The Days of Lore

Rolling Stone: Not so pretty

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 | musiX | 7 Comments

It’s no secret that Rolling Stone magazine has steadily been going to hell in a handbasket for years. Financially, too, I’m sure. I receive a free subscription to the hippie-hipster rag because I purchased a few tickets through Ticketmaster (I figured I’m owed about $183 for all those service charges I’ve paid over the past 20 years).

It’s bad. Thin political pieces. Lame interviews. Predictable album reviews. Buzzing about buzz bands that buzzed so many moons ago. My favorite part of the magazine? Reading the From the Vault section and waxing nostalgic on the songs and albums that were popular decades ago.

Three things that have recently made me cringe: A sorry stab at satire in the form of a faux interview with former President George Bush in January; a five-star review of the new U2 record by usual suspect David Fricke; and the latest cover featuring two pretty young things from a show called Gossip Girl sharing an ice cream cone … looks like strawberry, perhaps.

Don’t get me wrong—I don’t like Bush, I like-like U2 and I really like pretty young things and ice cream … oh ice cream … sweet, sweet ice cream …

… where was I? Yes, during the first week of March in 1979, the Top 10 singles were as follows:

1. Gloria Gaynor
“I Will Survive”

2. Rod Stewart
“Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

3. Bee Gees
“Tragedy”

4. The Pointer Sisters
“Fire”

5. Donna Summer with Brooklyn Dreams
“Heaven Knows”

6. Olivia Newton-John
“A Little More Love”

7. Peaches and Herb
“Shake Your Groove Thing”

8. The Doobie Brothers
“What a Fool Believes”

9. Village People
“Y.M.C.A.”

10. Dire Straits
“Sultans of Swing”

Tags: David Fricke, Rolling Stone, U2