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Rock and Roll Cage Match: Music's Greatest Rivalries, Decided
Music defines us. To return the favor, we’ll stick up with zealous passion for the performers and bands that we love . . . and heap aspersions and ridicule upon people who dare to place their allegiances above our own. In Rock and Roll Cage Match, today’s leading cultural critics, humorists, music journalists, and musicians themselves take sides in thirty of the all-time juiciest “who’s better” musical disputes.
Marc Spitz on the Smiths vs. the “If the Smiths are its James Dean, the Cure are the Marlon Brando of modern rock.”
Gideon Yago on Nirvana vs. “Here is why Nirvana will always be a better band than Metallica. It’s not because they hit harder (they do). It’s not because they are tighter (they’re definitely not). . . . It’s because Metallica is fundamentally about respecting rules—of metal, of production, of technicality—and Nirvana is about breaking those rules down in the pursuit of innovation. Metallica was metal. Nirvana was something else.”
Touré on Michael Jackson vs. “[Prince] was the wild son of Jimi, the younger brother of Rick James and Richard Pryor, the ultrasexual black Casanova who told you up front that he had a dirty mind . . . Michael held the opposite appeal. His music was often about escaping through dance or being hopeful about the world, and he came across as super-innocent.”
Russ Meneve on Bruce Springsteen vs. Bon “I really, truly mean it when I say, Mr. Springsteen, no disrespect . . . you are a legend. But in the Battle a da Jerz, when that thick chemical-waste smoke clears and the overly sprayed mall hair parts, the Jov man is the last man rockin’.”
Whitney Pastorek on Whitney Houston vs. Mariah “Frankly, dry recitations of figures are just too easily negated by simple things like, say, bringing up someone’s horrible taste in choosing movie roles. Watch, I’ll do it right Yes, Mariah has seventeen number one singles, and Whitney only eleven. But Whitney made The Bodyguard, which is basically a classic, and Mariah starred in Glitter, a colossal suckfest of crapitude that should disqualify her on the spot.”
Marc Spitz on the Smiths vs. the “If the Smiths are its James Dean, the Cure are the Marlon Brando of modern rock.”
Gideon Yago on Nirvana vs. “Here is why Nirvana will always be a better band than Metallica. It’s not because they hit harder (they do). It’s not because they are tighter (they’re definitely not). . . . It’s because Metallica is fundamentally about respecting rules—of metal, of production, of technicality—and Nirvana is about breaking those rules down in the pursuit of innovation. Metallica was metal. Nirvana was something else.”
Touré on Michael Jackson vs. “[Prince] was the wild son of Jimi, the younger brother of Rick James and Richard Pryor, the ultrasexual black Casanova who told you up front that he had a dirty mind . . . Michael held the opposite appeal. His music was often about escaping through dance or being hopeful about the world, and he came across as super-innocent.”
Russ Meneve on Bruce Springsteen vs. Bon “I really, truly mean it when I say, Mr. Springsteen, no disrespect . . . you are a legend. But in the Battle a da Jerz, when that thick chemical-waste smoke clears and the overly sprayed mall hair parts, the Jov man is the last man rockin’.”
Whitney Pastorek on Whitney Houston vs. Mariah “Frankly, dry recitations of figures are just too easily negated by simple things like, say, bringing up someone’s horrible taste in choosing movie roles. Watch, I’ll do it right Yes, Mariah has seventeen number one singles, and Whitney only eleven. But Whitney made The Bodyguard, which is basically a classic, and Mariah starred in Glitter, a colossal suckfest of crapitude that should disqualify her on the spot.”
- GenresMusicNonfictionEssays
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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February 7, 2012For starters, check out Richard Hell’s contribution to this anthology of essays, whose editor also gave us THE SHOW I'LL NEVER FORGET, an equally memorable compilation of fifty writers recalling "their most memorable concertgoing experience[s]." Hell’s chapter, perhaps the best in Manning's more recent effort, pits Lou Reed and the Velvets against the Rolling Stones.
An unprofessional interjection: I'm married to the poet Diann Blakely. Her affections for both bands are fiercely primal, and she indeed belongs to the "Blank Generation," the otherwise unsung years of Carter, gas shortages, and warnings that we'd soon have to rely on horsemeat and peanut butter for protein; I blame this period on her insistence that this house's thermostat be set at unbearably cold temperatures at all times. So betwixt and between the boomers and the Gen X-ers is she that “Gimme Shelter,” “Walk on the Wild Side," and "Blank Generation" all continue to serve as anthems.
