Since everyones sandy vagina and bunched panties can't handle a little hyperbole these days, i'm going to be an ******* in my own journal.
Music fans have made me hate Johnny Cash.
I used to like him, I have albums, I download singles. As a huge Tom Waits fan, the Waits-written "Down there by the Train" is a masterpiece in my eyes. But if I have to listen to one more snob tell me the only country he likes is "Waylan, Willie, Cash, and Hank" I might ****ing go on a killing spree in Williamsburg.
If I'm being honest, I think when people say this they mean "I like Cash because he covered NIN, and I hate country because they're a bunch of racist hicks who bomb abortion clinics." No ones ever said that to me, but its how I always hear it. I own Johnny Cash's gospel album. I'm guessing no one who "like" Johnny Cash listens to "It was Jesus." Again, just a guess.
But I shouldn't complain. Times are getting better. At the time that NIN cover happened I remember people trying to tell me Cash was "really more rock than country." I'll give you I have some crazy rage issues (I have standards, sorry you're half assed) but how could you not want to punch someone like that in the throat? I mean, what the ****? Did you hear the one ****ing song before you decided you were enough of an expert to comment on someones history? To be fair, he did listen to that one song 100 times. Thats like listening to 10 albums!
I was recently at my girlfriends brothers house and he told me, in a discussion over music (he's a big...uh, lets call it hair metal fan), Johnny Cash was the only country he liked. So there it is. Johnny Cash appealing to the Ratt/Ozzy/Judas Priest base.
I think what we should do, as a forum, an album for people who think they like Johnny Cash. Not just as service to those folks, but as a service to those of us who actually listen to music - not singles - and have a real problem with these casual, drive-thru fans who feel competent enough to pontificate about the very sound of an artist, and the very communal understanding of the music community.