I tend to feel the same way about "rock stars" who can't play their instruments worth anything.

Support your local school band programs, kids.

However, I seem to recall that there was some instance of "manufacturing" with The Byrds - something about one member who the record company/producer added to the line-up for a while who couldn't really play but was just there for looks.  Maybe I'm imagining it - I can't find a definitive reference via Google.

I'm not going to get into it too deeply, but I'll say that although I agree with much of what he said, I'd suggest that 'manufacturing' pop stars predated MTV and VH1.  MTV and VH1 just made it easier.

By the way, did he say that Britney Spears was a singer or something like that?  I never knew....    

Well, at least when Crosby's talking he's not drinking.  I think he's on liver #3 by now.

Quote (Corran Horn @ May 28 2004, 3:01 pm)

Well, at least when Crosby's talking he's not drinking.  I think he's on liver #3 by now.

Heeheehee...!  "Cover your livers!  David Crosby's in town!!!"  

Im to lazy to read it all, could someone explain in short whats goin on?

Quote (Alpharaptor @ May 28 2004, 3:15 pm)

Im to lazy to read it all, could someone explain in short whats goin on?

Just sour grapes.  My favorite part is when he says at Woodstuck all the performers were 'all about the music'.  Yeah.  Uh huh.

he made a lot of good points. this was the one that hit home with me  

Quote

We are losing the freedom of expression in our art forms daily   ....   the de facto censorship of the commercial power of the conglomerates is very bad.

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as for the drinking ,
IIRC he went to jail for fraud to pay for cocaine debts.
his 'drug of choice' wasn't alchohol I'm afraid.  

(from his biography on A&E : he used to park his Lincoln on the side of a road in beverly hills and freebase in the back seat, for like, days at a time. one of the other guys in the band (stills? nash?) said he saw the car parked there in the middle of nowhere once for three days straight.. and then finally.. he went to go look inside it because they couldn't find Crosby, they could only find his car. and sure enough, he's in the back seat with a glass pipe.  for three days straight)

Quote (Alpharaptor @ May 28 2004, 3:15 pm)

Im to lazy to read it all, could someone explain in short whats goin on?

summary translation : "Video Killed The Radio Star"

I agree completely with what he said, but I do still think some good music is being created. I bought the Audioslave record awhile back, and its one of the best records I've heard in a long time, and my fav band "Alice In Chains" was big in 90's and I dont see any signs of them being manufacterd, seeing as all they did was sing about drug abuse and depression. Its just to bad the lead singer died in 2002 of an overdose or they'ed still be making some of the best music I've ever heard!

Jerry CAntrell is still around (maybe him and Dave Grohl should form a club or something)