explaining to some wide-eyed music journalist

[Vladv1]

"The first song Ritchie and I wrote together from the ground up was “Catch the Rainbow.” I think its best description is a “medieval blues.” We had both agreed that we wanted a more classically based theme for most of the songs, and after “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves,” here was another. The third song written in Oxnard was an unusual three quarter time tune titled “Self Portrait.” I remember Ritchie later explaining to some wide-eyed music journalist how “Self Portrait” was actually a cross between Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire” and Hendrix’s “Manic Depression.” The real crazy part was that that was exactly what it was. That’s the headspace we were operating in".

"Rainbow In The Dark", Ronnie James Dio.

Does "wide-eyed music journalist" mean that the man was inexperienced or suprised?

 

[jutfrank]

From the context of the whole passage, which of those two would you guess it means?