No moss on the cover of a Rolling Stone
At a time when the whole of the western world was at war with itself (legally) because the definition of intellectual property rights was defined by who would receive money, one publishing group stands as a shining light. Hyperbole is fun.
Over the last four decades, one magazine has served as the worm in the apple, in a good sense. We live in a world filled with music, more than at any other time in recorded history (excuse the pun), and once the joy of the tune has passed, many of us want to know about the musicians. I’ve turned, although not exclusively, to the pages of Rolling Stone. Curse the ads, the oversize pages which don’t read well in bed, the ads; at the end of the issue, I’ve always come away with insights into the musical psyche, and that is good.
This year has been a bounty of special issues that showcase the public figures and trends that have been “cultured” by forty years of artists. I’ve not had the time to read all of the columns, but I’m now leaving issues lying around in hopes that my family will randomly peruse. And since I don’t have the room for forty years of paper, I am definitely interested in the fact that a DVD collection of all that information is now available for less than the cost of a good meal in a restaurant (for the whole family). The menu is not bland.
Just think about settling back in front of the screen and checking out interviews with the artists that have been the soundtrack of my life. I can’t think of a better reason for the moguls of the recording industry to finally decide to release back catalogs. The samplers from those infomercials on cable TV are the icing; here is the chance to have the cake as well. Besides, Gonzo rocks! And all the covers are in one place at the same time.