Hell, the Voidoid's central presence--whose “yelp,” I read somewhere, has been compared to Mick Jagger’s, ironically enough--left the band behind before 1982’s DESTINY STREET was even released; and, since 1984, he has focused on writing. If he first came to Diann's attention through music, she noticed, many years later, a review of Rimbaud in the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW and thought "what the [so to speak] hell?"
But as it turns out, Hell has studied Rimbaud since adolescence, and when this brief item was written for publication that didn't happen over a year ago, I'd noticed an autobiography-in-progress from something she'd read and passed along (insistently). At almost the same time, Hell released a new version of the first Voidoids's album, called DESTINY STREET REPAIRED, which has garnered much critical acclaim; perhaps more important for purposes of what was to be a book column, the chapter in ROCK AND ROLL CAGE MATCH, plus the Rimbaud review and the liner notes he penned for a CD re-release of the original DESTINY STREET--”I was a rodent at the time, dying to be human. I was so scared”--tell me this is a man willing to flay himself, albeit with words, in the manner of St. Bartholomew, and I await his autobiography from Ecco with eagerness. In the meantime, I might ask readers to read Diann's review here of IN THE SANCTUARY OF OUTCASTS, in which she compares--and not wrongly--Neil White as the same saint in regard to memoirists. We expect no less from Hell, from Hell, from Hell himself.
An unprofessional interjection: I'm married to the poet Diann Blakely. Her affections for both bands are fiercely primal, and she indeed belongs to the "Blank Generation," the otherwise unsung years of Carter, gas shortages, and warnings that we'd soon have to rely on horsemeat and peanut butter for protein; I blame this period on her insistence that this house's thermostat be set at unbearably cold temperatures at all times. So betwixt and between the boomers and the Gen X-ers is she that “Gimme Shelter,” “Walk on the Wild Side," and "Blank Generation" all continue to serve as anthems.
Hell, the Voidoid's central presence--whose “yelp,” I read somewhere, has been compared to Mick Jagger’s, ironically enough--left the band behind before 1982’s DESTINY STREET was even released; and, since 1984, he has focused on writing. If he first came to Diann's attention through music, she noticed, many years later, a review of Rimbaud in the NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW and thought "what the [so to speak] hell?"
But as it turns out, Hell has studied Rimbaud since adolescence, and when this brief item was written for publication that didn't happen over a year ago, I'd noticed an autobiography-in-progress from something she'd read and passed along (insistently). At almost the same time, Hell released a new version of the first Voidoids's album, called DESTINY STREET REPAIRED, which has garnered much critical acclaim; perhaps more important for purposes of what was to be a book column, the chapter in ROCK AND ROLL CAGE MATCH, plus the Rimbaud review and the liner notes he penned for a CD re-release of the original DESTINY STREET--”I was a rodent at the time, dying to be human. I was so scared”--tell me this is a man willing to flay himself, albeit with words, in the manner of St. Bartholomew, and I await his autobiography from Ecco with eagerness. In the meantime, I might ask readers to read Diann's review here of IN THE SANCTUARY OF OUTCASTS, in which she compares--and not wrongly--Neil White as the same saint in regard to memoirists. We expect no less from Hell, from Hell, from Hell himself.
March 2, 2012
For the type of person that loves to argue about the artistic merit of various bands and artists, this book will be adored. While I spent many hours fuming over some of the highly biased cage match victors (come on, Marilyn Manson is in no way more talented than Trent Reznor), this book is highly entertaining and worth checking out, if only to read the particular essays of bands you know or care about.
February 19, 2010
my favorite book on rock since dickerson's colonel tom parker.
it's an anthology of smart-ass rock writers and comedians each pitting a pair of late-20th-century music acts against each other in mock contests of supremacy.
the most scintillating are:
the rolling stones vs. the velvet underground (by richard hell)
hall & oates vs. simon & garfunkle
the four tops vs. the temptations
parliament vs. funkadelic
john lennon vs. paul mccartney
nirvana vs. metallica
n.w.a. vs. wu tang clan
there are many other excellent ones as well.
the ones that aren't sheer comedic masterpieces are serious, in-depth, philosophically sophisticated, beautifully written, cleverly argued, and concise. and funny.
the history of n.w.a. is a revelation, and the arguments for paul over john are, of course, ridiculous, but that a case can be made at all is righteously impressive.
July 14, 2008
Humorous and provocative, this book will be a welcome addition to any Public and High School Library.
