I'm always very careful to make the distinction between music criticism and music journalism. A lot of people don't. But criticism doesn't require reporting. You can write criticism at home in your underwear. On the other hand, journalism takes legwork - you have to get out there and see things and talk to people.
Michael AzerradNow that the generation that grew up on '80s indie-rock has attained influential positions in the culture, that music is the new yardstick. And that will shift yet again some day.
Michael AzerradNaturally, no one knows more about music than musicians. They talk about their own work all the time, but they rarely get to talk about other people's music.
Michael AzerradBack in the day, in '91 or so, I tried to interview Fugazi for Rolling Stone, which the band felt stood for everything they detested about corporate infiltration of music. They said, 'We'll do the interview if you give us a million dollars of cash in a suitcase.' Which was their way of saying no.
Michael AzerradThere's a whole apparatus for indie bands now, but back in the eighties it was just getting built. The early people really took it on the chin.
Michael Azerrad