Rock Journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, for people who can't read - Frank Zappa

The comment made by Frank Zappa about rock journalism is one of great substance.  Musician Zappa, according to quoteinvestigator.com, made this comment in 1977 during an interview for the Toronto Star newspaper.  Lets break it down a bit further to fully wrap our heads around what is being said.  Zappa is alleging that:

- A rock journalist is someone who cannot write;
- The interview recipients of rock journalists cannot talk; and
- Those that enjoy rock journalism cannot read

The bottom line of what is being said in this statement is that rock journalism is for the simple-minded, and is dull, lifeless and insignificant.

Indeed, I do not agree with the statement made.  Granted, I do not know much about the rock genre of music, or rock journalism for that matter, but being a journalist, I know, is no easy feat.

"Rockers" are always known to be in a completely different sphere or category than that of other musicians.  They are like a united group, bound together in some way or another, and do not conform to the social influences around them.  They always maintain a sense of uniqueness that I think many other musicians do not have.  And who doesn't like a bit of Rock 'n Roll every now and then?

My sense is that they are profoundly passionate about their music and that is what they live for.  And to be a journalist whose job is to decipher, if you will, what is going on in the heads of rock musicians, cannot be an easy task.

Journalism, in whichever shape or form it may be, is one of the most cut-throat and often challenging careers out there.  And as the old saying goes, "different strokes for different folks" - who are we to judge?  Some may have a passion for the rock music industry, whether it is in the form of writing about it, talking about it, or reading about it.  Oh what a boring place the world would be without music!