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Over rated shit you just don’t get

pepper brooks

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GhostOfTomJoad

GhostOfTomJoad 9324

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This type of thread--which shows up every few months--reminds me of SXSW keynote speech given by Springsteen (already called out on this thread) back in 2012. It's a long but great read/YouTube watch (the video's better since his self-deprecating humor is much more apparent).

 

The tl;dr/dw version is "no one agrees on anything anymore. Whichever band/genre you think is the greatest, someone else believes just as passionately is the worst and they suck. And aspiring young musicians need to be aware of both arguments about their own work while maintaining that music is both deathly serious and only rock 'n roll at the same time."

 

Quote

When I was invited to do the keynote speech of this year’s conference I was a little hesitant because the word keynote made me uncomfortable. It seemed to suggest that there was a key note to be struck that sums up whatever is going on out there in the streets.

Five days of bands, hundreds of venues from morning till night, and no one really hardly agrees on anything in pop anymore. There is no key note, I don’t think. There is no unified theory of everything. You can ask Einstein. But you can pick any band, say KISS, and you can go, “Early Theatre Rock proponents, expressing the true raging hormones of youth” or “They suck!”

You can go, Phish, “Inheritors of the Grateful Dead’s mantle, brilliant center of the true Alternative community,” or “They suck.” You go, “Bruce Springsteen, natural–born poetic genius off the streets of Monmouth County, hardest – hardest working – hardest working New Jerseyian in show business, voice of the common man, future of Rock and Roll!”, or “He sucks. Get the fuck out of here!”

You could pick any band, and create your own equation. It’s fun. There was even a recent book that focused on the Beatles and decided, you got it, they sucked. So really, instead of a keynote speech, I thought that perhaps this should be a key notes speech, or perhaps many keynote speakers. I exaggerate for effect, but only a little bit

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/exclusive-the-complete-text-of-bruce-springsteens-sxsw-keynote-address-86379/

Edited by GhostOfTomJoad
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HenryJames

HenryJames 66067

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4 hours ago, GhostOfTomJoad said:

This type of thread--which shows up every few months--reminds me of SXSW keynote speech given by Springsteen (already called out on this thread) back in 2012. It's a long but great read/YouTube watch (the video's better since his self-deprecating humor is much more apparent).

 

The tl;dr/dw version is "no one agrees on anything anymore. Whichever band/genre you think is the greatest, someone else believes just as passionately is the worst and they suck. And aspiring young musicians need to be aware of both arguments about their own work while maintaining that music is both deathly serious and only rock 'n roll at the same time."

 

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/exclusive-the-complete-text-of-bruce-springsteens-sxsw-keynote-address-86379/

Bruce Spingsteen

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Loco

Loco 3752

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On 5/29/2019 at 2:46 PM, pepper brooks said:

Sort of the opposite of the underrated or ignored album thread. We list bands/songs that people drool over and proclaim to be awesome that you just don’t get or flat out think is dog shit. My current two:

21 pilots 

billie eilish. 

 

I dont get the pilots. And eilish is just flat fucking terrible but I hear people, mostly radio hosts crowing about her greatness

ivfzo075qc131.gif

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Dbeasy

Dbeasy 15051

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I like all types of music - Rock , pop, country, some rap, some r&b, alternative, etc. Something very depressing happened a few weeks ago.

I often scroll down the top 200 music lists to find songs I like. I hit all genres. Well, I did this and found at most a few songs out of hundreds that I liked. The experience has me believing we are currently living thru the worst time period for hit music in history.

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Deej

Deej 76797

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6 hours ago, Vic Mackey said:
8 hours ago, po elvis said:
The band that the nirvana drummer is in. The name escapes me. 

Foo Fighters. And yes, they suck. They make the same generic music that Nickelback and hundreds of others of those bands do.

Kurt Cobain dying was the best thing to happen to Dave Grohl's career. (unfortunately for the rest of us.)

Edited by Deej
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SwanderedTalent

SwanderedTalent 5761

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Saying the Foo Fighters are like Nickleback is where valid criticism of them crosses into silly uninformed opinion and goes to die. Same as saying Springsteen has a "terrible" voice, same as saying David Gilmour's solos are "boring". 

