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Newspaper Article
Pop View; Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman: Sting Takes on His Critics
1988
Overview
Rock critics are daily confronted with the fact that rock music owes its strength in large measure to the intensity of the emotions it kindles; that reality draws young musicians to rock, and it draws young critics, too. This has partly to do with its very nature, direct and humanistic (as opposed to complex and formalistic), and partly with the prevailing youth, and hence less maturely modified passions, of its fans. Sting's Chronicle letter provoked an expected range of replies, including one from Crissy Baker of Mill Valley who ended her letter, ''I love you, Sting.'' Against that sort of devotion, a mere critic carries a mighty puny popgun. Lou Reed, one of our most talented and career-savvy rock stars, seemed to be taking that tack when he launched a campaign a decade ago against Robert Christgau of the Voice and myself. Bob and I even got included in the lyrics of one of Lou's recorded songs, which is a credit that none of Sting's targets can yet claim. It made us quite happy. Lou too, I'll bet. Ultimately, [Sting] and any performer, rock or otherwise, would be best advised to build up the ''broad shoulders and thick skin'' he says in his San Francisco letter that he already has. Perform and compose and carry on as honorably and effectively as you can. And personally, Sting, do me a favor: don't clutter up your future shows by giving 10 minutes of time to every critic who's ever taken a potshot at you. The vision of hundreds of showboating amateurs banjo-picking their way through ''Sweet Adeline'' is almost too horrible to contemplate.
Publisher
New York Times Company
Subject
