What's A Critic For?
Inevitably, if you write about bands and you speak your mind, sooner or later you're going to push somebody's buttons. Christine Martucci was gravely offended by my coverage of the Asbury Music Awards and wrote to tell me so. Normally I wouldn't reprint a private email, but Christine also posted a comment on this blog, which I believe moves this into the realm of public discourse. Here is Ms. Martucci's email to me:

My darling Jim,
Read your blog about the "Asbury Park has this soft spot for frumpy, middle-aged, middle-of-the-road performers like Christine Martucci, Lance Larson, Jodi Joseph, Sonny Kenn, and Boccigalupe & The Bad Boys... and the Awards show always makes room for them. You gotta love that; it would be unthinkable for performers that far afield of trendy or stylish to be represented at a similar awards ceremony in Brooklyn or Hoboken."
What the hell dude do you even know who I am? or what I have done? Or what I do? You see a poorly managed awards show and you come down on Jersey musicians trying to make something of themselves, I bet you think Ashlee Simpson rocks too right?
Really Jim get your facts straight before you call me a "frumpy middle aged, middle of the road singer" I have been around the country the past three years after a national release of my critically acclaimed CD "Mama Says". I have been opening for major label recording acts, while your little baby bands were home in bed with a curfew.
Also am working with Dishwalla and Tonic on my next CD as well as a two time grammy winning producer who I am sure is much more qualified then you.
So good luck with your spewing of hate, I have nothing but respect for my fellow musicians and artists, poets and writers, especially Jersey people. By the way Springsteen as you know SELLS out shows in minutes, not to (sic) bad to emulate and to have seen him live as well, I think instead of copying everyone else a little difference is good, dont you?
Good luck to you
Sincerely
Christine Martucci

Now, granted, in an effort to be flip and funny, I sometimes go too far, and forget that I'm writing about real human beings who might actually read what I've written. "Frumpy" certainly wasn't the kindest word I could have used. And I'm the last person who should be making derogatory remarks about a performer's age. "Middle-aged, middle-of-the-road" wasn't meant to be disparaging; it was just reporting what I saw (and, just to make it clear, I was talking about entire bands, not individual personalities.) I defy anyone who was at the Awards show to tell me my "facts" were wrong. If I hurt Christine Martucci's feelings, I apologize. But if she thinks her music is cutting edge and not middle of the road, well... that's her opinion. I have mine, and I stand by it.

More problematic is the attitude that I had no right to comment on Ms. Martucci's performance or appearance: "Who the hell are you?" "Spewing of hate" "I have nothing but respect for my fellow musicians" (implying that I, clearly, do not.)

Let me tell you a little bit about me, darling. I've been writing about music for 25 years - 23 with my own self-published fanzine, over a dozen years as a weekly columnist for my local daily newspaper, and if you want to drop names, I've been published in Rolling Stone, the Village Voice, Guitar World, Request, Harp, dozens of other zines and websites, and several books.

Calling 'em as I see 'em isn't "spewing hate;" it's telling the truth, at least as I perceive it. And if I only wrote nice things about bands, I wouldn't be serving the best interests of anyone - not the musicians, certainly not the fans, definitely not myself, and not music as a whole. My respect for musicians is unparalleled and unqualified; that's why I hold them up to a standard. They call it "rock criticism" for a reason. I realize that if your only exposure to music journalism is The Aquarian, you might not understand that. But it doesn't change the fact that if you want to enjoy the privilege of standing on a stage and entertaining people, you become part of a process that, yes, includes rock critics.

What really seems at issue here is that Ms.Martucci seems aghast that anyone would want to criticize her and her music, when she works so hard and means so well. I applaud those efforts; they're just not my cup of tea. Bad reviews come with the territory; you should see some of the things people have written about me. But I don't write angsty, anguished, hurt letters; I either brush it off and roll with the punches; or if the criticism is justified, take it to heart and try to grow from the experience. If you really wanted to get back at me, you'd write a funny, catchy song about what a putz I am, and post it on the Internet.

And if I liked the song, you damn well better believe that I'd write a glowing review of it.