This Trent Reznor Quote is Mad Confusing
This is Trent Reznor talking to Yahoo about the current state of music:
“But what has crept in is that everyone’s a commentator now. The Internet is giving voice to everybody thinking that someone gives a shit what they have to say and they have the right. I think, in general, that has created a toxic environment for artists and led to some very safe music.”
These are questions I have about Reznor’s quote:
- If no one gives a shit what commentators on the internet have to say, then how are they creating a toxic environment?
- Um… don’t people “have the right” to comment on the music? I’m not trying to be cute, like “Oh, what about the First Amendment, bruh?” I am seriously asking: what are fans supposed to, never discuss their opinions about the music?
This is how I’d rewrite Treznor’s response so that it makes more sense:
“But what has crept in is that now instead of just talking amongst themselves, the fans can all communicate via the Internet. Which is fine, except egotistical musicians can’t stop themselves from setting up Google alerts with their names and reading everything everyone has to say. And that would be bad enough, but because these musicians are also extremely thin-skinned, they take everything everyone has to say to heart. The opinion of their closest collaborators, the critics at Rolling Stone, and some kid on Twitter all hold equal weight in their minds. That’s led to some very safe music.”
AMEN, brother! Preach it. The world would be a much better place if musicians simply resolved to do keep their head down, not read their own press (positive or negative) let alone random social media shit, and do their work. That’s what they’re supposed to do anyway, isn’t it?