I've had interesting discussion with Springsteen fans about why I personally don't care for him, but I doubt those discussions would have gotten far if I'd said something like "he has no integrity as a lyricist". It's still your opinion, but it doesn't sound like the opinion of someone who knows anything about music generally or that artist specifically.

And it's probably why when these threads crop up, people pop in to say "oh boy, another one of THESE threads". 

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Vic Mackey

Vic Mackey 47039

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3 hours ago, SwanderedTalent said:

Saying the Foo Fighters are like Nickleback is where valid criticism of them crosses into silly uninformed opinion and goes to die. Same as saying Springsteen has a "terrible" voice, same as saying David Gilmour's solos are "boring". 

I've had interesting discussion with Springsteen fans about why I personally don't care for him, but I doubt those discussions would have gotten far if I'd said something like "he has no integrity as a lyricist". It's still your opinion, but it doesn't sound like the opinion of someone who knows anything about music generally or that artist specifically.

And it's probably why when these threads crop up, people pop in to say "oh boy, another one of THESE threads". 

Music is subjective. Your opinions and the masses don't mean jack shit. None of can be substantiated outside of a general consensus and opinion. Yes, Spingsteen to me has a terrible voice. Yes, Foo Fighters is nothing more than generic, radio friendly rock music like Nickelback. This isn't science and mathematics where you can prove to me those opinions can not be held. I listen to music and like what I like. I don't care about what you consider to be right and wrong in terms of opinions. I know enough about Springsteen and Foo to know I don't like them. At all. And that's where it ends with me and that's all that matters. 

And in fact, many people will prefer Nickelback over Foo. Are they wrong? No. It's their preference and what they enjoy. But they do make the same style of music.

I love Metallica and they are one of my favorite bands. Many don't like them. I am not going to say they don't know music because they hold this opinion. Music snobs do this shit.

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ztejas

ztejas 43454

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On 5/31/2019 at 4:48 PM, Goo Punch said:

yeah this song is just awful, and i don't even know how or why a song like this gets made,  but shouts out to whoever made this video:

 

God that song is so fucking awful. She's venturing into Imagine Dragons territory for me which is, you can play whatever the fuck you want if I'm in your car, but no Imagine Dragons. 

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45960

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14 minutes ago, Vic Mackey said:

Music is subjective. Your opinions and the masses don't mean jack shit. None of can be substantiated outside of a general consensus and opinion. Yes, Spingsteen to me has a terrible voice. Yes, Foo Fighters is nothing more than generic, radio friendly rock music like Nickelback. This isn't science and mathematics where you can prove to me those opinions can not be held. I listen to music and like what I like. I don't care about what you consider to be right and wrong in terms of opinions. I know enough about Springsteen and Foo to know I don't like them. At all. And that's where it ends with me and that's all that matters. 

And in fact, many people will prefer Nickelback over Foo. Are they wrong? No. It's their preference and what they enjoy. But they do make the same style of music.

I love Metallica and they are one of my favorite bands. Many don't like them. I am not going to say they don't know music because they hold this opinion. Music snobs do this shit.

I tend to agree, but not for the reasons you might think.  In reality, the skill level required of the average pop or rock act is so low, not just as players but as writers (which includes music composition as well as lyrics) that trying to draw distinctions is almost silly.  Almost.  

In the end, it's entertainment, and hopefully it's a diversion from everyday life.  Whatever gets you there.  But, there is still skill that has to be acknowledged.  I don't for a minute believe that there is no difference in achievement when we compare lyrics between "You're Havin' My Baby" and "For What It's Worth".  You can't make that judgement in good conscience.  It's like comparing something I'd paint to a Jackson Pollock.  Sure, Pollock might not be your thing, but he put thought and education and work into his art.  Me?  I could eat a couple dozen deviled eggs and "paint" on a canvas better than I could "paint" with a brush.  

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17683

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19 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

I tend to agree, but not for the reasons you might think.  In reality, the skill level required of the average pop or rock act is so low, not just as players but as writers (which includes music composition as well as lyrics) that trying to draw distinctions is almost silly.  Almost.  

In the end, it's entertainment, and hopefully it's a diversion from everyday life.  Whatever gets you there.  But, there is still skill that has to be acknowledged.  I don't for a minute believe that there is no difference in achievement when we compare lyrics between "You're Havin' My Baby" and "For What It's Worth".  You can't make that judgement in good conscience.  It's like comparing something I'd paint to a Jackson Pollock.  Sure, Pollock might not be your thing, but he put thought and education and work into his art.  Me?  I could eat a couple dozen deviled eggs and "paint" on a canvas better than I could "paint" with a brush.  

This would probably make more sense if you framed it in context of banging 1000s of 1s, vs. 1 10.  

 

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yoladu

yoladu 4094

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On 5/30/2019 at 4:28 PM, BrickHorn said:

This one won’t be popular, but I don’t get the love for Pink Floyd.  They’re boring as shit as a group, and I don’t see any evidence that they’re exceptionally talented individual musicians.  When a Floyd song comes on, I change the station.  

Agree. Boring and pretentious wankery.

Image result for i hate pink floyd

Actually, i like a lot of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but i recognize that as a snobby kind of thing to assert. Could listen to Lucifer Sam over and over again with the rubbery baseline.

 

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Shoxthemonkey

Shoxthemonkey 1981

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On 6/1/2019 at 8:09 AM, GhostOfTomJoad said:

This type of thread--which shows up every few months--reminds me of SXSW keynote speech given by Springsteen (already called out on this thread) back in 2012. It's a long but great read/YouTube watch (the video's better since his self-deprecating humor is much more apparent).

 

The tl;dr/dw version is "no one agrees on anything anymore. Whichever band/genre you think is the greatest, someone else believes just as passionately is the worst and they suck. And aspiring young musicians need to be aware of both arguments about their own work while maintaining that music is both deathly serious and only rock 'n roll at the same time."

 

 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/exclusive-the-complete-text-of-bruce-springsteens-sxsw-keynote-address-86379/

Great read. I'm surprised I hadn't read that before. Makes me rethink my aloofness for everything Springsteen.

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Loco

Loco 3752

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Born to Run is one of the worst written songs I've ever heard...   defend this...

Quote
In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on highway nine,
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected, and steppin' out over the line
H-Oh, Baby this town rips the bones from your back
It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
We gotta get out while we're young
`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
Yes, girl we were
Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
And strap your hands 'cross my engines
Together we could break this trap
We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back
H-Oh, Will you walk with me out on the wire
`Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider
But I gotta know how it feels
I want to know if love is wild
Babe I want to know if love is real

 

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Rimbo

Rimbo 25939

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On 5/29/2019 at 11:49 AM, Al_4_ISU said:

Pretty much everything Radiohead did after OK Computer.

Fixed that for you. GOD, they're dull.

On 5/29/2019 at 12:15 PM, jimmyjazz said:

Kanye West

Been releasing his own stuff for 15 years, and I'm still trying to figure out who these guys are who think he's worth a damn.

On 5/29/2019 at 1:47 PM, Helobious said:

Obligatory The Beatles. So they were the first of their kind, revolutionary, etc. so they're the greatest band ever. I guess by that logic the Wright Brothers are the greatest pilots ever. 

Good analogy. You could also compare them to e.g. Freud or Darwin -- guys who are legends for inventing entire new concepts, but where the concepts have long since surpassed them; modern psychology has very little to do with Freud's work, and modern evolutionary theory bears little resemblance to Darwin's. /noCloakRoom

On 5/29/2019 at 5:27 PM, Hate said:

Grunge.  I never liked it. There are a few songs here or there that are good, but for the most part I always thought it sucked.  I include bands like Metallica I know they aren't technically grunge), Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden in that realm. I did like quite a few STP songs though.

We really needed someone to hit the reset button on rock 'n' roll, and Nirvana was just what we needed. But it worked because it was shitty. We got some popular tunes written by musicians mumbling while playing out-of-tune instruments and recording with no effects but 60Hz ground hum. 

And calling Metallica "grunge" in any shape or form, even including Load, should be grounds for discounting everything you ever said ever.

On 5/29/2019 at 6:27 PM, Deej said:

Bruce Springsteen.

You know, I'd argue he's got enough haters that he's not "overrated" any more. But for the life of me, I can't see what the folks who worship him see in him.

On 5/30/2019 at 7:31 AM, SwanderedTalent said:

I don't know if it's overrated or not, but the popularity of anything the Red Hot Chili Peppers have done since Blood Sugar Sex Magik baffles me. I can't think of another band whose act/persona aged worse than them. 

