The other day I heard a Pink Floyd song on the radio. I’d forgotten how good they are. So I went onto Amazon to look for a disk of theirs. I found one that was a greatest hits collection. The reviews were mostly positive, frequently pulling five stars.
But then I saw a three starrer, followed by the words “Not The Right Compilation..”
And the guy started his review this way:
“I am an established Pink Floyd fan, so…”
It’s funny how some people feel the need to establish their “expert credentials” in a forum that’s purely personal opinion. For all I know this guy could’ve permanently fried his brain with acid while watching show after show where pigs “fly” toward the stage.
But this got me wondering just how one gains the status of an “established fan”. What, if any, standards must be met? Do you have to own all the albums and see a certain number of shows? Does owning bootlegs get you extra points? Is there a site where you study trivia about the band and then get a certificate of completion?
In many ways Amazon reviews are becoming like the comments section in online news stories — an emotional tampon for obsessives. Someone who doesn’t like something doesn’t just write “this sucked.” Instead they’ll write an essay about all the ways it sucks. And you, the person looking for info, are left wondering why someone has spent all this time and energy on something that sucked when they could’ve just pawned it and moved on with their lives.
You gotta love greatest hits albums for the simple reason that they’re the bane of existence to “established fans” everywhere. The inclusion or lack thereof of a particular song causes unnecessary and avoidable anguish and disappointment. So, if you have a friend who’s a total fan of a band and want to have some fun, send them a greatest hits album next Christmas.
I ignored the guy’s advice and bought the album. Perhaps I have become comfortably dumb. But that’s okay because I’m sure it’ll rock.
I would say there’s only a handful of Pink Floyd fans who haven’t fried their brains with acid while watching show after show where pigs “fly” towards the stage!