How has music journalism changed over the past 20 years?
The worst thing about music journalism is that everybody wants control of the final product. I remember the Guns N’ Roses “interview release form” from the late ’80s that said the band owns the right to a writer’s interview, and the band must approve everything. Nobody wants to ask any hard questions for fear of ruffling artists, mangers and publicity people. Back in the ’70s, there was a classic exchange with Lou Reed and the late Lester Bangs that took place at 3 a.m. where they are just calling each other out. It’s very candid, and some of it is downright nasty. To do something like that with any big star today is inconceivable, because everybody wants to make friends, secure McCelebrities for their covers to keep selling issues. It’s really sad. And very boring.
