Pitchfork throws festival, changes music journalism and books Aphex Twin for Paris
The Pitchfork festival in Chicago looked like a lot of fun, as these photos prove. For us in the continent where history comes from can look forward to the first Pitchfork live venture in Europe this October. Especially as Aphex Twin (you know this guy, right?) will be joining Washed Out, Iceage, Erol Alkan, Bon Iver, Jens Lekman, Wild Beasts, Cut Copy, Kathleen Edwards, and Pantha du Prince in the Le Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris on October 28-29. Tickets here.
Oh, and there was also a piece written by an old music journalist about new music journalists and how they’re not really journalists because they’re good at the internet.
“Sixteen years after its launch, Pitchfork’s influence is undeniable. Out of the tsunami of web-zines and music blogs that have flooded the Internet since its earliest incarnation, Pitchfork now stands alone,” writes Alex Baumgardner from Chicago’s New Music City in a recent article on the music website. Baumgardner believes that, with their minimal staff, Pitchfork does little actual reporting and has an “absolutist tone”, as they don’t allow comments. “And its lack of real journalism, among other things, is noteworthy.” He also quotes Jim DeRogatis, former music writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, arguing that Pitchfork puts the voice of the company ahead of that of the writer, “which is something that can lead a publication down a dark road.” He claims, however, “despite its firm position as a worldwide tastemaker, Pitchfork’s approach has caused a very divisive argument among music writers that begs the question: is Pitchfork killing the rock critic?” Which is weird, because Pitchfork are really pretty good rock critics. Maybe that’s what he means.
