IV, Music, Headphones, iPods, etc.

[John Carvill]

Robin emailed me off-list, to avoid immersing the p-list in technical
vinyl vs. digital debate. Which is fair enough, but what we know of
Pynchon, his love of music, and distrust of digital, makes at least
some of what we discussed relevant.


>>>>>> We know Pynchon loves Rock 'n' Roll, yes?
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe?
>>>>>
>>>> Eh? You're joking, yes? Maybe.
>>
>>> Not really. Inherent Vice is shot throughout with ambivalence towards
>>> Rock 'n Roll.
>>
>> Say wha? What about the Slow Learner intro, Rock 'n' Roll will never die?
>
> And in Inherent Vice Pynchon speaks of the illusion of Rock & Roll's
> immortality, how incredibly crappy most surf music is and many cheezy "rock"
> and pop tunes are cited as evidence. I suspect that there's music of all
> sorts that the author loves and that he is not limited to rock in his
> musical interests. Whatever the author may have thought in 1984 he's showing
> his doubts about the immortality of Rock & Roll in Inherent Vice.
>


Do we think Pynhcon likes otehr types of music? Of course,
indisputably. But I don't think his opinion on Rock & Roll has soured
since he wrote the Slow Learner intro. However, what you say is
certainly worth debating - what do we reckon we can glean from IV re.
Pynchon's evolving perspective on the music which was so much a part
of teh era?

I personally don't recall getting any strong impression, from reading
IV, that Pynchon was taking a jaundiced view of Rock & Roll. If
anything, his tastes seem to run towards the 'poppy', even 'cheesy'
end of the spectrum, rather than what we might call 'classic Sixties
rock'. Some exceptions, obviously, but still.

As to whether Pynchon has lost his faith in the 'immortality' of the
music's spirit, my guess is he definitely has not.