we played acoustic numbers on stage. I'd been 
nice to him all along, but at that point I really let him have it.

ZZ: You punched the creep's teeth down his throat ?

JP: No, I just told him that I thought it was really cheek for him to do 
reviews of the band if he was basing his misconceptions on that film 
clip. But it's the sort of thing we used to get...the public was always 
100% behind us, but we had few allies in the press.

ZZ: So many big rock stars seem extremely vulnerable to press opinion 
and yet most critics have lamentably little knowledge of their subject - 
but I've seen Hendrix's death, the breakup of Cream and all sorts of 
things attributed directly to the printed word.

JP: Yes, but the thing is these reviewers are so authoritative. We know 
they might be twits, but the readers believe them because of the 
eloquent, authoritative way they write. It's so easy to criticise 
someone's music, but when you think how much thought and care and time 
it's taken, why not look for the good points at least...I mean, if it's 
not your taste in music, then leave it well alone and let someone else 
do the reviews. For instance, when you ask me my opinion of certain 
groups, I'll tell you, but I don't want you to be influenced or jaded by 
what I say, because someone else may hold the exact opposite view which 
is obviously just as valid.

     ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZziiiiiinnnnnggggGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been reamed. Thank God I am far from being an eloquent writer. And 
will always be the first to admit I am in no way authoratative. I'm a 
twit. or tw_t...opinions vary!

BTW, these old ZigZag articles are a fabulous read. Again most high 
thanks to Freda for being such a dear and making me copies. I owe you 
one...Eddie buy her a tepid pint or 12 for me!!

Nech
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