From 1967 through 1977 Jon Landau was one of the leading creators and instigators of modern rock criticism. In the early 1970s, he crossed over into the "dark side"--the world of record production (the MC5, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne) and later, artist management (Bruce Springsteen, as well as Natalie Merchant, Shania Twain and Train). He was instrumental in putting together the enormously valuable Vote for Change Concerts in connection with the 2004 election and maintains a deep interest in progressive politics.

Blog Entries by Jon Landau

A Death in the Family

18 Comments | Posted October 18, 2008 | 02:04 PM (EST)


For those lucky enough to be at Thursday night's Obama benefit at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, the combination of John Legend, Bruce Springsteen, India Arie, and Billy Joel magically gelling into an instant super group in front of our eyes was unforgettable. The interaction among the artists was superb, the...

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The Ad

Posted March 6, 2008 | 10:40 AM (EST)


My fundamental belief about the current election is that change in the White House is so important, that once again we should support the Democratic nominee, no matter how egregiously he or she imitates the people that they are hoping to replace. Hillary Clinton's recent campaign approach has put my...

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After Imus, the Movement to Legitimize Casual Racism Continues Unabated

Posted June 5, 2007 | 01:13 PM (EST)


The movement to legitimize casual racism in the media continues unabated in the aftermath of the Don Imus episode. Naturally, Fox is leading the way. In the space of a few days, the following statements were made on the network:

1. Bill O'Reilly: "[The Immigration Bill] would lead to, in...

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Free Speech?

Posted April 16, 2007 | 10:56 AM (EST)


A lot of the continuing discussion of our "coarse culture" is revolving around a basic inability to call things by by their rightful name. Many have criticized Imus for being offensive, insulting, over the top, and the like. But the word that so many find hard to use is "racist."...

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Imus' Words: Recognizing Real Racism

Posted April 11, 2007 | 11:58 AM (EST)


The Imus controversy is obviously a surrogate for the current discussion of race. In essence, in America the accusation that someone is playing the "race card" is taken much more seriously than any charge of "racism" itself. Racism is considered in some quarters as the bogus slogan of so called...

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