Sunday 8 May 2011

Where is Woebot?


There is a good piece on the Wire site at the moment about the merits of lists. We all know these can often be trite and pointless. Indeed, lists in many publications tend to closely echo one another. Certainly that is the case with mainstream magazines like Q or Mojo - but then does anyone with any taste really look to them to find out what they should be buying? As Derek Walmsley argues in the Wire article, lists can actually broaden our horizons. He cites the massive, near 300 artist list featured on Nurse With Wound's first (and I think second) album. He also refers to Thurston Moore's free jazz list, which was something I was unaware of. Was I alone in being unaware that the Sonic Youth frontman was even interested in music like this?
Anyway, the best list Walmsley refers to is Woebot's peerless 100 Greatest Records Ever, which it has become harder and harder to find on the net. I caught on to Woebot towards the end of his blogging period, but was amazed and bewildered by the breadth and scope of the music he wrote about. What is so frustrating today is that his posts are no longer available. This seems to have happened since Woebot turned to making music. Does Matthew Ingram, the author of the blog, intend to publish his writings from the site? If not, I can't understand why they are no longer around - for they perfectly counter the argument some will offer that the internet is a source of cheap, quick-fix information (a la Wikipedia) and not a place for intellectual or artistic discovery. Woebot, bless him, offered just that - now where the hell can I look at his musings again? All I've been able to get out of him since being added to his mailing list are PR plugs for his music releases. And, if you're interested in his music, don't expect to sample it on youtube or spotify first. It's not there.
Indeed, the only thing of Woebot I can find anywhere on the net any more are his Woebot TV shows. I've only watched one - about the hidden merits of prog music. It was interesting - especially his championing of Gentle Giant - but not as engaging as the blog. Also, presumably in the interest of anonymity at the time, he insisted on wearing a TV on his head. Which is just daft.
Anyway, the 100 greatest records list is still kicking about on the net, and if you haven't seen it, take a look - you'll be blown away.

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