Interesting read... totally worth checking out

mr. Wrong said:Man, Polja would probably cheer me up too. It was definitely worth taking the guy down to Đubrivo.

No kidding, I’m down for whatever. Look, my main priority when heading out is making sure the crew is hyped and the vibe is just right. Honestly? Whether it’s at a Metallica, Blind Guardians, Dälek, Groodanje, Therion, or Children of Bodom show... it doesn't really matter to me! I actually worked myself into a total frenzy at that Atheist rap gig, and they were absolutely killer... except for the fact that the frontman is the exact same drito konj 😢 and the drummer is none other than spike_* 😢.

😬 🙂It was totally surreal, almost like watching Forum Stars band live😛.

The sheer NOISE might have even been enjoyable if my two dates 😉 🤣 hadn't been standing there arguing about... I don't know, wasting time. To be honest, I haven't a clue how you're supposed to dance to that stuff (and no, I don't mean strictly dancing in pairs—I mean grooving, headbanging, and all that 😛—you know Wronže well enough to remember I ended up at the Supersuckers show in just a undershirt)
.
Long story short—if that high-energy crowd I remember from the Suckers decides to hit up any show, just drop me a note... PrittPen and mrkva both have my number, so get a group chat going and let's make it happen.

I’d invite you guys out too, but I honestly don't know how you'd handle dancing to a heart rate of 120 bpm at a kozarački club while dodging bass drum beats like they're bullets during the chorus 🤣 😂
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Austin Cooper2 said:I assume you intended to write "honest music journalists"... 😉

No, I am certainly not. I intended to write exactly what I wrote—precisely as I laid it out... If we had more pieces like this circulating, perhaps signed by Jurekovic or xy, then they wouldn't be micromanaging this entire debate of ours. My point is simply that people seem completely indifferent to style—they are utterly insensitive to critique when it differs from the way Dragašev approaches things over at Bestseler...

boldscout72 said:No, I am certainly not! I intended to convey exactly what I wrote. If there were more pieces of this caliber—if they were actually signed by someone like Jurekovic or xy—perhaps I wouldn't be facing this endless debate from you all. My point is simply that people seem to be entirely oblivious to style and to any criticism that differs from the perspective offered by Dragašev in Bestseler.

Look, I find myself completely unmoved by amateurish schoolboy prose, poorly written articles, cheap sentimentality, or those "playing journalist" types of stories
even when Dragašev is the one signing them!
(And who was he talking about when he claimed he felt like someone had smacked him right in the face with a raw steak at a concert? 🙄 )

boldscout72 said:Nah, I'm not. I meant exactly what I said. If we actually had more pieces like this signed by Jurekovic or xy, nobody would be dragging me through this debate. My point is that people are just totally numb to style and any critique that isn't the usual Dragašev stuff you find in Bestseler.

Easy to talk about "different" criticism when his writing style is absolute garbage. He sounds like some kid who just graduated high school, signed up for a weekend journalism course, and now thinks he can drop coherent reviews. Please. We wouldn't even be having this argument if the thing was written properly instead of looking like a damn diary entry. If anyone here is being dense, it's Jurekovic. 😛

EDIT: Maria Peterson 🙂

Oh my goodness, Carol Jackson45, I simply cannot believe 😉

First and foremost—and I really mean this—this isn't exactly "breaking news" that requires us to follow some rigid, set-in-stone protocol... it’s more fluid than that. Secondly, we have to remember that journalism isn't just one single thing; there are various ways to express oneself—think essays, op-eds, or deep-dive critiques, for instance... it all falls under the same umbrella. And thirdly—though this might be a bit controversial—if today's high school students are already producing work of this caliber, then honestly... we should probably let the entire current crop of professional journalists go and finally give these talented young Americans a real shot at the wheel.

If Jurekovic is supposed to be the gold standard for journalism, I’d honestly rather subject myself to psychological torture by reading anything written by Angel Jurkas.

David Sullivan4 said:If Jurekovic is supposed to be the gold standard for journalism, then I’d honestly rather subject myself to psychological torture by reading nothing but Angel Jurkas's essays instead.

Has anyone even actually said that? To begin with, his pieces aren't even remotely journalistic in nature. I mean—don't get me wrong—he can be incredibly grating at times, yes, but he also possesses a certain knack for hitting the nail on the head when it counts... quite a talent, really. But this comparison to Jurkas? I truly cannot forgive you for that. That is practically a crime.

Comparing this particular text to a third-grade homework assignment is 🙄 . Honestly, what are you people reading? Primary school primers? 😁

Look, you don't have to forgive him. There’s no question that some of the things he wrote when he was younger are still on the record, and they happen to be true. But the way he frames everything reminds me of those cheap political pamphlets. To me, it's just idiotic... especially looking back from 2005.

