Criticizing Critics

There was a happy surprise last Sunday. I was in Bandung, and while having breakfast at the hotel I opened the Sunday KOMPAS Newspaper, and there it was, a quarter of a page review of my latest CD, "A Virtuosic Christmas". It wouldn't be "happy" if the review weren't praising it as a fresh new look on some Christmas tunes, and a well written one too. And it wouldn't be a "surprise" if I were expecting reviews on it, since we didn't send it to any media and asking them to write about it. Frans Sartono, the critic (I prefer to say the writer of the article; I never think of this good soul as a critic. He writes about music, that's his profession), BOUGHT some CDs for Christmas presents (and apparently for his own listening pleasure). He didn't ask for a free one to be reviewed. And his article is quite objective and ... well, it's an art of writing in itself. It is meant to just analyze the two main numbers of the CD, Fantasies on "Silent Night" and "Adeste Fideles" and gives a concise description of the other works. He wrote it in a straightforward and simple language, which is more difficult than writing in a "complex" and "sophisticated-ish" manner. It doesn't judge. As Albert Einstein said, "If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself." ............................................................................................................................................. Now, there are "critics" who now see the opportunity to "make or break" an artist (oh really? Get real, n get a life, dude). Not only that they see a financial (read: opportunity for bribery and corruption, let alone sexual abuses) chance in it, more than everything, they see the opportunity to get power to control, even in politics (a pathetic one, I must say, but yeah). ............................................................................................................................................. Do we need (music) critics? The answer is simple : we don't. Reason: what's the use of them? If you can answer this, then ok, I will change my mind. I know, I know, they are here to stay, just like criminals, corruptors, architects, doctors, prostitutes, and us artists. But even prostitutes are needed by many people, as I will prove in my next opera, Tumirah, Sang Mucikari. And they have compassion, love, and most importantly, they WORK. They might gossip around, bitching around with their colleagues about the size of their client's penises, but they do it AFTER WORK. ............................................................................................................................................. Now another question : do we need people to criticize us? Yes we do. We always need other people's opinion, although most of the time what we need is an acknowledgement that what we are doing is good. But yeah, we need our parents when we were small to tell us what is wrong and what is right, and when we get older we need friends, colleagues and so on. But they don't have to tell the world about what we did wrong, and so "don't be friends -- or fans -- of this guy. He's awful". Coz the sentence "he's awful" automatically would indirectly continue ".. and I'm awesome". Why? Coz I can pinpoint what he did wrong. ............................................................................................................................................. The worst thing about critics is that they think they represent the opinion of the general public. Well, they try to, but unfortunately they don't. I mean, I don't see myself as an asshole so they could represent me. They should not say "we", they should say "I". And in the case of last Sunday, it was KOMPAS who showed their professionalism. I must tell you, KOMPAS is big, highly respected newspaper in Indonesia . Now if you work in an insignificant fake online media, or even just bitch around in your facebook status or blog, it's the most pathetic thing a loser can do. OK ok, my dear Mr. Critic, you can criticize me whatever you like and I would go on with my life and career, but criticizing a young musician for his/her first concert? Why do someone want to do that? The only answer I can think of is because the "critic" just wanna be like him/her on stage. If you can't do what he does, break him so he can do what you do: criticize, and criticize only. You can't go up to his level, then bring him down to your level. Only then you can be equal. Only then you can be happy. And if you wanna be a bitc .. I mean critic, don't ask for free CDs, or free tickets to a concert. ............................................................................................................................................. I myself prefer to work and BE criticized than to criticize and not do the work.