Jim DeRogatis
James "Jim" DeRogatis (born 1964 in Jersey City, New Jersey) is an American music critic. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer. He is also the Pop Music Critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. He often tries to separate himself from other music critics by promoting bands that have not yet become widely popular, but are close to doing so.
In 1982 while a senior in high school at Hudson Catholic Regional High in Jersey City, New Jersey, DeRogatis famously conducted one of the last known interviews with notorious rock critic Lester Bangs two weeks before his untimely death of a drug overdose. This encounter would later serve as the beginning and inspiration for DeRogatis's Lester Bangs biography "Let it Blurt," as well as a turning point in his journey towards his eventual career as a respected rock critic and radio personality.
From 1995-96, DeRogatis served as an editor at Rolling Stone magazine, but was fired after writing a negative review of Hootie & the Blowfish's album Fairweather Johnson. The review irked Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner who had it pulled from publication. DeRogatis's employment with the magazine was terminated after he revealed this incident to the public.
Among other things, DeRogatis' writing is known for its apparent biases towards Chicago musicians, including Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins, Urge Overkill, Steve Albini, Kanye West, Common and Fall Out Boy; and his annoyance at bands which continue to charge high ticket prices while performing live in large venues as they age, including U2, R.E.M and the Rolling Stones.
DeRogatis also hosts Sound Opinions with fellow music critic Greg Kot. The radio talk show is heard Friday nights at 8PM CST on Chicago Public Radio which is also re-broadcast weekly as a popular podcast. The program is one of the longest running talk radio shows focusing exclusively on rock music with stints on both Chicago's WXRT and an early incarnation on Q101 featuring Bill Wyman from the Chicago Reader in place of Greg Kot. The move to Chicago Public Radio took place on December 3, 2005.
DeRogatis gained more notoriety after Ryan Adams left an angry message on his answering machine. It was in response to a scathing review DeRogatis gave of an Adams show, and in particular the critic's dismissive comparison of the singer-songwriter's talents with those of Wilco frontman (and Chicago icon) Jeff Tweedy.
"Adams can release three CDs in a three-week span, but the fact remains that he still can't write one song as original or as heartfelt as anything by Jeff Tweedy."
"Absent an historical musical context or a functioning b.s. detector, it is possible to mistake Adams for being as talented and clever as he thinks he is. But then there are plenty of people who can't tell the difference between plastic flowers and real ones, until they bend over to take a whiff."
"The fans (who skewed younger than Adams) ate it all up, but you had to suspect that it was because they'd never seen the real Courtney, much less the Replacements or even Wilco."
"Note to Ryan Adams: Wish you were anywhere but here"
DeRogatis plays drums in the indie rock band Vortis. He previously played in the bands the Ex-Lion Tamers (Wire cover band), Airlines and Speed the Plough. Vortis has released two albums and a third is due to be released soon.
R. Kelly Trial
Jim DeRogatis has emerged as a key witness in the 2008 child pornography trial of musician R. Kelly. As a Chicago Sun-Times music critic, he received a videotape in 2002, allegedly featuring R Kelly and a 14-year-old girl. He turned the tape over to police.
The defense lawyers have charged that DeRogatis should be charged with child pornography for allegedly making a copy of the tape and showing it to another person after turning the original over to police.[1]
After initially failing to appear for the trial, DeRogatis was ordered by Judge Vincent Gaughan on May 30, 2008 to report to the trial the following day.[2] However, upon questioning by Judge Gaughan outside of the presence of the jury, DeRogatis refused to provide substantive answers, citing his First and Fifth Amendment rights as the basis for his refusal.[3] Judge Gaughan disagrees that as a journalist DeRogatis had a First Amendment basis for refusing to testify, but excused DeRogatis from taking the stand in front of the jury based upon his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself.[3]
Books by DeRogatis
- Let it Blurt : The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, America's Greatest Rock Critic, Broadway Books, 2000
- Milk It!: Collected Musings on the Alternative Music Explosion of the '90s, Da Capo Press, 2003
- Turn On Your Mind : Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock, Hal Leonard Publishing Co, 2003
- Kill Your Idols: A New Generation of Rock Writers Reconsiders the Classics, Da Capo Press, 2004
- Staring at Sound: The True Story of Oklahoma’s Fabulous The Flaming Lips, Broadway Books, 2006
- Fat Pig: Why I'm Fat And Still Get Laid, Brett Hickman Publishing, 2009
External links
- DeRogatis' column
- Official site
- DeRogatis's Interview with Lester Bangs
- Viking Youth Power Hour interview DeRogatis about 'Staring at Sound', the The Flaming Lips, and much more.
- http://www.citypages.com/databank/17/811/article2773.asp The infamous review of Hootie and the Blowfish's Fairweather Johnson can be found here.
- Conversation With Jim DeRogatis' Answering Machine - An answering machine message from Ryan Adams.
- JournalismNow.com interview with Jim DeRogatis
References
1.Stacy St. Clair (May 24, 2008). "R. Kelly lawyers want witness charged with crime". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2008-05-26. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)