Talk:Jon Landau

Neutrality
Hi all, I thought the editing had to start somewhere so I've chopped a lot of the content out-basically the paragraphs that emphasise how he got it wrong with reviews (it's possible to do that with any critic and I could probably do half a book's worth on Dave Marsh alone) and the Springsteen pricing controversy which seems to be here just as ammunition when it's more relevant to Springsteen himself. Likewise the subjective criticism of his writing-if anyone can introduce a paragraph discussing his writing that cites sources rather than just anonymous opinions then please do  Oscillon (talk) 04:51, 13 April 2010 (UTC)

Yeah. This article is really a mess. Isn't there something good to say about him? Northwestgnome (talk) 19:06, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

I agree, whoever wrote this really had something against Landau. He helped produce 3 of the top 500 albums of all time, I think he deserves a little more credit. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.181.204.53 (talk) 02:50, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

yeah, but know the article is too positive about him —Preceding unsigned comment added by 187.4.1.103 (talk) 14:25, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

That last paragraph has nothing to do with the rest of the article. Also, I believe the word is affirmation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.175.98.4 (talk) 06:25, 10 June 2009 (UTC)

Actually, there's a fair amount to be said about Landau's life that makes it nowhere near this page. First and foremost, Jon started as a record reviewer for RS and then was elevated to record reviews editor. He defined that job in the rock press as much as Bob Christgau or Greil Marcus. His own reviews were more notorious than applauded at the time, and to his credit, Jon ran the reviews section in a similar iconoclastic manner until he made the stunning announcement that he was leaving the magazine to go to work for an unknown folk singer from central Jersey. No matter who or what happened in later years with Springstein, the fact that Landau was a chancy writer and gutsy editor who left it all behind to take a chance with an unknown artist must certainly be addressed in detail in a bio.

To the folks who have felt the writers of this page must've had something against Landau, I'd allow the possibility that the opposite could be just as true. Landau thrived on writing aggressive, unrestrained copy and demanded it of his own writers later on. He was a iconoclast whose writing was marked by extremely ironic positions. It must be noted that, following Landau's abrupt departure from RS, much of his A-team of writers left as well. The fact they included a number of rock criticism's "first generation" of seminal writers is a critical item worth noting. It became the beginning of the homogenized drivel in the RS reviews section ever after.

So far as the Springstein years that unfortunately seem to take up most of the current page, there's virtually nothing that's verifiable. And it's just plain old horribly composed in the bargain - Landau himself would slam the writing on this page before he would the content! The matter the writers seem keen to address is a valid one, albeit of questionable relevance - namely, the question of Landau's alleged Svengali-like influence over Bruce. This is at best worth a brief paragraph backed up by quotes from relevant interviews with Landau and / or Springstein, themselves, on the subject.

The whole page is in desperate need of a rewrite. Maybe I'll try when I have some more time. Just wanted to get these initial thoughts down for now. -JD —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rotterdarned (talk • contribs) 01:44, 3 October 2009 (UTC)

I was looking at a microfilm of the first year of =Rolling Stone= mag this afternoon, and I had to jot down a few notes re Landau's writing on the Cream and Jimi Hendrix, in particular. I think I could straighten out some of the writing in this Wiki article on Landau, but there's no "Edit" button for anything before the "References" section. I haven't edited any Wikipedia page in many months, so am I missing something? Otherwise, perhaps someone could make this page editable. Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.174.171.40 (talk) 01:36, 9 January 2010 (UTC)

Re last comment, starting "I was looking at a microfilm," never mind, thanks! I guess I can just edit everything through the "edit this page" tab, since there aren't any subsections (with accompanying "Edit" buttons) to the article until "References." —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.174.171.40 (talk) 01:40, 9 January 2010 (UTC)

Insubstantial
It's true the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been criticized for its uninspired, irrelevant, and narrow-minded nominations/inductions, and Landau certainly bears much of the responsibility for that, as head of the nominating committee -- but to summarize and document that by saying that Landau "...has been criticised by one person for apparently vetoing a large number of candidates considered worthy by that person"[1] is a ridiculous example.

Landau and the nominating committee have received plenty of stronger criticism from far more relevant sources, and these should be researched and documented if this article is to have any substance at all.

Many other examples of this article's lack of substance could be cited -- but so much Wikipedia, so little time. DoctorJoeE (talk) 13:51, 23 September 2009 (UTC)

Pronunciation
Here he is pronouncing his own name at 0:12 with the stress on the 2nd syllable, lan-DOU. Springsteen also pronounces Landou's name in this manner in an interview by Ann Powers on NPR's site at 12:24. Originalshale (talk) 22:06, 12 March 2014 (UTC)