Oh God, the Reality of the Music Snob

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So hey:

I'm watching "High Fidelity" with a lady friend, and we get to the scene where Rob lists his "Top 5 Side One Track Ones." He says "Janie Jones, the Clash." I realize he's wrong, b/c Janie Jones is Side TWO, track one. The girl says that they should have cast me in the film.

So the question is: Can you feel my pain, dear readers? Comfort me.

― gage o (gage o), Monday, 30 December 2002 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

heh, this is just your subtle way of showing off really isnt it?

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 30 December 2002 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

You say it as if I'm proud of the curse.

― gage o (gage o), Monday, 30 December 2002 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

The girl says that they should have cast me in the film.

This is exactly what I meant in that other post about male music geeks and their idiot girlfriends ("Wowwwww, you know the track order of an album... you should be IN THAT MOVIE WITH THOSE RECORD PEOPLE HA HA HA").

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Eh? "Janie Jones" IS side one track one.

― the pinefox, Monday, 30 December 2002 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

But in this case I won't limit my hatred to just women. I've come to abhor ANYONE who even utters the phrase High Fidelity when I start talking about music (unless they're talking about the Elvis Costello song, or the, um, fidelity of a record).

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Eh? "Janie Jones" IS side one track one.

On the US version it's "Clash City Rockers."

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

>Eh? "Janie Jones" IS side one track one.

Janie Jones is Side 1, track 1 on UK version, on US is Side 2, track 1

― H (Heruy), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, and I do apologize in advance. I'm in an awfully cranky mood this morning. Lack of sleep and impending female trouble.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Um. I take it yr very pointed remark about music geeks and their idiot girlfriends is tongue-in-cheek? To insult people you dont even have a clue about their cognitive abilities and social alignment? Jesus. Good thing yr an EDITOR.

― gage o (gage o), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh fuck off, I already apologized.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Accepted. But meanwhile, why dont you watch what you say before you say it?

To assume anything within the context of my statements, especially in the sense that the girl's statement of "you should be in the movie" was sarcastic, and that I was ultimately ashamed of the fact that I noticed an anamoly in the track listing...should be enough to withold such biting judgment.

woo woo!

― gage o (gage o), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The storefront used as the record store in High Fidelity is still empty, if anyone wants to come down and recreate the movie with themselves playing the music-nerd cashiers. You can probably find some skater kids to play Royal Trux fairly easily, as well.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

If I wasn't already sitting here, getting ready to open the record store I work at, I would take you up on that. akdhghlaigheawegihafglakcvbjablk

― gage o (gage o), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Accepted. But meanwhile, why dont you watch what you say before you say it?

Again, sorry. The girlfriend comment was just me blowing off steam. But I stand by the fact that I'm really tired of High Fidelity as a cultural touchstone.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

It's not a cultural touchstone, in as much as some people just relate to it more than say, uh, a Disney movie about Moses.

― gage o (gage o), Monday, 30 December 2002 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

That is a great Elvis Costello song, tho, isn't it?

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 30 December 2002 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Not his best by a long shot.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Skee dappa dee dappa dee, skee dappa dee dappa dee...Come on be my baby tonight....come on be my baby tonight. I've seen the way you treated other thugs you been with...come on be my baby tonight.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 30 December 2002 17:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Yo, though, High Fidelity IS the Disney version of music nerds, for the true ugly, sad story check out Alan Zweig's awesome documentary, VINYL http://www.vinylconfessions.com
Seriously, it is off the hook.

― Emmet Matheson, Monday, 30 December 2002 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I totally relate to Moses more. I've lead entire peoples out of darkness and servitude like three times this last year.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Even better/more pathetic than the "Janie Jones" thing: the Chicago Reader scribe who comes into the store and, hearing "Lo Boob Oscilator," asks Rob, "Is this the new Stereolab?" Uh, no, it had been out for about eight years by that time.

I agree that High Fidelity is overrated as a cultural touchstone. I'm also sick of my non-music acquaintances/coworkers telling me that "you remind me of a character from that movie." Although I do have an in-law who runs a record store and bears a striking resemblance to John Cusack.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Omigod, _Vinyl_ is scarier than any slasher movie I've ever seen. It's horrifying because it's TRUE.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Details! Give us details!

True story: a friend of mine used to work at the 2nd Hand Tunes in Hyde Park. One day, they're listening to Bastro Diablo Guapo on the store stereo. David Grubbs (then a UofC grad student) walks in, and asks them what's playing, as he doesn't recognize HIS FORMER BAND.

