Jon Landau

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For the film producer, see Jon Landau (film producer).

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Jon Landau (born 1947) is an American music critic, manager, and record producer, most known for his association in all three capacities with Bruce Springsteen.

He is currently the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and along with Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner, has been criticised in this role for apparently vetoing a large number of candidates considered worthy by observers^[1], so much so that some associates, including Joel Selvin and Jon Bream, have protested by refusing to vote as they are prescribed to.^{[citation needed]}

As a critic, Landau wrote for Rolling Stone and other publications. He had a history of giving controversial reviews.^{[citation needed]} At the height of the guitarist's prowess in the band Cream, and following a lackluster performance at Brandeis University, Landau accused Eric Clapton of being merely a "master of blues clichés". Clapton was very sensitive to criticism, and Landau's words helped contribute to the demise of Cream, a band that was already on the verge of dissolution due to internal problems.^[2] Later, he gave The Rolling Stones' record Sticky Fingers a zero star review in Rolling Stone magazine ^[3]. The magazine later listed it as the 63rd greatest album of all time ^[4]. Landau, however, was unrepentant. He also gave a lukewarm review of Bob Dylan's 1975 album Blood on the Tracks, arguing that it would "only sound like a great album for a while"^[5]. Blood on the Tracks is today considered one of Dylan's finest works.^[6].

Landau first produced The MC5, a Detroit based band with overt political overtones. Landau replaced the group's original manager John Sinclair when Sinclair was sentenced to nine years in state prison for drug possession.^{[citation needed]} Landau advised the group against continued drug use, and produced their most commercially successful albums, which still lost money for Atlantic Records.^{[citation needed]}

Landau's prophetic 1974 article in The Real Paper ^[7], wherein he famously claimed "I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen", is credited by Nick Hornby ^[8] and others with fostering Springsteen's popularity. Landau was then hired by Springsteen, and is cited as co-producer on Springsteen studio records from 1975's Born to Run, through 1991's Human Touch and Lucky Town. He was instrumental in encouraging Springsteen to sue his first manager Mike Appel,^{[citation needed]} which resulted in a protracted court battle and absence from the studio for Springsteen at the height of Springsteen's first taste of popularity. Landau is also considered to have influenced Springsteen artistically ^[9] as well as professionally.

Other artists that Landau has managed and/or produced include Livingston Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Shania Twain, among others.

Landau was once married to the New York Times film critic (and later book reviewer) Janet Maslin.

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