Rock Critic Exodus

ROCK CRITIC EXODUS: Talk about your endangered species. Two longtime rock critics are leaving their daily posts. Chicago Sun-Times music journalist Jim DeRogatis, who also hosts the nationally syndicated Sound Opinions radio show, is splitting to join the faculty of the city’s Columbia College, and will now blog for the local national public radio website, Vocalo.org. DeRogatis had been with the paper since 1992, taking off a few years in the mid-‘90s to join Rolling Stone, where he was fired for writing an uncomplimentary review of Hootie and the Blowfish, then telling the N.Y. Observer, “Jann Wenner is a fan of any band that sells eight million records.” Meanwhile, Newark Star Ledger rock critic Jay Lustig, who had been the paper’s chief music writer since 1989, is moving up to arts and entertainment editor at the daily, where he claims to have interviewed 107 different members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during his stint. (4/20p)