Jameson has done a post about Maxim magazine 'reviewing' the new Black Crowes album without actually hearing it.

The following is (eesntially) a comment that i wrote to that post, afterwards deciding that it was of sufficient general musical interest that i thought i ought to expose the membership in general to it. (Sort of like exposing the membership in general to the common cold or low-level radiation, perhaps...):

While i have certain problems with The Black Crowes and their music, i hasten to point out that i don't approve of what MAXIM's "reviewer" did, that that was the sort of crummy ethics and reportage i would expect from that rag.

(The first of these stories may well be apocryphal, but i have some reason to think it might be true. The second involves someone i know and a performance i was at.)

Manymany years ago - like about sixty, i think, as i heard the story - the music reviewer for one of Cleveland's papers (i sort of think it was the Plain Dealer) had a trip planned and wanted to head out of town but was faced with having to review a performance by the Cleveland Symphony.

Checking the announced program and determining that it was 100% made up of warhorses that the orchestra had been performing for years, he wrote a "review", and instructed the copyboy to hand it in the day after the concert.

But, as you might guess because i'm telling this story, it wound up in the paper the day of the concert.

And, before the performance, the conductor stepped up to the podium holding a newspaper and said "I wouild like to read you areview of the performance you are about to hear..." and did so, paying particular attention to phrases like "...the usual problem with the vibrato in the second movement..." or whatever.

He then said "We shall atempt to live up to the praises bestowed upon us, and to correct the deficiencies pointed out," and turned to the orchestra to begin the concert.

Similarly, a friend who used to write for Atlant'a Creative Loafing's "Music Menu" column (capsule reviews of music events coming up that week) made some remarks (in about 1988) about Richard Thompson's often dark material but added that it didn't seem to put his fans off.

That happened to be my first RT show; he came on about forty-five minutes late, and, stepping up to the mike said "I'd truly like to apologies; I do like to be on time, but we were soemwhat delayed coming from the airport." Pause. "And may I say how devastatngly clever it is of you to have forty-seven streets named 'Peachtree'."

Then, holding up a copy of CL, he said "However, I did get chance to read a preview of tonight's performance. He says I'm a moody bastard, and he doesn't quite see the appeal.

"And, if you look at it that way, I suppose he may even be right."

And began the set.