Rock This! discussion

"Lay Down Sally" is the only Clapton song that does anything for me.

I haven't cared for U2 since the early nineties.

I was never big on Metallica.

And even if I could understand Dylan's lyrics, I still don't think I'd be interested.

Alright, I've probably committed enough heresy for the day.

I don't know if Clapton is "overrated" as much as he's never really fulfilled his promise.

He's like the Mickey Mantle of guitarists; certainly he's in the Top 5 All Time Greats in any discussion, but he had the talent to be No. 1.

And even if I could understand Dylan's lyrics, I still don't think I'd be interested.

Dylan's lyrics are brilliant, as is evidenced by the fact that everyone who covers a Dylan song comes up with something better than Dylan himself did.

Early Dylan is awesome, particularly the 65-66 trilogy. He was the Shakespeare of popular culture, and changed the face of popular music. I can understand why some can't get into him, but credit must be given where it's due.

Fuck Bono-whiny political little bitch, plus I didn't like U2 to begin with...

Fuck Metallica-Play a chord with more than a first, third, and fifth in it. No luck? Oh! Was that minor? I stand corrected. That all ya got? Thought so.

Fuck Clapton after 1989-Buy any of his scores, try to play his music the way he wrote it. Fail, then come up with something close after weeks of not having enough fingers to play his transcriptions, then see him in a live concert playing it the way YOU play it 'cause he can't do it anymore either...

Fellate Dylan-Hell the guys old. He could use the action

OK, in high school, being a youth symphony guitarist, I had friends shoving Clapton, Hendrix, Zepplin etc. down my fucking throat. The majority of Hendrix great contributions to music are equipment related. I could play most of his stuff when I was nine. Which is not to say he wasn't brilliant, I mean for chrissake, I can play it, but he wrote it. Any rate, I spent my teen years being peer pressured into listening to and playing a bunch of stuff that I didn't particularly want to. So, I have a negative view of a lot of the big name bands out there. Hell, they're all overrated when you come down to it.

However, KD, you are correct about Zepplin. I have grown to like them to an extent, (the wife made me...) But no band on the planet ever has been, or ever will be, as good as everyone thinks LZ is. Some radio stations actually require a zep tune at least twice a day. It's absurd. If god himself started a band it wouldn't deserve all of Zepplin's hype. They're good, but give me a freakin' break, How long after Robert Plant dies before he's posthumously knighted, or frickin sainted or something...

Reading over all that, I notice two things. One, I didn't make any of my points very well, and will likely be misinterpreted. Two, I must be in a bad mood.

Ah well, I leave you with this oh Tyranical Reptile: what say you of John Mayer's guitar work? (When he's actually playing some shit, not the pop stuff that makes it onto the radio to pay his mortgage...)

Jeez, I am in a cynical mood... Just look at all those damned italics...

I nap now.
J

I haven't listened to him in a long time, but I always thought Sting was an excellent guitar player, besides, of course, the writing,and singing. He just doesn't seem to get the recognition for the guitar.

Yes, Sting. I am not ashamed.

Zeppelin, Clapton, Guns, and U2 aren't really that great. I agree.

Metallica was good back in the day though.

Hey now, thire songs is really good. The drumming at least is great.

I dig early Metallica but anything after the black album really doesn't do anything for me... Except S&M. I thought that was the coolest. My two favorite types of music squished into one.

Master of Puppets is very classic. On my top ten fave songs to be sure.

Master of Puppets is truly a great metal album. Recently it's the only redeeming quality for Metallica.

The Pretenders?

THE PRETENDERS???

I'd rather listen to Sting's hideously mediocre solo material twenty-four hours a day than ever hear another Pretenders song.

Metallica didn't start getting played on the radio till the Black Album, which is where they got sober turned to shit...

I didn't know you could hear any good music on radio?

Hi, I'm new to this group, but thought I would throw my 2 cents in.....I agree with just about everything the group has said here. I can't think of anyone on the planet I dislike more than Bono....well, maybe Michael Stipe, but since we are talking about Rock music here, I'm not sure he should even be mentioned.
Here's another one for you - Foreigner. I'm sorry, I know a lot of people like these guys, but I really can't stand a single thing they did. This may be more of a personal taste thing opposed to a talant thing, but man, I hate that band.

