Village Voice’s Robert Cristgau Fired
The firings at NYC’s Village Voice continued yesterday with influential music critic Robert Cristgau. Read his open letter to friends and fans on the firing after the jump.
"…since I have no intention of giving up rock criticism, all reasonable offers entertained; my phone number is in the book, as they used to say when there were books." (via Gawker)
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
If this comes completely out of the blue, I apologize.
It is now official–Village Voice Media fired me today, "for
taste," which means (among other things) slightly sweeter
severance. This despite the support of new music editor Rob
Harvilla, who I like as a person and a writer. We both believed I
had won myself some kind of niche as gray eminence. So I was
surprised Tuesday when I was among the eight Voice employees
(five editorial, three art) who were instructed to bring their
union reps to a meeting with upper management today. But I
certainly wasn’t shocked–my approach to music coverage has never
been much like that of the New Times papers,
Bless the union, my severance is substantial enough to give me
time to figure out what I’m doing next. In fact, having finished
all my freelance reviews yesterday, I don’t have a single
assignment pending. So, since I have no intention of giving up
rock criticism, all reasonable offers entertained; my phone
number is in the book, as they used to say when there were books.
What I don’t need is a vacation–the three of us just had a great
two and a half weeks, and Nina matriculated at BMCC yesterday.
No need to respond. Forward to whoever you will.
Love,
Bob Christgau
Village Voice Dismisses World Music Beacon and Veteran Pop Music Critic Robert Christgau
DubMC was informed yesterday that the Village Voice dismissed world music beacon and veteran music critic Robert Christgau (who has been writing for the paper since 1969) along with seven other editorial staff. Today The New York Times reports that
Village Voice Dismisses World Music Beacon and Veteran Pop Music Critic Robert Christgau
DubMC was informed yesterday that the Village Voice dismissed world music beacon and veteran music critic Robert Christgau (who has been writing for the paper since 1969) along with seven other editorial staff. Today The New York Times reports that
After a review like this, I would have fired him too!:
Review by Robert Christgau
RAY LAMONTAGNE: Trouble (RCA) I admire LaMontagne, who’s had nothing handed to him. But it bodes ill that the Stephen Stills album that moved him to quit his factory job was a ’90s one. Just as we live in a world where some radio stations get on Stills’s latest, we live in a world where some record buyers suck up folk-rock verities–to which LaMontagne adds nothing but a backstory. Since his admirers bring up Van Morrison, it is my duty to report that he lacks Morrison’s voice, poetry, Gaelic soul, and r&b feel–in other words, everything that once made Van worth bringing up. Nothing lasts forever, folk-rock included.