John Williams "accused" for being arrogant

[Sandor 459]

http://filmonic.com/john-williams-tintin-score-will-classic

We know the truth behind this story.

But this shows how the media in general can so easily present a distorted view of reality.

And here JWfan is mentioned as the source of this 'John Williams quotation':

http://www.examiner.com/x-12467-Tintin-Examiner~y2009m8d31-John-Williams-discusses-Tintin-score

You gotta love how they changed this:

"To give more information would be to reveal things that I don't think JW would want to say."

To this:

To give more information would be to reveal things that I don't ... want to say.

Morons.

[Maglorfin 195]

Most interesting. Although I must say that I do find it somewhat curious that JW actually said something like that, it doesn't at all fit his otherwise ever modest and humble attitude. Has he ever made a comment like that before? OR, he might have been "misunderstood" or misquoted ...

All that is of course not to doubt that he will be proven 100 % correct, anyway. ;)

[Sandor 459]

Most interesting. Although I must say that I do find it somewhat curious that JW actually said something like that, it doesn't at all fit his otherwise ever modest and humble attitude. Has he ever made a comment like that before? OR, he might have been "misunderstood" or misquoted ...

All that is of course not to doubt that he will be proven 100 % correct, anyway. ;)

But he never said this. Conrad Pope did. That's the point.

http://www.jwfan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1169&Itemid=1

[Maglorfin 195]

Oh, sorry, I didn't know that. My bad.

[Incanus 5,519]

Well this is hardly anything new in the internet circles where rumors and misinformation are so common. It goes to show how well people read their sources and how short their attention spans seem to be, posting before even thinking what they have just read.

It is the phenomenon of a common word of mouth changing meaning when it goes through several interpreters, but these days it just is the written word that takes new shapes despite the fact we could copy-paste word for word.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

No-one will ever want to work with this Williams guy ever again.

[Sandor 459]

Well this is hardly anything new in the internet circles where rumors and misinformation are so common. It goes to show how well people read their sources and how short their attention spans seem to be, posting before even thinking what they have just read.

It is the phenomenon of a common word of mouth changing meaning when it goes through several interpreters, but these days it just is the written word that takes new shapes despite the fact we could copy-paste word for word.

I would say it's nothing new in the history of ALL media, not just the internet.

And I don't think John Williams was credited for saying this by "accident" or by "sloppy reading". I think the author intentionally put these words into Williams mouth to make the article more attractive (in the "common world", who knows Conrad Pope anyway?)

[MrScratch 292]

I knew it either wasn't him or he was misquoted. JW never praises himself like that, not publicly. He praises his collaborators and the films he works on, but never his own work. There are no standards for internet journalism whatsoever.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,064]

Although I must say that I do find it somewhat curious that JW actually said something like that, it doesn't at all fit his otherwise ever modest and humble attitude

Only in interviews. The real John Williams, the one working in professional circles, is far more cunning and arrogant.

[Ollie 859]

Did anyone think to respond to him and give the correct info?

[Mark_73 0]

Johnny Williams himself is the paragon of understatement. I know that very well. There are probably just a few

people out there in Hollywood that are so down to earth like he is. I ignore articles like that with a smile.

That's just the result of twitter journalism. Haha

[Diego 21]

Even if it was true, the man composed Star Wars, he can be arrogant if he wants.

[Quintus 5,391]

I don't know about arrogance, but the guy sure as hell loves himself. Never in the history of music has a man been so aware of how buff he looks in a torso hugging black turtleneck sweater. Grrrrr.

[John Crichton 4]

No-one will ever want to work with this Williams guy ever again.

I cannot work with this man.

I left a comment at the Examiner article explaining where the quote actually came from. A couple of people already have at the other site.

[Ollie 859]

Actually he looks like a cocky sob in Roald's avatar.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

He looks like a snobby pommy!

[indy4 152]

I liked how they picked the picture where JW looks really pleased with himself.

Well, he's updated the article by adding that it was said by Pope, but he still has the misquoted shift from third to first person (which makes the "mistake" seem very suspicious) and the bit about how JW might be arrogant.

That's annoying, especially since JW is one of the most modest people in show buisiness.

Edit: Actually it seems like this article got its information from The Examiner, guilty of the original shift from third to first person: http://www.examiner.com/x-12467-Tintin-Examiner~y2009m8d31-John-Williams-discusses-Tintin-score

So I guess they're the culprits.

[John Crichton 4]

It's just typical piss poor journalism through and through.

[Red 73]

Who knows, Conrad Pope might actually be right.

[John Crichton 4]

Then Conrad Pope is a snobby pommy!

[David Coscina 3]

Yeah, that Williams is such a prick. So full of himself....[rolling eyes]

[artyjeffrey 20]

Even if it was true, the man composed Star Wars, he can be arrogant if he wants.

Absolutely. If anyone can be justifiably arrogant, it would be John Williams, at least in music circles.

[Henry B 49]

My thoughts are somewhere between Blume's "he's a backstabbing schemer" and everyone else's "he's as humble and compassionate as Gandhi." He certainly seems aloof in interviews. Williams isn't a guy you could just call up and talk to about music. You'd have to go through his agent, then through his agent's agent. You'd need major credentials. On the other hand, look at Michael Giacchino. He's way too busy to take time out of his day for random people but he seems like he would if he could. Always very happy to answer questions. Williams doesn't really answer questions, he just gives stock answers.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

He probably gets sick of all the usual "I luv ur musik blah blah blah" from all those lowly commoners.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,476]

Williams added that he composed the entire classic score to "Superman" in one night in the late 1970's when he got completely trashed and had sex with Olivia Newton John celebrating the success of some little weekend space movie he did called "Star Wars."

