BOC: "recognizing genius"

[Nick Medford]

In message <200102152115.QAA08007 at listserv.spc.edu>, Douglas Pearson
<ceres at SIRIUS.COM> writes
>>
>>Did he write this stuff himself or merely pay someone else to do it?
>
>Reads like a typical "keynote speaker" bio, which is what it is.

Maybe, I just thought there were some pretty arbitrary claims ('the first punk
record', 'the first Goth record') being touted as objective facts.

>
>>A few points:  'heavy metal' is a long established term in chemistry, it
>>was used by William Burroughs as far back as the 50s (a 'heavy metal kid'
>>was a typically Burroughsian twisted sci-fi creature, being someone with a
>>dependency on said substances), and appears in Steppenwolf's 'Born To Be
>>Wild' ('heavy metal thunder').
>
>... none of which refer to a style of music ...

True, but that's the distinction I was making- between coining a term, and
applying it in a new way. I mean, I don't know who first used the word
'bubblegum' to denote a genre of music, but whoever it was I doubt they'd
claim to have invented the word itself.

I know, I'm being pedantic, but bubbles (gum or otherwise) are there to be
burst.

>
>>Where the claim that Pearlman 'coined' the term fits into all this I'm
>>not sure, although maybe he did use it in a new context.
>
>I have no idea who first used the term to apply to music ... Hapdash and
>the Colored Coat perhaps?  But it's probably safe to say that all
>subsequent usage of the term was inspired by/borrowed from Burroughs

Indeedy. When in doubt, blame bad Uncle Bill! :-)

> (and
>it would probably be a not-too-risky bet to make that even if Pearlman was
>one of the first to apply the term to music, that he got the idea from
>Meltzer).
>
>>Also: the Dictators- the 'first punk record'? Ever heard of the MC5?
>
>The Wailers (Seattle, not Kingston) were making records in the 50's.
>And 'Here Are The Sonics' was at least 5 years before "Looking At You".

Yeah, I didn't really mean the MC5 were the first, I was just pointing up the
arbitrariness of saying this or that was the first punk record. Although the
news that there was something that could be called punk in the 50s surprises
me! So who or what were the Wailers?

>But hey, much better to say the Dictators made the first punk record than
>to say that the Sex Pistols (or, more accurately, the Damned - them again!

Their 'New Rose' single is often cited as the first UK punk record- again,
completely arbitrary.

>)
>did.  At least Jac Holzman (Elektra, signed the MC5 & Stooges) has never
>claimed (to the best of my knowledge, anyway) to have "discovered"
>or "invented" punk rock.  Unlike Malcolm McClaren (not even Pearlman is
>egotistical enough to have claimed to "invent" it!).

Yeah, Maclaren would be a tough guy to beat in a battle of the egos.

I once saw him in my local supermarket when I lived in Ladbroke Grove.
He was buying a tin of Campbell's soup (and nothing else). I wondered if
this was an impromptu piece of Situationist performance art (knowing
Warhol reference etc.) although if it was, I suspect it was lost on the
checkout girl. Actually it was lost on me too.

Regards

Nick
--
Nick Medford