It's not like I know the man well, but when he played Iowa City, I interviewed him and hung out a bit with him and Clark & Dale. He seemed like a nice enough guy, serious about his music, not the monster people make him out to be.
I have a hard time separate out the reflexive hating on him for being successful from any serious critique of what he does. I like some of his old tracks quite a bit, but the whole minimal style as it has evolved isn't my thing. But at a certain point, hating on Richie is as cliche' as fawning on him.
