[78-L] Mitch Miller Horrifies

[Julian Vein]

David Lennick wrote:

> 
> And nobody brought them back and asked for refunds. I'm getting a little pissed 
> off at the general tone of this thread. We're all free to poop on Mitch Miller 
> and generally do, but the fact of the matter is that nobody held a gun to 
> Goddard Lieberson's head (or anyone else at Columbia) and said "Hire our boy 
> Mitch and screw up the music forever or kiss your kneecaps goodbye". He 
> produced hit records. He happened to produce them in an era known for boring 
> crap, imitation country and western, stolen folk songs, novelties featuring 
> barking dogs, an era that is generally regarded as a low point in popular music 
> and one which could only have led to the rise by default of rock 'n' roll and 
> R&B, and he made records that SOLD. There was garbage before Mitch came along, 
> too. And Sinatra made some stinkers before Mitch was at Columbia..check out 
> "The Dum Dot Song".

> dl
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Miller certainly had his finger on the pulse of public musical taste. 
How much better would it have been if he hadn't found a pulse!

       Julian Vein