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:15 (twenty-two years ago)

My mom pulled the, "You could be the guy from..." line with me. Also, because I'm a music journo and kinda look like the kid in Almost Famous she secretly thinks that's what my life must be like. Oh, the disappointment.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

They should make a movie about See Hear in Allston, a bunch of sad old wankers with bad breath suffocating in lots of cut-out vinyl feeling superior by making fun of B.U. students and the assorted local weirdos who talk for hours about Deep Purple or whathaveyou. It would be like a Bela Tarr miserablist version of "High Fidelity."

Did the 2nd Hand Tunes in Hyde Park close? Or was that Dr. Wax? Or neither? Not that I much care, neither store was any good.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, not a real Chicago Reader scribe: just a character from the movie who I found irksome. Like, the female music writer can't just converse with Rob about music; she has to be flirting with him and not know one of Stereolab's biggest hits.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Did the 2nd Hand Tunes in Hyde Park close? Or was that Dr. Wax? Or neither? Not that I much care, neither store was any good.

I have no idea, I don't live in Chi-town any more. Last I knew, they were both open.

Oh, I didn't remember that from the movie, mike a.

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll admit that I liked the book when I first read it ('96 or whatever, and I was in college), and I was pleased with the movie adaptation when I saw that. But after a bit of thought, I changed my mind. The book is a nice piece of pop fluff about rockists -- the movie is deplorable. I had reviewed the movie the week it came out; a year later I wrote an opposing review of it. I'd probably be even harder on it in late 2002.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Chris V OWNZ this thread.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"Oh, not a real Chicago Reader scribe: just a character from the movie who I found irksome. Like, the female music writer can't just converse with Rob about music; she has to be flirting with him and not know one of Stereolab's biggest hits."

Are you sure this isn't just a screenwriters' gaffe?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, there were a lot of gaffes in that movie. One that was pointed out to me by friends geekier than myself was that Evil Dead 2 doesn't have a particularly "kickass" soundtrack -- just some unremarkable incidental music.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"Are you sure this isn't just a screenwriters' gaffe?"

Probably. Which is why they should have hired ME (or any ILMer) to do factchecking.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:35 (twenty-two years ago)

At what point will this thread become "I can't believe the spider wasn't even radioactive!"

― Horace Mann, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Royal Trux = skate kids
Edith Frost = Lisa Bonet

was pretty funny. I don't know if this was rah-rah-Chicago in-joke or they figured both artists would be so far beneath the radar that nobody would notice or care.

It's better though than hiring some scabs to make prefab "edgy" music which would convince no one.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Worst. Episode. Ever.

(HF woulda been better if they had used Edith Frost AS Edith Frost.)

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I liked the movie fine.

Do I sound like the Simpsons character? Oh dear.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait, the Lisa Bonet character was based on Edith Frost?!

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

No, but at some point in the film they were playing an Edith Frost record in the store and I identified it as the new record by the Lisa Bonet character.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

no her music was EF, but I thought those skater kids did kinda remind me of Jennifer Harrema, I met her once.

― horace mann, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

naw, I was speaking more to Horace Mann.

I hated the movie, but not because of the rock parts of it. The characters (if I can call them that) are just sketches, there's no motivation for anyone doing anything ("Oh yeah, so I'm gonna get back wit my ex because my dad died" -WTF!), and it said really nothing to me as movie except "hey someone can finally do a movie shot in Chicago without having all the locations be in Lincoln Park or the Loop."

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Where did that "I" come from? Oh dear, I'm projecting.

No, it was John Cusack or somebody who identified it as the record by the Lisa Bonet character.

Has anyone asked Edith what she thought of this?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anyone asked Edith what she thought of this?

I'm sure Edith gave her okay to the licensing folks at Drag City.

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't mean to suggest that she objected somehow, just wondering what her thoughts were.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

As of last year she was temping in the copy room of an ad agency, so I'm *sure* she didn't object to her music being used in a major Hollywood film.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahaha, yeah sure, just 'cause people temp someplace must mean they like what goes on there.

Fuck, I'm a permanent employee, and I don't particularly jibe with everything my corp. does.

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

That should be a thread: "Oh God, the Reality of the Music Snob's Darlings" wherein the dayjobs of our fodder are revealed that we might realize how unprofitable indierock (or whatever you need to call it) is to 90% of its practitioners.

― Horace Mann, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrggggghhhhhh!!!!

I'm having difficulty getting my points across on the interweb (totally my fault).

I absolutely didn't mean that Edith Frost was a sellout, christ I worked at the same place for a month!

I meant that she COULD USE THE MONEY.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:57 (twenty-two years ago)

When I recognized her, she called her coworkers and her boss over to prove that she actually was a singer and that someone had heard of her. It was really sweet.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

How about "Oh God, the Reality of the Music Snobs, Darlings", where we talk about music snobs as if we were Patsy and Edwina?

