I have to say I largely agree with what Joni says - while also acknowledging that the article probably misrepresents her interview - due to space constraints probably. Journos (and I am one occasionally) and their editors tend to go for the outlandish quotes. They make good copy.
I really doubt if Joni is isolated from new music (her decision to go with Nonesuch shows that - deeply cool label), and given the context the interview appears in (godawful Rolling Shtone on "Women in Rock Music") I interpret her comments as being addressed to the Top 40, major label part of the biz - rather than the the working musos slugging it out in bars worldwide, or young songwriters, or jazzbos or whoever else. And the top 40 is undeniably a cesspool. It's brave of JM to come out saying it at this time, when superficiality now seems like a desirable prerequisite in popular music. Frank Zappa said similar things throughout his career. As has Steve Albini (Nirvan producer etc), who wrote an excellent article for The Baffler magazine, roughly describing success in the industry as equivalent to swimming through a trench full of horse manure. Of course when they (rich white men) do it, it's cool and cynical and avant-garde. Why should JM be described as bitter when she states the same blindingly obvious thing? Tom np Eric Dolphy "The Illinois Concert"
