Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Ben-San]

Age 94, natural causes. I'm a huge hippy who grew up on hippy music so I'm pretty bummed to hear it.

[wombat]

When you turn on the radio and they're in the middle of relating the life story of someone you know to be in his 90s, it can only be bad news.

[theinevitable]

One of the coolest things ever was seeing him leading the crowd in song at the Lincoln Memorial when Pres. Obama was elected. Unfortunately no one knew any of the words. Which made me feel like we had all failed his dream for us.

[KeithHernandez]

Oh man, one of the least cool things ever was seeing him lead a crowd singing amazing grace at the woody Guthrie folk festival, dude was a dick.

[theinevitable]

Lately the Thing I think about all day when I am bored at work is how so many people who agitate for social change are jerks. Like. They have found a socially acceptable outlet for their innate meanness. But that doesn't mean they aren't unpleasant jerks.
(And of course the inverse, for example, my friendly and pleasant (to me) coworkers who are really racist.)

Cf the actual behavior of that guy who wrote "Imagine."

[wombat]

so many people who agitate for social change are jerks. Like. They have found a socially acceptable outlet for their innate meanness. But that doesn't mean they aren't unpleasant jerks.

Yes. But what was wrong with John Lennon particularly?

[pmcd9]

Lately the Thing I think about all day when I am bored at work is how so many people who agitate for social change are jerks. Like. They have found a socially acceptable outlet for their innate meanness. But that doesn't mean they aren't unpleasant jerks.

But was Pete Seeger a Jerk? The only evidence being presented is that he lead a crowd in singing Amazing Grace. I don't usually consider that a jerky song. Did he lead it in a jerky way? What gives here?

[pmcd9]

Yes. But what was wrong with John Lennon particularly?

Where should I begin? For a start, he abandoned his son.

[wombat]

I think that Pete Seeger probably was not a jerk, but that reasonable people can differ on whether Pete Seeger was an enjoyable entertainment experience. Which is different from the observation that Inev is making.

[KeithHernandez]

Oh, he just acted like he was the only dude in the world who had heard that song, and lead it in a jerky way?  It was alright, but dude was still a dick?  He was like 88 at that point, so could have definitely been old person out of it-ness as much as jerkiness. 

John Lennon is amazing and one of the most important people in the thing I am obsessed with and I really like him and and and he was a huge fuck*ng prick and hypocrite.

[miles]

But was Pete Seeger a Jerk? The only evidence being presented is that he lead a crowd in singing Amazing Grace. I don't usually consider that a jerky song. Did he lead it in a jerky way? What gives here?

I don't get it either. The only thing a Google search turned up was that Arlo Guthrie performed it at Woodstock.

Keith, do you just think it's a dick move to sing religious songs?

Edit: Got it.

[KeithHernandez]

One of the coolest things ever was seeing him leading the crowd in song at the Lincoln Memorial when Pres. Obama was elected. Unfortunately no one knew any of the words. Which made me feel like we had all failed his dream for us.

Reading this again... Maybe he lead a lot of songs for a lot of people that didn't know the words and then didn't know how to handle leading a crowd that knew the words?  It was just one of the two shows that stick out to me as like, oh that was miserable because of the way that performer treated the crowd.  I like it when musicians are assholes too, this was just a different, less cool asshole-ness. (The other show was that flaming lips show- coyne was too nice, that is what I hated.  I've also seen Isaac Brock accidentally slice his arm open, curse at us then end the show and loved it, so yeah, down w assholes.)

Anyways, if I ever get famous I hope I die young.  Woodsy Guthrie never had people talking shit about him because of some shit he did in his late 80s.  Also, sorry to talk shit about Seeger, it is just what I immediately thought of.

[pmcd9]

reasonable people can differ on whether Pete Seeger was an enjoyable entertainment experience.

QFT

[Ben-San]

Reading this again... Maybe he lead a lot of songs for a lot of people that didn't know the words and then didn't know how to handle leading a crowd that knew the words?  It was just one of the two shows that stick out to me as like, oh that was miserable because of the way that performer treated the crowd.  I like it when musicians are assholes too, this was just a different, less cool asshole-ness. (The other show was that flaming lips show- coyne was too nice, that is what I hated.  I've also seen Isaac Brock accidentally slice his arm open, curse at us then end the show and loved it, so yeah, down w assholes.)

Anyways, if I ever get famous I hope I die young.  Woodsy Guthrie never had people talking shit about him because of some shit he did in his late 80s.  Also, sorry to talk shit about Seeger, it is just what I immediately thought of.

Did the crowd seem to dislike it? I dunno, most of the folkies I know understand that when you're leading a large audience in participatory song you want to make sure everyone can sing along. I don't know the specifics of the event, of course.

[wombat]

this was just a different, less cool asshole-ness.

I think the last thing anyone could call Pete Seeger is cool. Perhaps that's your problem.