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Salient: Victoria University of Wellington Students' Newspaper. Vol. 32, No. 3. 1969.

Record reviews

Record reviews

Your record review column is a disgrace and your reviewer is a nincompoop.

Whether he is unaware of the existence of recorded music or whether he just chooses not to acknowledge it, I don't know.

But it is time someone gave him and your paper a nudge and reminded all concerned that Salient purports to be a serious newspaper, and a powerful political force on campus.

It is not a "pop" paper catering for hordes of screaming teeny-boppers.

Your "critic" reviews a weird cacophany of strange noises, from the sublime (and completely tuneless) ramblings of Dave Brubeck and his piano, to the ridiculous, noisy, grating shrieks and twangs or uncouth American pop groups (most of which would be more appropriately employed ringing a small bell and crying "unclean").

Is your reviewer unaware that 1968/69 are milestones in recording history?

Deutsch Grammophon have released the complete set of Beethoven's Symphonies; and Decca intends to make available in New Zealand this year the set of Wagner "Der Ring Des Nibclung", hailed by many "Music Critics" as the greatest achievement in recording history. (But your critic it wrapped in P. P. Arnold.)

Indeed, the only redeeming feature that prevented this half page from being a total loss was his criticism of the "Dave Clark" record, which just shows he must have some good taste.

All Letters Submitted For Publication Must Be Signed With The Writer's Own Name. No Pseudonyms Will Be Accepted Save In Exceptional Circumstances.

For this reason, the letter signed "Scott" and the letter signed "John Doe" will not be published until further identification is produced.

However, as a reviewer of music, he is a total loss, because he obviously won't review any. I do not advocate a solid black of classical records, but a balance must be maintained — after all, some students aren't juvenile.

If you choose to ignore my plea and do publish more of this tripe, could you please put it out on a roll.

Ron Pretty.