News

Ryan Adams demands apology for Times accusation

5:40 p.m. · December 9, 2008 · by Mike Burr

Ryan Adams is not the type of performer who goes out every night and plays a cookie-cutter show. He has also been known, at times, to think a little much of himself and his music, and behave accordingly boorishly. These two aspects of Adams crossed over recently during a show in Los Angeles where Adams and the Cardinals opened for Oasis. Though many in attendance probably considered the singer's behavior par for the course, a reviewer for the L.A. Times lambasted Adams' use of sarcasm and his "bizarre, possibly booze-fueled ruminations on Jethro Tull and 'the tyranny and horrors of math.'" Adams, who has been very public about both his addiction and recovery, issued the following statement on his blog:

“If you have any decency for those of us who have overcome addictions and wake to a daily struggle—knowing to walk a line, a line which I fiercely walk daily, proudly in fact, proud to have over come substance abuse, you will kindly apologize."

There hasn't been a response yet from the newspaper, but using those terms to describe the performance indicates that the Timesneeds to get a reviewer that does a little more research before writing or Mikael Wood, the writer of the piece, wanted to get a little publicity on the back of someone else's problem. Neither option speaks well for the Times' coverage of this particular concert. [The Daily Swarm]