The Little Bushman, John Psathas & Me
Last Friday night I reviewed a gig at Wellington's Town Hall featuring The Little Bushman and the NZSO. Here's what I said:
"It is always interesting to see the collaboration between live rock band and orchestra; will the band be fighting for space? Will the orchestra be reduced to some background horn parps and flailing strings at the beginning and end of tunes?
"That John Psathas contributed the charts for this collaboration ensured some moments of power and beauty, the orchestra swelling up around the band. But too often it could have been taken from Yanni's Live at the Acropolis or the brass backing and marching band ruckus from Fleetwood Mac's song Tusk; colliding with a Kiwi-bro take on psychedelic rock.
"The strength of the Little Bushman remains the same - plenty of people like the band, swaying along to songs that all too quickly become meandering, meaningless jams. And with elongated intros and outros, basically to give the orchestra something to do - in and around the seconds of pure pleasure that do occur from happy, harmonious sonic collisions - this felt like a concert that didn't need to happen. The same audience would have attended without the backing of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. This was backed up by the decision to, rather tastelessly, leave the door open for people to wander in and out of the general standing area, to return with drinks and chat through the orchestral parts.
"Warren Maxwell's lyrics were mumbled and hard to understand for the first few songs. It was more of a shame when the words did rise up and over the subdued blues-rock textures of the band. We learned about living in a South Pacific paradise, with Te Reo's equivalent of bon mots being sprinkled in and around hackneyed phrases of being so lucky to live where the grass is green, 'in a land of love'. That was spelt out, a line later, as also being called 'aroha', don't you know? Well, you do now."
Yesterday the Dominion Post printed a letter from John Psathas (he wrote the arrangements for the gig - as mentioned in my review). You can click here to read the full letter - it's posted under the heading Composer Is Unimpressed.
Now, normally, I would leave it where it is. I've had my say (the review) and Psathas is entitled to his say (the letter). And that's where it should rest. I'm aware - as I type these words - people will point out to me that I should have left it alone. But I just thought his letter raised some interesting issues. And, well, I reckon we could open it up for debate.
Psathas is unhappy with my opinion of the show - and calls me "just another critic that turns up with a list of predetermined tick-boxes that comprise his preferences". (This is after Psathas takes that tumble to become just another letter-writer who "wondered if we'd been at the same concert").
He then calls for the paper to select a music critic who is "objective" (seems an odd work to use when you are supposed to give your opinion). Presumably he means someone who agrees with him - the composer who wrote the arrangements for the concert being reviewed. Isn't that a bit like the producer of a film being unhappy with a film review? The commissioning editor of a book unhappy with the book review? Yes, it is. And that is why he's entitled to his opinion.
Just as I am entitled to mine.
He wrote the music. The band played it. I wrote about it. We all have our jobs we do.
And you will know from reading this blog that I don't shy away from criticism of my work (it comes with the territory) and that I don't desperately respond to each and every comment. It would be impossible to do that. And I've generally had my say in the blog-post; you get to have your say afterwards. That's the deal.
I found this letter funny for a few reasons. Firstly, I don't know Psathas, and perhaps we won't ever meet, but I've been a big fan of his work - still am in fact. I raved about his View from Olympus album. Perhaps the letter he wrote, ecstatic about the praise, was lost in the mail?
I'm being glib there - I don't expect a letter saying I did a good job or said the right thing. In many ways, doing this work, the hate-mail is my fan-mail. It is just interesting to me...Psathas has had a lot of rave reviews and positive press. And I think he deserves (most of) it. It's interesting he chose to defend this work.
But Psathas already called me on being glib. Just before he suggested I might be racist ("the glib references to Yanni and an appalling condescension toward te reo bordered on racist"). I thought the music sounded like Yanni's Live at the Acropolis - at one point - because, well, at one point it did! There was also a bit that sounded like the marching band ruckus from Fleetwood Mac's Tusk. Which is why I said that. I wrote what I thought of the gig.
I'm not sorry it wasn't Psathas' opinion.
He also asks the question "when did celebrating living in our part of the world and communicating a message of love and understanding become hackneyed?" - in reference to my complaints about the lyrics. Well it would be too easy to say, about 9.30pm last Friday night, John.
So I guess I won't say that.
What I will say, though, is that I am honoured to have received a letter from a man whose music I occasionally admire. It just might go in a frame one day next to Tracy From Rotorua who wrote in to the Good Morning TV show, telling me that "Freddy Mercury has more talent in his pink finger than you do in you're entire body. Your out of touch. You suck bro" [sic] (or fully sic as I'm sure Tracy would say).
So, let's ask a few questions here:
Should these concerts continue: pairing up a NZ popular artist with an orchestra to sell some tickets and CDs?
Should artists strike back at critics with words - or should they just write some more/better music?
Should artists be fired by their own belief in themselves and the adoring audience? Or be desperate for the respect of a critic?
And who went to the Little Bushman with the NZSO? Did you love it? Or were you bored?
Oh and I see the Dominion Post chose to post my review online after printing John Psathas' letter. So if you'd like to comment just on the review by all means click here.
Happy Friday to you all.
