Robert Christgau's immortal line about The Doobie Brothers

[GoogaMooga]

Robert Christgau, the Dean of American Rock Critics, is not a fan of the Doobie Brothers. Not at all. Me, I'm not a rabid fan, but still I've got the run. And the box set. What can I say? I knew the Doobies long before I even knew that "doobie" was slang for reefer. In fact, when they opened for ZZ Top in Copenhagen, I only stayed for THEIR set. Zilth Pilchards did not bother with either one. He waited patiently for me in a café... Still, the Doobies were part of my youth, and when Michael McDonald joined the band, they went into the stratosphere!

Anyway, the Christgau quote that I will never forget is:

"You can lead a Doobie to the studio, but you can't make him think."

[robertff]

I don’t mind the Doobies, plenty of other reviewers rate a number of their albums very highly, so it’s only one opinion and it’s what you think is good music and not anyone else.


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[Matt Wilson]

They have some good songs, but there's something distinctly average about them.

[ChrisB]

Michael McDonald and Jeff Baxter, "What a fool believes", the best three things about them, although I don't know why Jeff joined. Bit like Mo Salah leaving Liverpool and joining Wigan Athletic when he still has five years left at the top

[GoogaMooga]

They have some good songs, but there's something distinctly average about them.

Except of course Minute by Minute, which was showered with Grammys.

[GoogaMooga]

Michael McDonald and Jeff Baxter, "What a fool believes", the best three things about them, although I don't know why Jeff joined. Bit like Mo Salah leaving Liverpool and joining Wigan Athletic when he still has five years left at the top

What band was Jeff Skunk Baxter in before joining the Doobie Brothers? Oh, Steely Dan. I never knew... I prefer Doobie Brothers to Steely Dan by a country mile. Doobies I've got the run, while the Dan - just one comp, or two.

[Matt Wilson]

They have some good songs, but there's something distinctly average about them.

Except of course Minute by Minute, which was showered with Grammys.

I don't give a rat's ass about Grammys.

And I like the Tom Johnston era better.

[Darkness_Fish]

Michael McDonald and Jeff Baxter, "What a fool believes", the best three things about them, although I don't know why Jeff joined. Bit like Mo Salah leaving Liverpool and joining Wigan Athletic when he still has five years left at the top

I personally would very much welcome this. He'd be good backup for Charlie Wyke or Callum Lang if they were struggling for form.