I didn't know you could hear any good music on radio?

I have a great college station in town that runs the gamut... they've got an experimental music show that's better than half the DJ clubs around here. An eighties show that actually plays good eighties music! (I heard the 'Mats' "Kiss Me on the Bus" last week! On the radio!) Punk shows that remember the definition of the word "punk"

...you get the drill.

Now, I grant you, it's the ONLY good radio station in the entire Cleveland metro area. But still.

Hey Robert I got your down load!

I apologize in advance. (Which is the same thing I said to Eric, GNHN's drummer.) I should also mention it's NOTHING like my usual stuff-- but then, if you've listened to the myspace tracks, you know that already.

does that radio station do the online thing?

They do! www.wruw.org. You have to look for the right shows, but it's a great deal of fun looking. The experimental show is I Am Sitting in a Room. Probably my favorite thing on the radio since the demise of Brave New Waves a couple of years ago. My very good friend Patty (her husband was the minister at my wedding!) hosts The Spandex Years, which is all cheesy 80s all the time. (I cannot understand how someone can be THAT perky at two in the morning...) Also worth noting is The Exploding Plastic Inevitable, which is freeform, but always starts off with Mary Schneider's "Yodelling Overtures", a song you will either hate to the bottom of your stomach or love uncontrollably. (That's my wife and me, respectively...) After Mary, though, anything goes-- you might get two hours of Delta blues or two hours of Tuvaluan throat singing. Awesome, awesome show.

would like more than one song though ;)

I don't remember whether any of the tracks at myspace are downloadable, but I think so.

Two of the seven tracks at last.fm (the entire Live 103005 album, never released) are downloadable. The whole thing would be but there are some possible copyright issues with very long samples.

Sorry, I was out for a while, computer was down... So better late than never: Sting is a bassist he doesn't play guitar (usually).

I think he's highly overrated, along with Led Zeppelin and Guns 'n Roses.

Who do you guys think are "overrated"?

King, my choice in music, so far, mirrors yours.

They are all over rated. Metallica went downhill after Masters of Puppets. Foreigner is a very good band. Long, Long way form home, Blue Morning Blue Day, Cold as Ice are a few of their classics.

I hate blues and rap.

VJ (from way back in #50) I had computer issues, and while the ole' Blackberry lets me get my yahoo mail and some other things, it's kind of a pain to do goodreads on. We're back up and running now, one motherboard later. So, I'm gonna get on the playlist thing soon as I can. Berna is doing better, and can walk around a bit unassisted by cane before she gets tired, but good progress. I think I sent you a friend request, I'll check.

Oh, and Metallica sucks. ;-)

I do not like the slow blues. I like Hendrix somewhat but not a huge fan. Bonnie Ratt is alright although I only know one of her songs. My favorites are metal and classical. Donald, it is just the music I dislike. I am not a huge fan of country either. And I guess you can put that in the white culture category.
Also, my Republican crap is backed up by history in most cases.

I love Johnny Cash, the rest I can take it or leave it. Also I like some Jazz like the fast upbeat style of Thelonius Monk .

Not a huge country fan, nor Cash. I did love the movie "Walk the Line" though, does that count?

Although, it seems like they consciously tried to make a movie about the parts of his life that SUCKED. Like "The Passion of the Cash" or something... Still, good flick.

Hmmm baking. I have to get back at that. My students brought us some baked goods while B was in the hospital and my youngest (3 year old btw) said Nicole's zucchini bread was as good as mine!

I cannot have that.

Besides, she can't make pollijintas. Nyah! :-P I may take my dessert making a bit too seriously...

I don't want to get political, but I have to say that I really hate rap.

I think the last rap I enjoyed was Run D.M.C., or Beastie Boys - "Licensed to Ill".

No argument here, VJ. While I love democracy, my home is not one.

I hate country, but I don't mind a few artists from the genre, generally old school. My wife loves all things old country so that should make up for my passion of hating it.

RAP = Retards Attempting Poetry.

I hate rap, what could be a great style is really a wasted effort of complaining and wallowing in self pity.

Sir Mix A Lot, he was a one hit wonder. But that song is funny.