[John Crichton 4]

I heard that he was bragging that he got Superman instead of Goldsmith.

[crocodile 6,294]

Williams doesn't really answer questions, he just gives stock answers.

That's why I'm skipping most of his interviews. Few of them are worth reading/hearing/watching, honestly.

Karol

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

the dvd featuretes are short...but not stock answers...

[crocodile 6,294]

Yes, but compared to interviews of Elfman, Horner, and many others they are just... dull.

Karol

[Henry B 49]

the dvd featuretes are short...but not stock answers...

Yes, in the sense that not every single answer he gives is stock. It doesn't mean he doesn't have a strong tendency to retell stories many times as if they've never been heard before and keeps his lips sealed about almost anything concerning the business of film music.

[artyjeffrey 20]

Honestly, for me, when Williams is speaking in an interview, I forget how the sentence even started by the time he's finishing. He reminds me of a humanities professor I once endured, with that slow, wandering intonation.

Now, give me a interview with him that's in print, and I don't have the same problem (I would hope not). The guy just has a boring delivery.

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

the dvd featuretes are short...but not stock answers...

Yes, in the sense that not every single answer he gives is stock. It doesn't mean he doesn't have a strong tendency to retell stories many times as if they've never been heard before

Every Grandpa does that

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

Honestly, for me, when Williams is speaking in an interview, I forget how the sentence even started by the time he's finishing. He reminds me of a humanities professor I once endured, with that slow, wandering intonation.

And they used to accuse me of long sentences in essays!

[Naïve Old Fart 6,637]

No-one will ever want to work with this Williams guy ever again.

...or, it would appear, John Barry... Why so long since "Enigma"?

Personally, I read nothing remotely "arrogant" in the article. Of course, J.W. wants to "protect" his music. By the sound of this, it seems that "Tintin" is going to be a very exciting, uplifting score.

[MissPadmé 17]

No-one will ever want to work with this Williams guy ever again.

...or, it would appear, John Barry... Why so long since "Enigma"?

Personally, I read nothing remotely "arrogant" in the article. Of course, J.W. wants to "protect" his music. By the sound of this, it seems that "Tintin" is going to be a very exciting, uplifting score.

I think the point of the original post still is, that Williams actually never said that phrase, but Conrad Pope.

[Sandor 459]

No-one will ever want to work with this Williams guy ever again.

...or, it would appear, John Barry... Why so long since "Enigma"?

Personally, I read nothing remotely "arrogant" in the article. Of course, J.W. wants to "protect" his music. By the sound of this, it seems that "Tintin" is going to be a very exciting, uplifting score.

I think the point of the original post still is, that Williams actually never said that phrase, but Conrad Pope.

You're right Miss. I don't think Williams would ever say that a yet to be released score will become "a classic". Such a remark - from any composer or any artist for that matter - would be a bit odd. For Conrad Pope it's ok I feel.

[Melange 446]

John Williams "accused" for being arrogant

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

His abilities have made him... arrogant.

[gkgyver 1,638]

A proper amount of arrogance never hurt anybody.

[Ollie 859]

John Williams "accused" for being arrogant

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,476]

What an arrogant prick this guy is.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

It's a case of the haves and the have-nots.

[Naïve Old Fart 6,637]

His abilities have made him... arrogant.

J.W. is not arrogant, he is simply damn good at his job! Even if he did say that stuff about "Tintin", how many times do you read that an artist, group, or someone is excited and confident about the music that they are making? I wasn't there personally, but I'm sure that The Beatles said that they were excited about "Sgt. Pepper" before it came out, and its release proved them right.

Of course, no-one can predict how a piece of music, a painting, a book, or a film will be recieved, but you can't blame J.W. (or Conrad Pope, for that matter) for having a good "feeling" about it. The (probable) irony is, that "Tintin's Theme", or whatever he wants to call it, will become a sort of classic, and given the circumstances of its creation, a children's favourite.

I have heard that one J.B.Prendergast, esq. once got all diva-ish, and walked out of scoring a film. Of course, he was working with James Newton Howard's girlfriend at the time, so you can't really blame him...

[Sandor 459]

His abilities have made him... arrogant.

J.W. is not arrogant, he is simply damn good at his job! Even if he did say that stuff about "Tintin", how many times do you read that an artist, group, or someone is excited and confident about the music that they are making? I wasn't there personally, but I'm sure that The Beatles said that they were excited about "Sgt. Pepper" before it came out, and its release proved them right.

There is like, a huge gap between "being excited" about your upcoming work and predicting it will "become a classic".

But it's really besides the point. Williams did not say it, but someone 'cleverly' made it seem so.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

His abilities have made him... arrogant.

J.W. is not arrogant, he is simply damn good at his job!

Yes. Yes. A flaw more and more common among composers. Too sure of themselves they are. Even the older, more experienced ones.

[skyy38 21]

http://filmonic.com/john-williams-tintin-score-will-classic

We know the truth behind this story.

But this shows how the media in general can so easily present a distorted view of reality.

And here JWfan is mentioned as the source of this 'John Williams quotation':

http://www.examiner.com/x-12467-Tintin-Examiner~y2009m8d31-John-Williams-discusses-Tintin-score

You gotta love how they changed this:

"To give more information would be to reveal things that I don't think JW would want to say."

To this:

To give more information would be to reveal things that I don't ... want to say.

Morons.

You're missing a masterpiece