Kill Your Idols
I recently bought a book that I really enjoyed and kept me laughing for more than a few moments at a time. The book is Kill Your Idols. It is a “new generation of rock writers who reconsider the classic rock albums.” There are lines in this book that are on the floor funny. Examples include from Tom Phalen’s attack on Ram by Paul and Linda McCartney “Ram on –I’m guessing this is sort of a title tune—is irritating. George Harrison’s fascination with the ukulele—I know in his final days he was reportedly giving them to all of his friends (a sure sign that her days were, indeed, final)—doesn’t justify its place on any album that claims to be rock, or for that matter, anything else. Twink-a, Twink-a, Twink-a …” It had me thinking. It is time for me to admit that a few of my “would be favorite albums or artists,” with time and reconsideration past the pimpled-face dreams of youth, are quite frankly lousy. I am listing five albums that I now admit are horrid and list a few artists that I have reconsidered as annoying.
The rules are simple. First, I have to have owned or currently own the album. Second, I have to avoid the obvious crummy artists like Night Ranger, Bryan Adams, or Huey Lewis and I have to avoid “period” pieces groups like Culture Club or Dee-Lite. I mean, stating that these guys “suck” is apparent to anyone with any taste and besides, they are hardly idols. The last rule is that I have, is that at least at some point, I admit that I liked the album. Again, I try to avoid the “worst” album by an established artist—as everyone has a clinker. I mean as an Elvis Costello fan, it is easy for me to rip on Good Bye Cruel World or Mighty Like A Rose, but all EC fans know that these are his weakest efforts.
Post a comment if you wish of your admittedly “kill your idols” selections.
Here are my top five worst albums by established artists or artists that I like and once liked the albums.
#5. Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Elevator music on acid. This is the worst of a band that, with time, has grown increasingly out of date. I remember the first time I heard it, I thought it was so deep and mystifying. I must have been drunk. Now I cannot even fathom listening to it. Admittedly, “Have a Cigar” is catchy, but compare it to other Pink Floyd works, and it does not hold up at all. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is absolutely too long and much too much to dreadful to consider as ‘rock” in any sense. “Welcome to the Machine” is almost comical as the whole album is Waters telling us how horrible it is to be a big time rock star and how fragile he and his fellow cronies (specifically Syd Barrett) are. Yawn. I feel more pity to someone making less than a million dollars a year to be honest. Rock music, I am sure, can lead to isolation and paranoia, it’s just that this album speeds up the trip.
#4. The Ramones End of The Century. I love the Ramones, as they are the greatest punk band ever. I love the song hooks, the “so simple its great” concept, and the fact that they never took themselves too seriously—well except for this once. With Phil Spector producing this pile of crap, it is apparent that he has no idea what the Ramones are about or should sound like. Highly glossy production on a Ramones album is like putting a prom dress on a pig in the mud. “Rock and Roll Radio” is excellent (what is it doing here?), but the rest of the album is uninspired and unimaginative. It is also slow and full of fake filler—hardly the thing a punk band at their height should do. The remake of Rock and Roll High School (hey Joey Ramone, do a rock song without “Rock and Roll” in the title to remind us that its suppose to be rock and roll) is dull and wretched compared to the original.
#3. The Beatles Let It Be. I know, putting The Beatles on this list is somewhat sacrilegious, but let’s be fair—this is the Beatles at their worst. Again Phil Spector produced (maybe I just hate this allegedly murdering bastard), this is a horrid attempt by a group of such magnitude and importance. Over-produced Long and Winding Road (Paul tried to correct on Naked to no avail because the song simply sucks) is probably the most representative song on the album—the Beatles were going through the motions. “Two Of Us,” “I Me Mine,” “I Dig a Pony,” “Maggie May,” “Dig It” are done by the same group that produced “Yesterday,” “Here Comes The Sun,” “Help,” “Hey Jude” and more? Unbelievable. Perhaps Paul’s prodding and annoying refusal to understand that Yoko did not kill the dream, they all did (although it is sure fun to blame Yoko) is the true answer to why they broke up. But with lifeless efforts like this, aren’t you glad they called it quits before they became real has-beens (like they did in their solo careers)?
#2. The Doors first album. If anyone can sit through the full version of Light My Fire, they are a better person than me. Annoying song after annoying song fills this horrid album. I admit to being in high school and thinking “Break On Through” and “The End” were fascinating, but go back and give them a re-listen. Lord, they are lyrically banal and excessively obscure. This band would win my “worst of the 1960’s” group award for this album alone, yet these schmoes made even more boring music to match. I guess one needs to be totally drunk or something to understand them. The keyboards are so horrible, it reminds me of listening to bad circus music and the lyrics are so busy trying to be clever, then end up being pretentious and fake. I love a monotone voice like Morrison’s as much as the next guy (because it’s so easy to imitate) but let’s face it, the drums and guitars are so out of place, it is almost as if they musicians are playing a different song than what Jim Morrison is singing. You want an example of what was wrong with the late 1960s, look no further.
#1. The Who Tommy. I love the Who and have always given them more credit than they probably deserve—I mean ten studio albums since 1965 and they still are touring??? Let’s ignore the countless greatest hits albums and live albums for a moment and focus on their rock opera. Tommy is the story of the deaf, dumb, and blind boy who witnesses a murder when his father, believed to be dead, comes back and kills the man his mother marries because she thought her husband was dead; only to be told not to see hear or talk about the murder. He later plays pinball and then is lifted to a God-like prophet status because he can play pinball and has followers. Understand the story? You neither, huh? I mean, how stupid is this? Match this up with a double album of nonsense and filler and you have the album that launched The WHO to superstar standards. In this album we have a loud and annoying French horn, dumb songs about acid queens, a sick molesting uncle, a mean cousin who burns a handicapped boy with his Pall Malls, Smashing Mirrors to reveal one’s true self (must be a vampire), and a girl who is gashed in her face because she wants to touch her idol. Also add the obvious jokes for lyrics like “see me, feel me, touch me, heal me…” and it is apparent that this album has not aged gracefully. I mean, The WHO get credit for trying something different, but the strained vocals of Roger Daltrey, the systematic incoherence of Pete Townshend, the almost missing of the great bass work of John Entwhistle, and the incredible drumming (although out of place on a “concept” album) of Keith Moon make this an unlikely triumph. Play it again and I defy you not to make fun of it. I like “Amazing Journey/Sparks,” “Pinball Wizard,” “I’m Free,” and the chorus of “Listening to you…” but there are some really horrible moments on this album. Play the song “Christmas” or “1921” or “Welcome To The Camp” and I dare you not to laugh. Then you’ll know where the put the cork, as well as the eyeshades and earphones.
Runners Up
First Boston album—sure we all own it, but have you played it recently? Dated and dull.
Kinks—Low Budget. Yep, the Kinks do disco.
Rolling Stones—Its Only Rock and Roll. Bad pseudo 1970s funk with an amazingly lousy production.
The Cure—Kiss Kiss Kiss. I love the Cure, but no excuse for “happy” Cure songs.
The Cars—first album. Talk about over-used clichés. Everything sounds the same and is very overproduced. Greg Hawkes has my award for most limited keyboard player ever.
Jethro Tull-Aqualung. Ian Anderson’s silly view of religion recorded in what sounds like a dungeon. Even I am annoyed by the flute on this one and I LOVE TULL.
Queen—The Game. I like Queen a great deal, but this album is so boring that the hits even annoy me. Queen does disco on Another On Bites the Dust. This was the first of many bad Queen albums (Hot Space, The Works, The Miracle to name a few)
Worst artists:
Sting. Listen to The Police again. What draws you to them? Probably he drums and guitars. Sting’s whiney voice and his lackluster bass playing is the least impressive thing about the band. Admittedly after watching interviews, Stewart Copeland is as mature as a day-old weed, but he can still play drums. Sting solo albums are horrid and offer nothing other than boring pseudo jazz/pop. Yuck. Plus his voice is whining throughout the entire affair.
Meatloaf. Some of you may say “no kidding, here,” but there was a time when I thought Meatloaf was great. Bat Out of Hell I and II are so stupid they do not deserve recognition. I remember thinking Paradise by the Dashboard Light was so clever—boy was I dumb. Volume II is even more insipid “I’ll do anything for love; but I won’t do that…” (I would kill to know what anything is…) and Life is A Lemon And I Want My Money Back (heh heh –what the hell does this mean???) just highlight the II. Add to it from I the great lyrics “I was a varsity tackle and a hell of a block; when I played the guitar I made the canyons rock” and “I know you’re looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks; but there ain’t no Coupe de Ville hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.” and you get the idea. I will not even bother to tell you of the thirty minute “acted out” version Meatloaf performed live of Paradise By The Dashboard Light—you’re welcome by the way. And yes, I saw Loaf Live. Blame the wife for that one.
And the number one worst and/or overrated performer in my mind:
Bruce Springsteen. Trust me, I have tried to like what I call the “poor man’s Bob Dylan,” but the “Loss” is really pushing the envelope of my tolerance. Some songs have merit like “Glory Days,” “Human Touch,” and I truly like the Nebraska album as he found a way to make his voice fit the music, but to be honest, when I hear the E Street Band, I think of the theme music of Saturday Night Live—which had grown tiresome by 1975. His songs are way too long, but DJ’s love ‘em for bathroom breaks. This is not saying that the man does not have class—as anyone who threatens to sue the pants off of Reagan for using his anti-war songs (Reagan and the GOP not intelligent enough to figure that Born In The USA was meant as a protest song) deserves a great deal of praise, but his albums (over-inflated River; boring Live At Asbury Park; critically acclaimed and forced to like it because Dave Marsh says so Born To Run; rehashed Darkness At The Edge of Town; unintelligible Ghost of Tom Joad) leave much to be desired. I also hated his mugging on Roy Orbison’s Black and White Night. A crime was committed when he tried to overshadow the greatness of Roy Orbison. Nice to see Bob Dylan agrees with me about the fake attitude of Springsteen as listening to Tweeter and The Monkey Man can attest to on the Traveling Wilburys first album.
There you go, submit your choices if you dare.
It is very therapeutic.
Killing Your Idols can be fun.
The rules are simple. First, I have to have owned or currently own the album. Second, I have to avoid the obvious crummy artists like Night Ranger, Bryan Adams, or Huey Lewis and I have to avoid “period” pieces groups like Culture Club or Dee-Lite. I mean, stating that these guys “suck” is apparent to anyone with any taste and besides, they are hardly idols. The last rule is that I have, is that at least at some point, I admit that I liked the album. Again, I try to avoid the “worst” album by an established artist—as everyone has a clinker. I mean as an Elvis Costello fan, it is easy for me to rip on Good Bye Cruel World or Mighty Like A Rose, but all EC fans know that these are his weakest efforts.
Post a comment if you wish of your admittedly “kill your idols” selections.
Here are my top five worst albums by established artists or artists that I like and once liked the albums.
#5. Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Elevator music on acid. This is the worst of a band that, with time, has grown increasingly out of date. I remember the first time I heard it, I thought it was so deep and mystifying. I must have been drunk. Now I cannot even fathom listening to it. Admittedly, “Have a Cigar” is catchy, but compare it to other Pink Floyd works, and it does not hold up at all. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is absolutely too long and much too much to dreadful to consider as ‘rock” in any sense. “Welcome to the Machine” is almost comical as the whole album is Waters telling us how horrible it is to be a big time rock star and how fragile he and his fellow cronies (specifically Syd Barrett) are. Yawn. I feel more pity to someone making less than a million dollars a year to be honest. Rock music, I am sure, can lead to isolation and paranoia, it’s just that this album speeds up the trip.
#4. The Ramones End of The Century. I love the Ramones, as they are the greatest punk band ever. I love the song hooks, the “so simple its great” concept, and the fact that they never took themselves too seriously—well except for this once. With Phil Spector producing this pile of crap, it is apparent that he has no idea what the Ramones are about or should sound like. Highly glossy production on a Ramones album is like putting a prom dress on a pig in the mud. “Rock and Roll Radio” is excellent (what is it doing here?), but the rest of the album is uninspired and unimaginative. It is also slow and full of fake filler—hardly the thing a punk band at their height should do. The remake of Rock and Roll High School (hey Joey Ramone, do a rock song without “Rock and Roll” in the title to remind us that its suppose to be rock and roll) is dull and wretched compared to the original.
#3. The Beatles Let It Be. I know, putting The Beatles on this list is somewhat sacrilegious, but let’s be fair—this is the Beatles at their worst. Again Phil Spector produced (maybe I just hate this allegedly murdering bastard), this is a horrid attempt by a group of such magnitude and importance. Over-produced Long and Winding Road (Paul tried to correct on Naked to no avail because the song simply sucks) is probably the most representative song on the album—the Beatles were going through the motions. “Two Of Us,” “I Me Mine,” “I Dig a Pony,” “Maggie May,” “Dig It” are done by the same group that produced “Yesterday,” “Here Comes The Sun,” “Help,” “Hey Jude” and more? Unbelievable. Perhaps Paul’s prodding and annoying refusal to understand that Yoko did not kill the dream, they all did (although it is sure fun to blame Yoko) is the true answer to why they broke up. But with lifeless efforts like this, aren’t you glad they called it quits before they became real has-beens (like they did in their solo careers)?
#2. The Doors first album. If anyone can sit through the full version of Light My Fire, they are a better person than me. Annoying song after annoying song fills this horrid album. I admit to being in high school and thinking “Break On Through” and “The End” were fascinating, but go back and give them a re-listen. Lord, they are lyrically banal and excessively obscure. This band would win my “worst of the 1960’s” group award for this album alone, yet these schmoes made even more boring music to match. I guess one needs to be totally drunk or something to understand them. The keyboards are so horrible, it reminds me of listening to bad circus music and the lyrics are so busy trying to be clever, then end up being pretentious and fake. I love a monotone voice like Morrison’s as much as the next guy (because it’s so easy to imitate) but let’s face it, the drums and guitars are so out of place, it is almost as if they musicians are playing a different song than what Jim Morrison is singing. You want an example of what was wrong with the late 1960s, look no further.
#1. The Who Tommy. I love the Who and have always given them more credit than they probably deserve—I mean ten studio albums since 1965 and they still are touring??? Let’s ignore the countless greatest hits albums and live albums for a moment and focus on their rock opera. Tommy is the story of the deaf, dumb, and blind boy who witnesses a murder when his father, believed to be dead, comes back and kills the man his mother marries because she thought her husband was dead; only to be told not to see hear or talk about the murder. He later plays pinball and then is lifted to a God-like prophet status because he can play pinball and has followers. Understand the story? You neither, huh? I mean, how stupid is this? Match this up with a double album of nonsense and filler and you have the album that launched The WHO to superstar standards. In this album we have a loud and annoying French horn, dumb songs about acid queens, a sick molesting uncle, a mean cousin who burns a handicapped boy with his Pall Malls, Smashing Mirrors to reveal one’s true self (must be a vampire), and a girl who is gashed in her face because she wants to touch her idol. Also add the obvious jokes for lyrics like “see me, feel me, touch me, heal me…” and it is apparent that this album has not aged gracefully. I mean, The WHO get credit for trying something different, but the strained vocals of Roger Daltrey, the systematic incoherence of Pete Townshend, the almost missing of the great bass work of John Entwhistle, and the incredible drumming (although out of place on a “concept” album) of Keith Moon make this an unlikely triumph. Play it again and I defy you not to make fun of it. I like “Amazing Journey/Sparks,” “Pinball Wizard,” “I’m Free,” and the chorus of “Listening to you…” but there are some really horrible moments on this album. Play the song “Christmas” or “1921” or “Welcome To The Camp” and I dare you not to laugh. Then you’ll know where the put the cork, as well as the eyeshades and earphones.
Runners Up
First Boston album—sure we all own it, but have you played it recently? Dated and dull.
Kinks—Low Budget. Yep, the Kinks do disco.
Rolling Stones—Its Only Rock and Roll. Bad pseudo 1970s funk with an amazingly lousy production.
The Cure—Kiss Kiss Kiss. I love the Cure, but no excuse for “happy” Cure songs.
The Cars—first album. Talk about over-used clichés. Everything sounds the same and is very overproduced. Greg Hawkes has my award for most limited keyboard player ever.
Jethro Tull-Aqualung. Ian Anderson’s silly view of religion recorded in what sounds like a dungeon. Even I am annoyed by the flute on this one and I LOVE TULL.
