Jon Pareles is the chief popular music critic for the New York Times, and I first met him at the Village Voice back in 1980 something, where he edited my review of Hall And Oates.
But for some reason my old pal doesn't remember me when I run into him some 30 years later at the killer Killer Mike gig! But he looks just the same, cute as a button.
If you follow pop music you have read Pareles countless times, and I have read him on a ridiculously regular basis. While his contemporaries are stuck in a single time and place, Pareles covers everyone, he is in touch with the modern pop sound. This guy knows his stuff, he is the man whose review of a Verlaine album had the Television guitarist unable to understand the article.
But time has mellowed Pareles and he is currently the most astute rock critic still working the beat and the most institute available to any music writer.. Plus he has been there since 1982, which means he has been through everything from "No New York" to "K-Pop". He is the Vincent Camby of pop music.
WHen I fanboy Jon, he appears a little bemused, which is sweet because, cmon, you know he is a rock star to lots of us.