Blame Yourselves!: 1974

MM Readers Rant on Rotton Records

The one-page letters page in Melody Maker (February 2, 1974) featured reader complaints about the state of music, with one letter titled “Blame Yourselves for rotton records!” arguing that the public no longer recognises and rewards true talent, forcing listeners to endure rubbish like Donny and Marie, the New Seekers, T. Rex, and Dawn. It claimed these acts replaced the Beatles and Stones as kings of popular music, with Slade the only enjoyable new band because they reproduce the early Beatles sound.

Article Overview

Publication Details

Magazine: Melody Maker (UK).

Date: February 2, 1974.

Format: One-page letters page/feature.

HOW often we hear people lamenting lack of progress.

The truth is, in fact, that the public has ceased to recognise and reward true talent.

Nowadays, it is more an insult than a recognition of ability to get a record the Top Twenty chart. into the of Top the Pops is "pathetic," "juvenile" and "utter rubbish," in the words of past contributors to the MM letters page, because, and only because, it reflects the musical tastes of a perverted British public.

It is because of the public that we are forced to endure such pure unadulterated rubbish as Donny and Marie, the New Seekers, T. Rex and Dawn.

These are the fleet of new stars who have replaced the Beatles and the Stones as the kings of popular music. In fact, the only new popular is band which one can realistically call "enjoyable" Slade. But then, they are only reproducing, almost exactly, the fresh early Beatles sound.

The only people to blame for the retrograde steps made in music today are the majority of the public who re ward rot like "Paper Roses" while ignoring beautiful, original and inventive son John Lennon's "Mind Games," David Gates "Sail Around the World and Paul Simon's "American Tune." There will always be progress, if only people would take notice of it. Never ending Beatles fanatic, JOHN

P. HACKETT, Alder Lane, Parbold, Wigan, Lanes.

LP WINNER

Great Dolls

or otherwise of the New York Dolls really is very boring, so listen up close groovers, and get hip to the

Firstly, 1973 was such a boring stagnant year that we cannot afford to criticise any newcomers scene. to the rock

Secondly, so what if Jo Hansen rips off Jagger. Since when has any performer had a copyright on mannerisms and gestures?

And we finally, do honestly care what they look like? Back in '64, the Stones were called homosexuals, so now, ten years on, that argument is old and trite.

So, come on chaps, there's plenty of room for everyone (and that's the real point) to enjoy their own thing with-out having to slag off a group just because they don't conform to your personal tastes, - KEITH BERNSTEIN,

Rothwell St, London. LP WINNER

Poor Faces

CONGRATULATIONS to the Faces for releasing the worst album of the year when it is but a week old. I hope this will put paid to other groups trying to gain the award in the months ahead. ROGER SEAMAN, Felix Road, Stow-market.

Sheet metal

I WANT to bring to people's attention the very bad situation of sheet music. I do not wish to moan about the price people have said enough about that already -I want to complain about availability of certain types of music, particularly by Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

I am going nuts about this: it's just not available!

People tell me it's just not fans who want the music to play on piano or guitar. J. P. O'CONNOR, Rugby Close, under Lyme, Newcastle Staffs.

LP WINNER

Wood humour

RICHARD Hilton's criticism of Roy Wood (MM 19.1.74) surely pin-points what is probably the most annoying aspect of the majority of music appreciators, this being an inabilitylity to relate humour to music.

Roy Wood, by his very imitation, is acknowledging the extent of the Beach Boys' influence (among many others!) on his music. Far from being "not needed in his present form" Roy's humour is very necessary. -BRUCE HUGHES, Cortvale Road, Glasgow.

Economy

I WOULD like to congratulate Golden Earring on the music on their album "Moontan." But I would have liked to have seen some information about the group or the titles of the pieces of music on the record on the inside of the cover.

Instead of this all I saw was the backside of some bloke who was trying to touch up something which resembles an astronaut and the word "Moontan" written twice in the bottom left-hand corner.

So please, Golden Earring. give a thought for the public who buy your albums and put some information on the R. RATCLIFF, Dor-cover. ling Drive, Ewell, Surrey.

SINCE the present vinyl and cardboard shortages make a cutback in record production inevitable, isn't it time the re cord companies economised on both by reintroducing the ten-inch LP RODERICK

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