• facebook
  • twitter
  • rss

Former HELLOWEEN Frontman KISKE Debates Worthiness Of Music Reviews

June 20, 2006

One of heavy metal's most talented and outspoken singers, ex-HELLOWEEN frontman Michael Kiske, recently interviewed with Hardrock Haven's Derric Miller. Miller also went on to review Kiske's new solo album. Upon completing the review, Miller sent it on to Kiske, and what followed was a series of e-mails in which Miller and Kiske debated, discussed, deconstructed and dissected each other's philosophies on the worthiness of music reviews.

Here is an excerpt from the discourse:

Kiske: The modern attitude of press and media causes lots of damage to freedom of thinking and true culture today in my eyes. It only builds prejudice and makes true music more and impossible and very hard to reach people. This is all just general! Not so much targeting at you personally! But important issues!

"Like I said, I disagree with many things today that are considered as 'right.' I can't stand reviews most of the time because the 'good-tone' of journalists is too often plain arrogance. Critics act and write most of the time as 'music popes.' And I don't believe in popes...

Here is another excerpt:

Miller: "I disagree with you about one thing, though. You said: 'He (the reviewer) should be very positive! And if he can't, he shouldn't write about it!'

"I can't agree with this. In essence, if the only reviews written were glowing, effusive, all-praising reviews ... what would be the point? Why would anyone ever read a review, since they are all going to say, 'This is the best thing I've ever heard!' To me, this means music reviewers aren't a 'necessary evil' ... they aren't even necessary!

Kiske: "Good thought though, but they could to a much healthier job for our music-culture by being less Popes and more artistic and cultural."

To read the entire series of e-mails, visit www.hardrockhaven.net.

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).