Sunday, February 09, 2014

There There


Seriously, kids, don’t self-Google. Like reading an ex-girlfriend’s diary, it can only end in scab-ripping pain. One Robbie Bruens of San Francisco read my 2007 book Welcome to the Machine: OK Computer and the Death of the Classic Album and then took to GoodReads to offer his considered response:
A phenomenally dumb book with a tendency to shoehorn every conceivable reference while aping the conversational style of erstwhile music critics turned littérateurs Nick Hornby and Chuck Klosterman with none of their charm, intelligence or wit. Almost entirely devoid of insight, while occasionally offering up actual anti-insights, such as the mistaken idea that all Radiohead super fans are invariably male (half or more of those that I know are female) and some weird idea about how Thom Yorke should do more housework. I wouldn't have finished the thing were it not for my fascination with even the most banal Radiohead trivia. 
Yup, you read it, “almost entirely devoid of insight”. I think my theoretical mid-life crisis tattoo just wrote itself. On the offchance Mr Bruens has ignored my advice regarding Googling himself, thanks!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have you googled Robbie Bruens? He has a lot of opinions about other people. Must be nice to be so insightful.

Annie said...

Pah, what does he know? It was a pleasure to read, it was witty, charming and intelligent, and it made me listen to Radiohead though I hadn't really been a fan before. And the references were about illuminating their influences and putting the music in context, weren't they?

Haters gonna hate. Pay them no mind.

Annie said...

Pah, what does he know? It was a pleasure to read, it was witty, charming and intelligent, and it made me listen to Radiohead though I hadn't really been a fan before. And the references were about illuminating their influences and putting the music in context, weren't they?

Haters gonna hate. Pay them no mind.

FirstNations said...

One of the things you'll have to learn how to deal with as a writer, Tim, is that there will always be somebody out there with a tiny dick, bad skin, and a 'Hello Kitty' tattoo.

Tim F said...

He's also got lovely hair, hasn't he, CC?

Aww, thanks Annie. Your hair's even lovelier ;-)

[Reads FN's comment, frets about state of own skin]

Robbie Bruens said...

Ooops