Immensely entertaining, Sean Manning (The Show I’ll Never Forget: 50 Writers Relive Their Most Memorable Concertgoing Experience) has produced a book that is guaranteed to start more arguments than it settles. From the obvious (Joe Donnely on John vs. Paul; Jim DeRogatis on Blur vs. Oasis) to the reverent (Laura Cantrell on Patsy Cline vs. Kitty Wells; Dennis Lim on Ennio Morricone vs. Bernard Hermann) to the downright bizarre (Michael Showalter on Hall & Oates vs. Simon & Garfunkel) this collection of newly published essays is a mix between reverently personal and laugh out loud funny takes on seminal figures of popular music. Delightfully recommended.
Immensely entertaining, Sean Manning (The Show I’ll Never Forget: 50 Writers Relive Their Most Memorable Concertgoing Experience) has produced a book that is guaranteed to start more arguments than it settles. From the obvious (Joe Donnely on John vs. Paul; Jim DeRogatis on Blur vs. Oasis) to the reverent (Laura Cantrell on Patsy Cline vs. Kitty Wells; Dennis Lim on Ennio Morricone vs. Bernard Hermann) to the downright bizarre (Michael Showalter on Hall & Oates vs. Simon & Garfunkel) this collection of newly published essays is a mix between reverently personal and laugh out loud funny takes on seminal figures of popular music. Delightfully recommended.
December 29, 2009
"Music defines us. We'll stick up with zealous passion for the performers and bands that we love." Premise for this book is that rock and roll lovers make choices between any number of groups and solo artists. It is a compilation of essays written about various rock and roll arguments. Many of the chapters were discussing groups and artists that I either did not care about or had never heard of. But, the chapters regarding topics such as McCartney or Lennon, Billy Joel or Elton John, Michael Jackson vs. Prince, and others were really interesting reading.
February 16, 2013
30 rivalries(out of which, one, Album vs. Single, is a cartoon strip). Some were brilliant, few were bad, one or two were outright stupid.
Jay-Z vs. Nas, Guided by Voices vs. Pavement, Radiohead vs. Coldplay, Lennon vs. McCartney, MJ vs. Prince were good. Led Zep vs. Black Sabbath and Blur vs. Oasis were the best, balanced, informative and interesting viewpoint in a historical perspective.
Bob Dylan vs. Bob Marley was an outright stupidity. There is no comparison. Both were spokesmen, but of different people, different societies.
Jay-Z vs. Nas, Guided by Voices vs. Pavement, Radiohead vs. Coldplay, Lennon vs. McCartney, MJ vs. Prince were good. Led Zep vs. Black Sabbath and Blur vs. Oasis were the best, balanced, informative and interesting viewpoint in a historical perspective.
Bob Dylan vs. Bob Marley was an outright stupidity. There is no comparison. Both were spokesmen, but of different people, different societies.
November 19, 2008
I will admit I only read the articles in it that appealed to me (such as The Cure v. The Smiths and Phil Collins v. Sting, among others) and I found this book to be very fun! It is amazing how music can seep into someone and affect everything. My personal favorite was the Phil v. Sting article, mostly because the author was open about how his love of Phil Collins and hatred of Sting was impacted by his family life. Well, and because even though I don't hate Sting, Phil is better!
June 29, 2009
This is a compilation of musical dispute essays & articles decided by music critics, humorists and journalists. It was enjoyable, though I didn't agree with some of the "winners." I mean I love 'em both, but Lennon beats McCartney any day in my book. My faves included the Harvard Lampoon's comparison of Elton John & Billy Joel using the NFL's scouting combine, and Michael Showalter's comparison of Hall & Oates to Simon & Garfunkle...these were both quite hilarious.
May 3, 2009
Despite the clever concept this would have been just a two-star book, mainly useful for reminding me why I don't consider most popular music criticism to be criticism in my sense of the term, if it didn't include one piece that transcends the rest, Richard Hell's brilliant take on the Stones vs the Velvets.
August 23, 2010
I was a little disappointed that most of the essays in this book were humorous attempts and didn't get into the music more. A girl who used to work for me at Crown Books, Sara Barron, has a funny take on Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
September 19, 2011
Considers all genres of music. Avoids rolling stones v Beatles but includes McCartney v Lennon. Some of the funny parts were so good I shared them with others. Mainly for music fans, however non music fans can pick and choose what chapter they like.
April 30, 2014
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but the concept of "which artist is better" interested me. Overall, I was a little underwhelmed. This collection of essays was a mixed bag, and you really have to have an interest in the artists in question to get the most out of it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews