On 04 Jul 2008, Flinstoneyerfired <mmurph@onlink.net> wrote in
alt.guitar:
> People always push the "suck" button when they don't understand
> something- I think saying you don't understand something is more
> accurate than saying something sucks. Hell, I do it, too. It's
> common parlance and takes less time to type. As long as you can
> qualify why you think something "sucks", IMHO it's as valid as a
> long, fawning essay of praise.
That's been my point all along. I understand "it sucks" CAN be
shorthand for "I don't like it" or "I don't understand it". I don't
mind that, and I think that's a perfectly valid position - not
everybody is going to dig everything. But I can't assume that that's
what's meant when these guys start off with blanket condemnations like
"(Zappa) ... plays like crap", "The people who claim to "get it"
have some psychological need to be part of the "secret club"", and
proclaiming all of Zappa'a music to be "crap in a jar". I left these
guys every chance to clarify themselves, but they continue to speak
as if their opinions are fact. I really don't care what they like or
dislike, but I can't let their arrogant, selfish attempt to speak
for everybody else go by unchallenged. They are insulting everybody.
Again, "I don't like it" does not mean the same thing as "it actually
is crap". If that's what they meant, I think that's dead wrong. If
that's not what they meant, they should be prepared to explain
themselves better.
