John Simon. Rock of Ages. The perfect storm:
“Rock of Ages” is innovative even for the most experienced critics: For the first time, we are asked to review Noise. Not pure noise, to be sure, but noise encroached on by a smattering of unmusical music, stultifying lyrics, banal dialogue and a story that carries triviality to new heights, or lows. It is impure noise, against which the best earplugs offer only partial relief.
The thing is, John Simon's been in the game so long, he doesn't have to hide his biases. We're all acutely aware of them.
ReplyDeleteOf course, all of us have biases, too. I mean, nobody is praising the book and yet there were plenty of people who, regardless, enjoyed the show. Some of us just think the ends justify the means, whereas Simon thinks being mean is his end.