Honestly, I'm not going to bother quoting either of them. I'd much rather revisit the lyrics from Ante Čikara and Jureković Šiftar from nearly two decades ago than deal with the pretentious nonsense coming from today's kids.

David Sullivan4 said:Look, forgiveness isn't even the point here... there's no question that some of the things this kid wrote down are actually factual. But the sheer style of his writing—well, it reminds me far too much of those cheap, low-rent political pamphlets you see peddled on street corners. And frankly, if you'll excuse my bluntness, I find that approach quite idiotic... especially considering we are living in 2005.

Well, no kidding it feels like a cheap political pamphlet when nobody else is even bothering to cover these topics in the first place... Dammit!

David Sullivan4 said:Honestly, I’m not even interested in quoting either of them... I'd much rather revisit those old lyrics from before the era of Čikara and Jurekovic—back when things felt real—than deal with the arrogant nonsense being churned out by today's entitled kids.

Well, it seems we've wandered quite far afield into territory that probably shouldn't be up for public debate anymore—mostly because it's becoming so heavily rooted in personal biases... As previously agreed, let's move on to the next topic.

These aren't personal biases. Čikara and Šiftar are geniuses. If you spent any time on Rolling Stone (which is garbage) following Čikara’s Amsterdam big city reports, his columns in Spin, or his work in Rhythm... and if you read Šiftar’s pieces, you'd have to admit these guys actually know how to write about music they actually UNDERSTAND. I wouldn't say the same for the others. See you at the coffee shop.

I am in absolute, total, and complete agreement with you regarding Čikara and Šiftar—really, I mean it... We should definitely grab a coffee sometime soon. 🙂

boldscout72 said:Of course it feels like some cheap political pamphlet when nobody else is even bothering to cover this stuff. What a joke.

Seriously, what "stuff" are we even talking about here? Is it the war of the posters and those pathetic flyers? Or is it the drama about how the opening act ran late and caused Močvara to lose their shirt? Give me one actual, coherent point from that article.

I might actually agree with my buddy for once, but honestly, only Jurkas could write something more nonsensical than this garbage.

Douglas Barnes13 said:Man, I totally agree, what the hell was that?! 🙂

Honestly, that was probably one of the worst shows I've ever been to here in the States. Have you seriously never experienced a bad concert before?

banderas said:Oh, come on—what exactly are we even talking about here? Are we debating the "poster wars" and those pathetic little flyers? Or maybe whether the venue sold its soul just because some opening act showed up late? Please... give me just one coherent topic from that entire piece.

I suppose this might be the first time I actually find myself agreeing with my buddy, though frankly, only Jurkas could write something more nonsensical than this...

Look, I’ve already laid all my cards on the table regarding this matter—and quite honestly, I have no desire to revisit it. If you’re struggling to see the bigger picture because you take everything so incredibly literally, well, that’s your own limitation. Writing about music isn't the same thing as whining about the fluctuating price of crude oil barrels.

Nicholas Perez33 said:That was easily one of the absolute worst shows we've ever endured. Seriously, have you ever actually sat through a truly terrible concert?

I honestly don't know... I'm not exactly a regular at live shows, and beyond that, there isn't really a specific genre I'm obsessed with. To be perfectly honest, I'm not even that "critical" when it comes to any particular musical movement! I just don't know how to tell if a concert is actually terrible or if it's just... mediocre? You know what I mean?

Chill out! Honestly, there were just a handful of people who took your rant way too seriously. Why do they always do that? 👍 😁

Online journalism—especially those clickbait portals—is basically nothing like actual journalism... it’s just a collection of flashy, sensation-seeking snippets written by people who wouldn't know a legitimate journalistic style if it hit them in the face.😁
What we have here is essentially a fan piece that’s unfortunately trying, and failing, to maintain some semblance of objectivity.😢 It’s totally unnecessary, really, because if you want comments that actually carry weight, you need a journalist with some actual backbone—someone who brings real experience to the table.

I caught the vibe of this piece immediately, and the bottom line is this: the American music scene is a complete mess, and all we're doing is begging for yet another indie label to save us.

The author and I actually root for the same team.😁

Lali Puna said:look, I’m just completely numb to that whole "school assignment" style—you know, the bad lyrics, the cheap sentimentality, and those "pretending-to-be-a-journalist" pieces
especially when Dragas is the one signing off on them
(who was he writing about again? That guy who said at the show he felt like someone had smacked him upside the head with a raw steak? 🙄 )

and someone revving a motorcycle right in his ear😁 😁 😁 😁 😁
that was actually a review for the best damn rock band on the freaking planet (well, before it was Accenture, anyway😛 ) Queens of the Stone Age😎