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

No sweat, Amateurist, I'm just goofing.

[/ethan-style assholism]

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:58 (twenty-two years ago)

How about "Oh God, the Reality of the Music Snobs, Darlings", where we talk about music snobs as if we were Patsy and Edwina?

They're all horribly overweight, smelly, pimply, and dress like that David Fricke twat!

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I know, sweetie, they're just ghastly...

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.worldwidetalentgroup.com/gifs/david.jpg

Woo Woo Y'all!

― Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:11 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.geocities.com/cafechic16/David9.jpg

― Chris V. (Chris V), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

HAHAHAHA! Imagine David on AbFab!

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Know what I never got about that film? How the diminutive bald clerk asserts that Green Day sound like the Stiff Little Fingers, when in truth they don't sound *AT ALL* alike. The Dickies, maybe, but never the Stiff Little Fingers! C'mon Jake Burns' implausibly gruff bark resembling Billy Joe Armstrong's boyish yelp? Never.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:26 (twenty-two years ago)

You should have been in that movie, Alex!

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 30 December 2002 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

He's going to be in the eventual sequel High Fidelity 2: Electric Boogaloo.

― hstencil, Monday, 30 December 2002 19:33 (twenty-two years ago)

No -- seriously! If they're trying to convince folks that they're indeed eggheads with nothing in life going for them other than an encyclopedic knowledge of all things music, how could they let slip that little point? It's not even a matter of interpretation either. The Stiff Little Fingers and Green Day don't sound simillar at all. Under further scrutiny, let's look at the songs! SLF wrote quasi-political anthems like "Wasted Life" (agitprop against the military), "Johnny Was" (ditto), "White Noise" (an ironic statement about racism), "Suspect Device" (agitprop against a liberty-cramping society) etc. etc. Green Day write stuff like "Longview" (about boredom and masturbation), "Good Riddance (time of your life)" (about the fickle cliquiness about their hometown scene), "When I Come Around" (girlproblems?) etc.

They're completely unlike each other.

It's also not in Hornby's original text, do don't blame him.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 30 December 2002 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay, keep in mind that a major motion picture feature is not made for you. It's made for 8 year-olds and grandmas and everything in between. If movies were made to appease the snobs, they would not be for long. Movies are very expensive to make, and because of this, they are deliberately aimed at LCD. Yes it would be nice if they weren't, but let's face the economic facts, if someone made a movie directly targeted for ILMites, they would GROSS approximately $35.
So content yourself in being a snob, but do so knowing that mass culture doesn't give a rat's ass about you.

― Horace Mann, Monday, 30 December 2002 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

There is NEVER an excuse for misinformation. Even if what you say is true (that movies are made for monobrowed middle-American grandmothers and 8-year olds with extra chromosones), the mere fact that it's a movie *ABOUT* musical snobs dictates that any bits of music ephemera/trivia that they include, whether they're over the heads of or inconsequential to the average layperson or not, should be accurate. Otherwise, the film as a whole is undermined. Say they were making a film about bibliophiles and included an instance where one bookworm asserts that J.K. Rowling was heavily influenced by the writings of Hunter S. Thompson. The film would immediately lose its credibility.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 30 December 2002 20:32 (twenty-two years ago)

please refer to my post about the radioactive spider

― horace mann, Monday, 30 December 2002 20:33 (twenty-two years ago)

"Suspect Device"

This song has been creepily relevant for the past year. I've chosen to play it loud a few times and pathetically imagine myself to be making some kind of oppositional gesture.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Regarding Edith Frost: now that you mention it, I'm almost positive that she mentioned her High Fidelity appearance on her website. I didn't get the impression that she disapproved.

As someone who used to license music for cable TV, trust me on this: Just because your song is used in a movie/TV show/commercial doesn't mean you're getting rich, let alone becoming a sellout.

Did I mention I liked High Fidelity the movie, despite the legitimate gaffes/criticisms presented here? Preferred the book, though.

― mike a (mike a), Monday, 30 December 2002 20:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm sure she's not getting rich, but I'm sure there was a decent check involved. Unless: "Drag City in unpaid royalties $candal!"

― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 30 December 2002 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Best. Episode. Ever. i was ver dissapointed they didnt played that for like 5 minutes

― Chupa-Cabras (vicc13), Monday, 30 December 2002 21:18 (twenty-two years ago)

The music of the Skater Boys was Royal Trux?

Also, facts aside, it was a great, great movie.

Love the soundtrack too.

― David Allen, Monday, 30 December 2002 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

there wasn't enough dust in that record shop at all. was the book any filthier?? i'd hope so.

― kephm, Tuesday, 31 December 2002 00:37 (twenty-two years ago)

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