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Actually I would take the comment about the ruckus from Fleetwood Mac's Tusk as a compliment. Great song.
It's about time that people being reviewed went public and had a crack - even if Psathas rolled out the cliched "he must have been at another concert" line. It's a natural part of the cut 'n thrust of the "showbiz experience". And it is entertaining as heck! I'm surprised Simon that you didn't include The Pink Floyd Experience people. That's definitely worth framing.
What Kirsty said. You cannot be objective about music, or indeed about anything that affects the senses. How a piece of music affects a person changes radically according to the person. The racism charge is simply laziness on Psathas' part; if you want to vilify someone these days simply call them a racist. There is nothing in your review that is remotely racist or even derogatory towards Maori.
Ah, the much-debated role of the critic. I've stated on several occasions that I also wonder if you and I are at the same concert sometimes, Simon. However, I appreciate that, like me, you have an opinion and accept yours for what it is. The difference is that it's your job to share your opinion publicly while I'll enjoy quieter mumblings with those I know or via my blog. Either way, it's refreshing to come across someone who a) actually has an opinion of their own, and b) doesn't confuse opinion about music with personal attacks.
Having been a student of John Psathas in his early days lecturing at VUW School of Music, I like the man personally and admire his work professionally. That does not mean that I <i>like</i> everything he produces, but I can appreciate its quality. That's my opinion. And I said it out loud! I suppose that, as a composer or any other type of artistic 'creator', it can be difficult to separate one's emotional connection to their work to see the objectivity (or subjectivity) of someone else's opinion of it. Not being at the concert myself, I can't comment. Personally, though, I'd be offended if anything I did was compared to something by Fleetwood Mac, but that's my opinion, lol!
I'm shocked that Psathas would accuse a reviewer of racism simply because they didn't like one particular work of him.
It's desperate and classless.
And the line about the audience loving it doesn't mean s**t. The kids at Basshunter probably thought it was the best concert they'd ever seen. So what does that tell you?
Is there a link to the review of The Pink Floyd Experience? I saw them do The Wall and I thought it was amazing. Then I saw them do the Back Catalogue show and it was the worst show I've ever been to in my life. We left before it finished because they were just horrendous.
Should artists strike back at critics with words - or should they just write some more/better music? They've got a right to criticise a critic in the same way a critic has a right to criticise them. Why then do commenters on this blog always say "it's a BLOG, it's OPINION!!! Simon has a right to his OPINION!", or something along those lines? It ain't a one way street.
From a critical perspective the Band+NZSO shows are a gimmick; in the same way that snarky Blog on the Tracks posts are a gimmick. One results in easy money, the other results in easy pageviews.
So ONE person with ONE voice is allowed to give out their distorted view of something for 10's of 1000's of people to read and it's ok, but yet it is not ok and is shameful for ONE other person to stand up to this???
For a start, I have never enjoyed reading any of Sweetman's reviews, they always come across somewhat 'ugly' and I never feel like I have been given an true account of what it was that took place. I would also like to point out that 'from my point of view' that this doesn't come across like an artist not able to take criticism of their own work, but are merely perplexed as to why someone with such an obvious boredom of so much music seems to be doing the job he is doing? Possibly the reply by John P has stemmed from a build up of artistic frustration and I commend him on being a whistle-blower.
Bring back Grant Smithies more often I say...at least when he doesn't like something it's somewhat more constructively put. I mean, who cares that the doors where left open (guarantee it was venue, not artist, decision), and how does THAT come into a 'music' review? Really, I just hope that Sweetman feels fulfilled at the end of the day.
Damn, can't believe I've wasted my time reading all this s**t because you know what, he IS only one voice (albeit one that 1000's of people get to read) and I don't really care. Who cares if he doesn't like much (unfortunate for him), I'm certain of who'll end up shining...and it certainly won't be him.
My favourite piece of your fanmail is still from the Good Morning viewer (or was it Tracey from Rotorua?) who called you 'the big fat ginger bearded pillick' (or was it pilock?)
@ Katy, yeah that was the same letter :) It's a gem.
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The main thing that sticks out for me here is when anybody - whether the artist or someone who was at the concert/listened to the album - slams the critic for their opinion, citing that old line "you should be objective." I've said it before and I'll say it again: REVIEWS ARE OPINIONS. The paper is paying the critic to write their OPINION on what he/she saw or heard and opinions are neither right nor wrong. They're just opinions. If Simon thought the concert lacking then he should say so. What are people supposed to do - rave positively all the time about everything they've seen? What would be the point of having reviewers at all?
Personally I'm offended that John Psathas can level an accusation like racism against someone he does not know and has never met. It really annoys me anytime this happens. Accusing someone of being racist is a horrible and serious thing to say about someone, and since Psathas does not know Simon and has never met him, the accusation is way out of line and, I'm guessing, made without much forethought or consideration of the consequences.
Finally, if you can't take criticism of your work then you shouldn't put it out there for public consumption. You will never please all the people all the time. If you are holding out for universal popularity you'll be disappointed 100% of the time. So a reviewer didn't like your gig - GET OVER IT. Or just don't create in a public arena.