Bob Lefsetz
{{Short description|American music critic and blogger}}
{{Infobox person
| image = File:Bob Lefsetz CMW 2009.jpg
| caption = Bob Lefsetz at Canadian Music Week in Toronto, 2009
| birth_name = Robert Scott Lefsetz
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|4|22|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.
| education = Middlebury College
Southwestern Law School (JD)
| occupation = Music industry analyst and critic
}}
Robert Scott "Bob" Lefsetz (born April 22, 1953) is an American analyst and critic. He is author of the email newsletter and blog The Lefsetz Letter.
Background
Lefsetz grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, where he majored in art history. He moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s. After earning a J.D. degree from Southwestern Law School, he worked as an entertainment business attorney and briefly as head of Sanctuary Music's American division. He has worked as a consultant to major record labels.{{cite web |url=http://www.celebrityaccess.com/members/profile.html?id=434 |title=CelebrityAccess Industry Profiles |publisher=Celebrityaccess.com |accessdate=2014-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219192045/http://www.celebrityaccess.com/members/profile.html?id=434 |archive-date=2013-12-19 |url-status=dead }}
The Lefsetz Letter
The newsletter has tens of thousands of subscribers.{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bob-lefsetz-music-industry-lefsetz-letter-288217 |title=Music Industry Watchdog Bob Lefsetz on the Future of the Biz and 5 Mistakes New Acts Should Avoid |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |date=2012-02-08 |accessdate=2014-02-12 |first=Shirley |last=Halperin}}DuLac, Josh Freedom (March 27, 2008). "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/26/AR2008032602919.html Rage Against The Machine]". The Washington Post From April 2013 through December 2015, Lefsetz wrote a weekly column for Variety's weekly print edition and its website.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2013/biz/biz/variety-bob-lefsetz-form-alliance-1200331940/ |title=Variety, Bob Lefsetz form alliance |publisher=Variety |date=2013-04-02 |accessdate=2014-02-12}}
Controversy
In 2007, Lefsetz and Kid Rock engaged in an email feud but have since reconciled.{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/02/mf_lefsetz/all/1 |title=Who The Hell Is Bob Lefsetz? |last=Raftery |first=Brian |publisher=Wired |date=March 2012 |accessdate=2013-05-06}}{{cite web|url=http://librivox.org/fairy-tales-by-the-brothers-grimm/ |title=Kafka, Peter (November 9, 2007) |publisher=Alleyinsider.com |date= |accessdate=2014-02-12}}{{cite web |author=Maura |url=http://idolator.com/tunes/war-of-the-words/kid-rock-goes-from-waffle-house-scraps-to-flame-wars-320829.php |title=Maura (November 9, 2007) |publisher=Idolator.com |accessdate=2014-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317130807/http://idolator.com/tunes/war-of-the-words/kid-rock-goes-from-waffle-house-scraps-to-flame-wars-320829.php |archive-date=2009-03-17 |url-status=dead }}
In 2009, Lefsetz and Kiss bassist Gene Simmons exchanged insults via e-mail and in person at the Canadian Music Week conference; they had a debate at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.{{cite web |last=Thompson |first=Robert |date=March 13, 2009 |url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/global/1273246/simmons-lefsetz-to-debate-at-canadian-music-week |title=Simmons, Lefsetz To Debate At Canadian Music Week |publisher=Billboard.com |accessdate=May 6, 2013 |archive-date=April 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405195412/http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/global/1273246/simmons-lefsetz-to-debate-at-canadian-music-week |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Video of Lefsetz in-discussion with Gene Simmons at Canadian Music Week, March 2009 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ziIwZRl7U |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/w-ziIwZRl7U |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|publisher=Youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}
In 2010, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released a song titled "Mean" which is rumored to be about Lefsetz and his critical review about her performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards with rock and roll legend Stevie Nicks.{{Cite news |last=Yahr |first=Emily |date=November 2, 2017 |title=If you think Taylor Swift sings only about her exes, then you don't get Taylor Swift |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/if-you-think-taylor-swift-sings-only-about-her-exes-then-you-dont-get-taylor-swift/2017/11/01/76c0227e-b9a8-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html |access-date=January 7, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://lefsetz.com/ Lefsetz Letter]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lefsetz, Bob}}