Yay! This thread has finally died! No one has posted to it in six....Dammit!

just joined the group (thanks for kicking my behind, vj).

ok, back to the beginning...

clapton? there are a few good guitar solos on wheels of fire, going way back. i haven't had much use for him since. i liked the derek and the dominos album back in the day (is it fair to call that a "clapton album"). i have no idea how that holds up.

wow, lots of hatin' going on here for rap music. i'll just keep my mouth shut.

there are so many over-rated artists in pop music, i don't know where to start. i'll just comment on a few people you folks have thrown out in this discussion.

the who got off to a great start, but i haven't liked anything they've done since who's next?..saw them a few times back in the early-mid 70's. the quadrophenia tour show was amazing...i have no idea how well it would hold up today. i was a mere 14 year-old and just loved seeing concerts!

U2 - saw their first american tour, they were completely raw and tore up the place. i didn't even know who they were - some of my friends played in a band called romeo void, and they were opening for them, so i went down to see what was up. i haven't really enjoyed U2's music since; i kept waiting for an album to come out that sounded as good as that show.

i missed the comment that inspired KD's comment on the blues...i would agree with him - if you don't like muddy waters, robert johnson, john lee hooker, howlin' wolf, lightnin' hopkins, or the rest, well....you just don't know.

Vicki Jean wrote: "The Who, that is who I think is over rated. go head throw stuff at me, scream and yell obscenities my way, I still won't like them"

If it came out of the sixties, it's probably overrated, and getting more so as time has gone on. But jesus christ, "Stairway to Heaven" was already getting played three times an hour on the radio when I was in high school in the eighties. (The only bands I can think of who originated in the sixties I can listen to in more than extremely small doses are Genesis and Steely Dan. Even the ones I used to love, like Yes, got so played into the ground by "classic rock" radio that I just can't listen to them any more.)

Not just The Who, but all its offshoots. Probably because all the solo albums sounded like The Who.

PeteTownsend Hiding Out on White City.
I rest my case.

I love Rain Rain on me rain on me.

A popular yoga instructor often plays Rain in vinyasa. His other Who cut is -- Give Blood --"give blood, but some will say it's not enough". There's nothing like sweating into a wonderful state of bliss to these jams. Nothing like it. Right on to these jams. Let the sweat flow.

The only Who album I play is actually a Townsend album, so I don't know what TMMC stands for, or what album it's on!

I'm not that good with Who titles. LROM must be Love Rain On Me...
:-)

I'll make a note to check out The Music Must Change.

Do you know Hiding Out?

Back on topic: Clapton doesn't do anything for me. I find him dull. However, Jack Bruce is enormously talented and does lots for my musical pleasure. I have nearly a dozen of his solo recordings, and recordings he's done with other wonderful musicians, plus he has the finest voice in rock'n'roll...well, there's also Brian. I love pretty much everything about Brian and his music.

Jack Bruce is a brilliant Scotsman, who eons ago was the bass player for Cream. He and Clapton weren't on the same page. Bruce is a gifted composer / poet with heaps of originality -- and Clapton is not. If you like you can start with Songs for a Tailor.
http://www.jackbruce.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Bruce
solo discography
http://www.jackbruce.com/2008/Music/s...
complete discography
http://www.jackbruce.com/2008/Music/d...

Please do check out Townsend's White City album y'all. That's my gift for all of you out there in 'Rock This!' land, just for the hell of it. I bet you'll enjoy it. I hope so. Let me know.

jack bruce also did a nice album with diamanda galas (how come no one talks about her on these lists?!?!??!?!) in the 80's...

Phillip wrote: "jack bruce also did a nice album with diamanda galas (how come no one talks about her on these lists?!?!??!?!) in the 80's..."

Which one? I don't remember seeing his name anywhere...

google jack bruce and diamanda galas...they did an album together in the 80's. there's a picture of them riding in a convertible on the cover of the album.

Phillip wrote: "google jack bruce and diamanda galas...they did an album together in the 80's. there's a picture of them riding in a convertible on the cover of the album.
"

You sure you're not thinking of John Paul Jones? Googling comes up with nothing, but Jones collaborated with Galas on The Sporting Life (though in the mid-nineties).

jesus, of course i'm talking about john paul jones...sorry about that. i'll just put this hash pipe away before commenting again....

Why don't links work in Goodreads group threads? They work in regular book comments.