No Portugal for MK, No Portugal for the Biebs!

[twm]

The comments on lip-synching at concerts reminded me of a 1962 review of an LP by Odetta. Of course, she did not lip-synch but the editors of LITTLE SANDY REVIEW ( a folk magazine out of Minneapolis) considered both her and her album "Odetta At Town Hall". They started by saying she was "a dignified person" and an "imposing performer" but added, "there is a point at which dignity verges on grandiosity" and that she "hovers uncomfortably close to this point all too often". They criticised her "theatricality" and then that "her monstrous stage image pounds her material into whimpering insignificance". They went on to complain that this live album had few songs she hadn't recorded elsewhere and was "musically redundant". And then the final sentence (and the point of this post): "Odetta fans may want to buy it for the applause". Ouch!

[dmg]

The comments on lip-synching at concerts reminded me of a 1962 review of an LP by Odetta. Of course, she did not lip-synch but the editors of LITTLE SANDY REVIEW ( a folk magazine out of Minneapolis) considered both her and her album "Odetta At Town Hall". They started by saying she was "a dignified person" and an "imposing performer" but added, "there is a point at which dignity verges on grandiosity" and that she "hovers uncomfortably close to this point all too often". They criticised her "theatricality" and then that "her monstrous stage image pounds her material into whimpering insignificance". They went on to complain that this live album had few songs she hadn't recorded elsewhere and was "musically redundant". And then the final sentence (and the point of this post): "Odetta fans may want to buy it for the applause". Ouch!

Ouch indeed!  I hope when MK visits Minneapolis he keeps Little Sandy (just how little is he ) out of the venue!

[vgonis]

The comments on lip-synching at concerts reminded me of a 1962 review of an LP by Odetta. Of course, she did not lip-synch but the editors of LITTLE SANDY REVIEW ( a folk magazine out of Minneapolis) considered both her and her album "Odetta At Town Hall". They started by saying she was "a dignified person" and an "imposing performer" but added, "there is a point at which dignity verges on grandiosity" and that she "hovers uncomfortably close to this point all too often". They criticised her "theatricality" and then that "her monstrous stage image pounds her material into whimpering insignificance". They went on to complain that this live album had few songs she hadn't recorded elsewhere and was "musically redundant". And then the final sentence (and the point of this post): "Odetta fans may want to buy it for the applause". Ouch!

Ouch indeed!  I hope when MK visits Minneapolis he keeps Little Sandy (just how little is he ) out of the venue!

I even hurt upon reading it!     You have to respect their sincerety, even if it lacks  courtesy.    But saying such things for Odetta?  Very strange indeed.
By the way Sandy is a male or female name? Or both?
I really think that it is unfair for any musicians to read such reviews that are rather insulting. I guess I prefer bad reviews that you can actually read about the flaws between the lines. On the other hand, some people that use music as a basis for their shows, are not musicians at all. And I am not against lip sync as a promotional tool for musicians, but even in these cases music must be the  show. J.J. Cale refused to appear in Carson's show and make his first record a hit,  because he had to lip-sync) 

[dmg]

Ouch indeed!  I hope when MK visits Minneapolis he keeps Little Sandy (just how little is he ) out of the venue!

I even hurt upon reading it!     You have to respect their sincerety, even if it lacks  courtesy.    But saying such things for Odetta?  Very strange indeed.
By the way Sandy is a male or female name? Or both?
I really think that it is unfair for any musicians to read such reviews that are rather insulting. I guess I prefer bad reviews that you can actually read about the flaws between the lines. On the other hand, some people that use music as a basis for their shows, are not musicians at all. And I am not against lip sync as a promotional tool for musicians, but even in these cases music must be the  show. J.J. Cale refused to appear in Carson's show and make his first record a hit,  because he had to lip-sync)
[/quote]

Sandy can be either male or female.  When male it is usually short (no pun intended) for Alexander.  In Greek: defender of man.

[vgonis]

Nice one with Alexander!
You know the word umbrella comes from the Greek word omvros  meaning rain. But since some umbrellas are used for the sun, they call them (not regularly-they prefer the word umbrella) alexilion : preventing the sun. And the most famous use is alexikeravno: preventing from lightnings.

[dmg]

Nice one with Alexander!
You know the word umbrella comes from the Greek word omvros  meaning rain. But since some umbrellas are used for the sun, they call them (not regularly-they prefer the word umbrella) alexilion : preventing the sun. And the most famous use is alexikeravno: preventing from lightnings.

Here's a nice web site with some information and stats about names:

Sandy:  http://www.behindthename.com/name/sandy

Me (beloved ):  http://www.behindthename.com/name/david 

[twm]

I do not know the origin of "Sandy" in THE LITTLE SANDY REVIEW (usually called LSR for short) but it was not, as far as I am aware, anybody's name.  The magazine started in Minneapolis around 1960 and the editors were Jon Pankake and Paul Nelson. Latterly, Paul Nelson moved to New York but it continued to come out of Minneapolis, where Jon Pankake lived. Around the same time, their blues album reviewer became another jhoint editor. This arrangement continued up to Issue #30, though there were four later issues published in California under the LSR name.  Paul Nelson went on to write for ROLLING STONE.

None of these people was called "Sandy", "Alexander", "Alexandra" or any similar name.

I would not wish to give the impression that all the reviews in LSR were scathing but the editors disliked commercial folk music and, as they termed them, "the Protesty people". In the mid-1960s, there were lots of releases of these kinds. 

Given my background, you may be wondering what they made of Dylan. They knew him when he was a university student in Minneapolis and, despite the fact that he tried to steal some records from them,  they were fairly balanced on the subject. Paul Nelson supported Dylan over his "going electric" at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 and, later, wrote the notes for the BLONDE ON BLONDE folio songbook - notes that should be essential reading for anyone who has heard that album.

