See, I don’t ask for much.

As far as paying our writers goes, I have started giving Oliver reach-arounds. FYI.

B) It’s my opinion that the Ramones’ first four albums are their best work. Everything past that is pretty much downhill.

C) The Ramones are far from a sacred cow for me. I’m just suggesting that if you want to do this sort of thing, it should be far more well-reasoned and have some actual points. There’s a book called Kill Your Idols that does just that thing with fantastic precision, to some of my favorite (and least favorite) records.

D) Whoa, Superstarcastic started paying their writers? When did that happen?

And why four “classic” albums? Is four the cut off point? It seems a bit arbitrary.

And you say you’re all for sacrificing some sacred cows. Is that some as in not all? Maybe as in just not yours?

I’m sorry if my job wasn’t to your satisfaction. However, you’re not exactly signing my paychecks or anything.

Because I’m not the one who wrote the completely wrongheaded article.

Believe me, I’m all for sacrificing some sacred cows, but you didn’t do a good job.

Drew–I’m glad you’ve finally come around to The Clash. I TOLD YOU SO.

I’d rather not speculate on what this says about society.

But, and I’m merely playing devil’s advocate here, how is punk dumbed down? Simple in a lot of cases, sure, in terms of instrumentation. But the songwriting? A lot of it — ‘Marquee Moon’ comes to mind, so do ‘London Calling’ and (I’ll go out on a limb here and call it punk, though it’s reaching but not quite getting a handhold into definitively post-punk territory) ‘You Can’t Hide Your Love Forever’ from the other side of The Pond — still seems relevant today, still sounds fresh. And though some punk is simplistic (Isn’t that simplicity intended?), a lot of other, more musically complex, stuff germinated in the creative ferment that surrounded the punk scene. Or at least that’s the word on the street — couldn’t tell you first-hand, as I don’t think they’d have let a 2-year-old into CBGB.

A.) How can I argue that DUMBING DOWN saved rock from it’s stupor? I think I just did.

B.) Never saw that VH1 special. Do I owe some VH1 talking head cultural commentator a royalty for my opinion? He’ll have to stand in line behind a couple of creditors if so.

C.)To JoshD….right, I’m sure many a Grateful Dead fan has made the same argument. In fact, I’m sure many a band with many an asshole fan has said the same thing. There wouldn’t be asshole fans without a source, and the source for assholism tends to feed off of the assholes. It’s all like some sick form of ass-symbiosis. Why don’t you go make four debatably classic albums, then apologize for your asshole fans?

D.) It has to be noted that, in the eighties, ALL FOUR of the Ramones were Reagan admirers. There were concerts where they’d refused to play Bonzo Goes to Bitburg because Joey, of all people, actually like how Reagan was supposedly “making things better” in America.

E.) AC/DC only made one good record with Brian Johnson, and that was Back In Black. I’m sorry but they, too, need to just quit. Their Andy Capp looking roadie with the thin, shredded voice just isn’t cutting it anymore

Wait, isn’t that about 75% wrong? Someone clear this up.

Anyway, two other quick points:

1) AC/DC also has recorded the same album about 15 times, and god bless ‘em for it, because that record still kicks ass the 15th time!

2) This article is about 11 years too late, as Green Bay’s Boris the Sprinkler recorded “KIll The Ramones” around 1996, if i remember correctly.

One Republican in your band or no, YOU make at least four classic albums, then you can start blaming bands for their asshole fans.