I would go back earlier and say everything after Mother's Milk. BSSM seemed kinda dead to me. Sure, it was the breakout hit album and still had some of the spunk of the earlier stuff, but it also defined the garbage that they became defined by afterwards.

On 5/30/2019 at 7:18 PM, Henry Hill said:

Don’t get the adoration for The Smiths and Morrissey. 

Co-signed.

On 6/2/2019 at 5:51 PM, PRONG HORN said:

Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains is great if you only listen to their good songs. Cantrell is always trying new weird things, and when it works, it's brilliant. Then there are all the songs that don't work. Staley's voice is ultimately a generic baritone. The rhythm section is what makes most of their best songs work.

Edited by Rimbo
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oSuJeff97

oSuJeff97 3435

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On 5/29/2019 at 1:49 PM, Al_4_ISU said:

Pretty much everything Radiohead did after OK Computer.  No one likes Kid A or Amnesiac, but there wasn't a music critic in the country willing to stick their neck out and be mocked for "not getting it".  I've tried with those albums, and find it to be mostly noise.  There's flashes of brilliance in some of the other stuff, but they basically made 2 brilliant albums (The Bends, OK Computer) and have been living off that street cred for 20 years.

Agreed except for I would put "In Rainbows" in there with The Bends and OK Computer.  The rest of their catalog is kind of "meh" for me.

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oSuJeff97

oSuJeff97 3435

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On 6/3/2019 at 8:35 AM, jimmyjazz said:

To whatever degree Foo Fighters are currently phoning it in, I'm pretty sure those first few albums top anything Nickelback could have created if we spotted them Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, and Chad's wife.

LOL no shit.

Just off the top of my head, here are some Foo songs that could never, ever, ever in a million years be anywhere near any of the generic trash that Nickelback shat out:

  • Everlong
  • Monkey Wrench
  • I'll Stick Around
  • Alone + Easy Target
  • This is a Call
  • All My Life
  • Big Me
  • Times Like These
  • My Hero
  • The Pretender

So yeah, the Foos last several albums are pretty generic, but they've been at it for 20 years now... what do you expect?  Equating them to fucking Nickelback is re-goddamn-diculous.

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Al_4_ISU

Al_4_ISU 12463

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Wasting Light rocks as hard as anything Nirvana did and it came out 16 years into their career.

Christ, you can make a valid argument that The Colour and the Shape is better than any Nirvana album. It certainly didn’t have the cultural impact, but the quality of the songwriting and musical performances are right there.

Nickleback my ass.

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45960

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29 minutes ago, Loco said:

What are his "velvet rims" then?   

If you honestly can't figure out what "Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims, And strap your hands 'cross my engines" means then you need to get laid, and fast.

For God's sake, don't go reading any William Faulkner lest you sprain something.

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Rimbo

Rimbo 25939

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Yeah, I'm struggling to see anything terrible about "Born to Run."

You want bad? Some of my favorite bands have some truly atrocious lyrics, lyrics that make "phoning it in" seem like putting in too much effort. 

 

Edit: and for those who say "well, that's Van Hagar, DLR would never do that," I submit both "Hot for Teacher" and this nonsense.

Edited by Rimbo
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Loco

Loco 3752

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1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

If you honestly can't figure out what "Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims, And strap your hands 'cross my engines" means then you need to get laid, and fast.

 

I'm just not that in to dudes

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atomheartbevo

atomheartbevo 89675

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8 hours ago, Rimbo said:

Alice in Chains is great if you only listen to their good songs. Cantrell is always trying new weird things, and when it works, it's brilliant. Then there are all the songs that don't work. Staley's voice is ultimately a generic baritone. The rhythm section is what makes most of their best songs work

Alice in Chains has a handful of good songs, but only one really great song - Kashmir

 

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Doc Reeves

Doc Reeves 6434

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2 hours ago, qwertyu1234 said:

I honestly don't know why Beyonce is so revered. She's no different than a thousand other pop stars past, present and (presumably) future.  

2nd. 

Also she charges $200+ for a fucking lip syncing show

just the same old tired Tyra Banks/Drag Queen “I’m fierce!!!” shtick. 

Also Sasha, if you’re going to make a bunch of song about your energetic, monogamists sexlife it makes your husband look like an even bigger dick for stepping out and you a chump rather than a victim 

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