[Jandek] Irwin Chusid

[Gavin]

> I'd also like to see of greater number of thoughtful, substantive posts,
> but I don't come in expecting to

Likewise - but calling someone you disagree with a 'prick' and 'a sad
cunt' without qualification is kind of inexcusable anywhere, never
mind on a list devoted to some of the most consistently polarising
music of the last 25 years...this kind of knee-jerk defensiveness
adds nothing to an appreciation or understanding of *why* somebody's
music could elicit the kind of repulsion Chusid feels, and also insults
the intelligence of its authors and its readers - the fact that it's
taking place in an internet forum doesn't mean it's in any way OK.

There's a genuine debate trying to establish itself in the midst of
this playground namecalling (Paul Condon, Matthew Gordon & Jeff Grimshaw's
posts especially), and it's recurred a few times on this list since Chusid's
Key Of Z book was published - but if Jandek is so oblivious to
negative criticism, and has no issue whatsoever with what Chusid has
written, what grounds do the self-proclaimed namecallers have to speak
in defence of Jandek? I'm ambivalent about Chusid's ambivalence myself,
although I think his 'Key Of Z' essay is a key text, an hilarious piece
of writing per se, and also

> Jandek's most effective advertising tool

I also think Matthew Gordon's comments about Chusid's attitude
ring true, that he

> really is in a certain kind of awe of Jandek and his universe

but Chusid likes to polarise opinion, likes to be provocative, and will
only attempt to bait the baitable...I emailed him recently about Jandek
and got a surprisingly considered and genial response, which was totally
unexpected - can the haters and the namecallers not see that Chusid
(like Jandek) cares not a jot about your opinions? And if you don't
like what he's written, write something better; there's a very small
library of 'Jandek Studies', and Chusid's essay currently stands as A
Major Work - but if all you can do to critique it is to insult its
author and his defenders, you're adding nothing, and making us all look
like 'pricks' and 'sad cunts' in the process...

Gavin