[dmg]

I do not know the origin of "Sandy" in THE LITTLE SANDY REVIEW (usually called LSR for short) but it was not, as far as I am aware, anybody's name.  The magazine started in Minneapolis around 1960 and the editors were Jon Pankake and Paul Nelson. Latterly, Paul Nelson moved to New York but it continued to come out of Minneapolis, where Jon Pankake lived. Around the same time, their blues album reviewer became another jhoint editor. This arrangement continued up to Issue #30, though there were four later issues published in California under the LSR name.  Paul Nelson went on to write for ROLLING STONE.

None of these people was called "Sandy", "Alexander", "Alexandra" or any similar name.

I would not wish to give the impression that all the reviews in LSR were scathing but the editors disliked commercial folk music and, as they termed them, "the Protesty people". In the mid-1960s, there were lots of releases of these kinds. 

Given my background, you may be wondering what they made of Dylan. They knew him when he was a university student in Minneapolis and, despite the fact that he tried to steal some records from them,  they were fairly balanced on the subject. Paul Nelson supported Dylan over his "going electric" at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 and, later, wrote the notes for the BLONDE ON BLONDE folio songbook - notes that should be essential reading for anyone who has heard that album.

Some of the very best (and most famous) critics are also the most critical, as one would assume - only logical!  I was always a fan of legendary film critic, the late Leslie Halliwell who offered the most scathing of attacks on cinemas most popular films and in doing so made a fortune selling his film guides every year.  He was, though very accurate in his assessments and only stubborn in not giving in to popular opinion like so many other critics are.  His is the only film guide I go to for any kind of reference point today and yet he wrote his last one in the late 80s.  Rating range from zero to four stars and only a select breed receive the maximum rating!

"I know people think I'm old-fashioned. And I only hope I'm wrong about the way in which television today is headed. But the answer lies with the public and what they will finally accept ... they have the on-off switch."  LH.

[twm]

Here's another gem from LITTLE SANDY REVIEW, this time apart of a response to a reader's letter about Joan Baez:  ... she is a superficial performer who doesn't probe the inner content of the material

Judy Collins:  ... has abadoned her futile grapplings with the intricacies of traditional music   ... . she has continued to progress her skills in a pointless direction  ...

Jackie Washington: ... talentless...   ... a sorry amateur in every sense of the word   ...  a whole album of his vague and hazy bumblings   ...

The above were all active and well-known in concert and in folk clubs. The following is less well-known but I saw him once and have the album that is being reviewed:-

Hamilton Camp: A cleaned-up, smoothed-out, utterly manufactured Dylan doll. Camp is to Dylan what Muzak is to music. Wind him up and maybe he'll go blowin' in the wind

He was also an actor. When I saw him, he was dressed in a weird pixie-like outfit and the only reason I bought the album was that it included a number of Dylan songs that Dylan had never recorded and/or released at that time.

Enough of this stuff.

[vgonis]

Very interesting info! Thanks twm!

[dmg]

Thanks twm for these amusing snippets - love reading these.

Here are some of the aforementioned Halliwell's finest moments:

A Clockwork Orange (1972)

[vgonis]

twm, by the way, have you ever seen live Nick Drake and John Martyn? What is your opinion for them and perhaps your favourite records? Do you remember reading any reviews about them, in the British press?

dmg, strangely enough I saw all films while well in my twenties and I kind of have the same opinion! Only for the orange I have some resernations. And I kind of like the latter (2 or 3) Exorcist with Burton. 

[dmg]

twm, by the way, have you ever seen live Nick Drake and John Martyn? What is your opinion for them and perhaps your favourite records? Do you remember reading any reviews about them, in the British press?

dmg, strangely enough I saw all films while well in my twenties and I kind of have the same opinion! Only for the orange I have some resernations. And I kind of like the latter (2 or 3) Exorcist with Burton.

I tend to agree with Halliwell most of the time too.  I should do because I've read his books since I was at school!  I think was probably the only honest critic out there, when the rest pander to popular opinion and changed their review from edition to edition he stood by his word.  I admire him for this.  His reviews were always based on how well made a film was (which is objective) and not on whether he personally enjoyed it (which is subjective).  More importantly, he also knew his stuff!

[twm]

We used to prefer Halliwell's film reviews and bought several editions of his book but, as the last got more and more out-of-date, we had to buy others' review books. In the end, the last Halliwell went. We still have a copy of his "Who's Who In the Movies" on the shelves somewhere round here.

Barry Hansen became Dr Demento - http://www.drdemento.com/ Strange to think that he started out writing blues record reviews in a small circulation folk magazine - and he used to be very knowledgeable about the blues indeed.

Paul Nelso died a few years ago and there is a book that combines a biography with some of his writings: Everything Is an Afterthought: The Life and Writings of Paul Nelson by Kevin Avery (Fantagraphics). I keep meaning to buy it.  Paul Nelson wrote some wonderful music articles but was also a bit of a film buff, too.  Despite what appear from the pieces I've quoted, he was not hidebound as to tradtional folk music. As well as supporting Dylan's changes in 1965, he went on the laud and support New York punk in the 1970s.

[dmg]

We used to prefer Halliwell's film reviews and bought several editions of his book but, as the last got more and more out-of-date, we had to buy others' review books. In the end, the last Halliwell went. We still have a copy of his "Who's Who In the Movies" on the shelves somewhere round here.

I also have a copy of Who's Who In the Movies and it's interesting to note that although sold as Halliwell's Film Guide, since his death in 1989 the guide was edited by John Walker with his reviews gradually replacing those of Halliwell and the guide becoming less critical, offering stars to unworthy films.  This led to the guides printing being ceased a number of years ago now.

Halliwell's verdict on The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith with zero stars: