Many of the more public feuds between famous rock stars have been the result of mutual distaste from both parties. Every once in a while, though, one-way beefs make their way into classic rock history. And they’re a little bit cringey and painful to read about today. The following three one-sided feuds are just a few examples.
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Lou Reed vs. Frank Zappa
I enjoy Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground, and Frank Zappa in equal amounts. So, I was quite surprised to learn that Reed actually took issue with Zappa’s music, going as far as to call him “untalented.” Zappa never responded to his comments, which makes me think Reed’s hatred of Zappa’s music was more of a Reed thing than anything personal.
“He’s [Zappa] probably the single most untalented person I’ve heard in my life,” said Reed back in the day. “He’s a two-bit pretentious academic, and he can’t play his way out of anything.”
Ironically, Reed would later honor Zappa at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Maybe there was a bit of admiration in Reed’s verbal distaste for Zappa.
Joni Mitchell vs. Madonna
Pop icon Madonna has earned the ire of quite a few critics and even contemporaries through the years. One person who surprisingly didn’t have much good to say about Madonna was folk star Joni Mitchell… and considering Madonna never clapped back, I’m assuming this beef was entirely one-sided on Mitchell’s part.
“I think women can be more than decorative,” Mitchell said in 1991. “Yet someone like Madonna can be seen as a feminist hero because she’s exploiting her own sexuality rather than being exploited by some man. That’s an interesting idea, but what’s the difference between her and a hard h**ker, you know? Who’s being exploited there? She’s revelling in herself, too, she’s got that wh*re-Madonna thing built-in. She’s like a living Barbie doll but a little bit on the blue side.”
Ouch.
Pete Townshend vs. Led Zeppelin
The Who’s famed guitarist, Pete Townshend, has never been one to bite his tongue. He’s criticized his fair share of contemporaries during his time, but his issue with Led Zeppelin is what earns him a spot on our list of one-way beefs from classic rock history. Back in the day, Townshend claimed that The Who “sort of invented heavy metal” and Led Zeppelin copied them. In 1995, his critiques of the band got much more biting.
“I don’t like a single thing that they [Led Zeppelin] have done,” said Townshend in an interview with Time, embedded above. “I hate the fact that I’m ever even slightly compared to them, I just never ever liked them. It’s a real problem to me cause, as people, I think they are really, really great guys. Just never liked the band.”
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