Collapse Board’s 2018 Call for New Contributors
We’re a bit late this year (the story of our life) but it’s time for the annual call out for any new contributors interested in joining our ranks. Obviously we’re interested to hear from new people at any time of the year but doing a formal request helps remind everyone about our little site and […]
How Not To Write A Book Proposal (Rejected Unknown)
Sometimes, when your proposals for articles or books are rejected you feel down for weeks afterwards – like, fuck it, I really was the best person for that job, why the FUCK is everyone still so resentful of me and bugger it, I ain’t going to be buying anything this week either. Other times, however, […]
Jessica Hopper: A Conversation With A Living Female Rock Critic
Interview and words by Joseph Kyle. Reprinted with Kyle’s permission from the Recoup. Jessica Hopper is a polarizing figure in punk rock and indie rock. She started her ‘zine Hit It Or Quit It while in high school, and thanks to the underground explosion that took place shortly thereafter, for better or worse, she quickly […]
The Collapse Board finally cracks | an explanation of why we are finally introducing star ratings
By the Collapse Board Editors (except Lee Adcock, because no one asked her – but that’s OK, I mean she’s not that important anyway) It was inevitable, looking back on it. Despite the protestations from certain staff members here at Collapse Board, and lines such as The problem is that ratings give readers an excuse not […]
Where The Metaphor Fails | “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture”
By Ms Tiarney Miekus Anyone who cites this off-quoted quip has probably received a negative review. As far as one-liners go, it’s as vapid and reductive as they get. Yet this morning it greeted my Facebook feed alongside a hastily photoshopped Warholesque photo of Elvis Costello. Poor Costello in October 1983 for Musician magazine: “Writing about […]
NME then vs NME now
NME then Marquee Moon review by Nick Kent (NME Feb 1977) Cut the crap, junior, he sez and put the hyperbole on ice. I concur thus. Sometimes it takes but one record – one cocksure magical statement – to cold-cock all the crapola and all-purpose wheatchaff mix ‘n’ match, to set the whole schmear straight […]
Vox on Hozier | Music criticism isn’t dead, it just tastes like shit
I came to this via Ned Raggett (via Stephen Thomas Erlewine) and I’d like to reprint some of what he (and various friends) said about it on Facebook. Ladies and gentlemen…the world’s worst article on music, at least this year. AND BEFORE YOU ALL COMPLAIN ABOUT HOZIER SPECIFICALLY (which I have no problem with), zoom […]
20 Quotes from Lester Bangs that I could have said
I never read Lester Bangs much when I was younger. I think I found him too American, or something. Also, I wasn’t in tune with his taste most of the time. His taste stunk, a lot. Hoary old American rock bands wearing their hoary old beards playing their hoary old rock music. I didn’t understand […]
A bluffer’s guide to reviewing live shows
I got asked to contribute to “a guide on balanced, conclusive and comprehensive reviewing for shows and albums” by Brisbane website Music Industry Inside Out. (They describe themselves as “an educational resource that aims to educate/encapsulate on all aspects of the music business”.) Catch me in the right mood, I enjoy writing stuff like this. They also […]
Whatever happened to the music press? An interview from January 2002
Originally run on PennyBlackMusic. Interview and feature by David McNamee in Hull, who later (briefly) became editor of Plan B Magazine. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MUSIC PRESS? It died a death. After reading Laura Branch’s recent interview with Alexander Bailey of the indie label Radio Khartoum, I was reconciled to the notion of label as auteur. […]