Queen—The Game. I like Queen a great deal, but this album is so boring that the hits even annoy me. Queen does disco on Another On Bites the Dust. This was the first of many bad Queen albums (Hot Space, The Works, The Miracle to name a few)
Worst artists:
Sting. Listen to The Police again. What draws you to them? Probably he drums and guitars. Sting’s whiney voice and his lackluster bass playing is the least impressive thing about the band. Admittedly after watching interviews, Stewart Copeland is as mature as a day-old weed, but he can still play drums. Sting solo albums are horrid and offer nothing other than boring pseudo jazz/pop. Yuck. Plus his voice is whining throughout the entire affair.
Meatloaf. Some of you may say “no kidding, here,” but there was a time when I thought Meatloaf was great. Bat Out of Hell I and II are so stupid they do not deserve recognition. I remember thinking Paradise by the Dashboard Light was so clever—boy was I dumb. Volume II is even more insipid “I’ll do anything for love; but I won’t do that…” (I would kill to know what anything is…) and Life is A Lemon And I Want My Money Back (heh heh –what the hell does this mean???) just highlight the II. Add to it from I the great lyrics “I was a varsity tackle and a hell of a block; when I played the guitar I made the canyons rock” and “I know you’re looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks; but there ain’t no Coupe de Ville hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.” and you get the idea. I will not even bother to tell you of the thirty minute “acted out” version Meatloaf performed live of Paradise By The Dashboard Light—you’re welcome by the way. And yes, I saw Loaf Live. Blame the wife for that one.
And the number one worst and/or overrated performer in my mind:
Bruce Springsteen. Trust me, I have tried to like what I call the “poor man’s Bob Dylan,” but the “Loss” is really pushing the envelope of my tolerance. Some songs have merit like “Glory Days,” “Human Touch,” and I truly like the Nebraska album as he found a way to make his voice fit the music, but to be honest, when I hear the E Street Band, I think of the theme music of Saturday Night Live—which had grown tiresome by 1975. His songs are way too long, but DJ’s love ‘em for bathroom breaks. This is not saying that the man does not have class—as anyone who threatens to sue the pants off of Reagan for using his anti-war songs (Reagan and the GOP not intelligent enough to figure that Born In The USA was meant as a protest song) deserves a great deal of praise, but his albums (over-inflated River; boring Live At Asbury Park; critically acclaimed and forced to like it because Dave Marsh says so Born To Run; rehashed Darkness At The Edge of Town; unintelligible Ghost of Tom Joad) leave much to be desired. I also hated his mugging on Roy Orbison’s Black and White Night. A crime was committed when he tried to overshadow the greatness of Roy Orbison. Nice to see Bob Dylan agrees with me about the fake attitude of Springsteen as listening to Tweeter and The Monkey Man can attest to on the Traveling Wilburys first album.
There you go, submit your choices if you dare.
It is very therapeutic.
Killing Your Idols can be fun.
posted by Eric Sweetwood at 11:00 AM
10 Comments:
Since nobody has commented on anything you have to say, I'll throw in on this one. In no particular order:
AC/DC - FLICK OF THE SWITCH. Go ahead and name me one song from that album (without looking)....Yeah, I thought so. Thankfully they recovered. It was probably a bad idea to get rid of Lang as their producer.
QUEEN - I'm in agreement with you an those choices although I would add that LIVE KILLERS is painful to sit through (thank God they beeped those dirty words out so my delicate ears aren't offended) and the production values were horrid for a big name live album. I will admit that a chunk of THE MIRACLE has grown on me after a while.
YES - TORMATO. Try sitting through DON'T KILL THE WHALE. After that, just set this one on fire to spare anyone else. No matter what, I will still defend TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS to my dieing breath.
STYX - CORNERSTONE. Dennis DeYoung's vagina is starting to rage with this one and marked the beginning of the end for anything good coming from them until he left (and even that could be argued). The next time I hear BABE I will kick someone in the nuts.
CHEAP TRICK- They shot their wad by the late 80's and really haven't recovered at all. I dare you to listen to THE DOCTOR or WOKE UP WITH A MONSTER and recognize any talent left in the husks of Nielsen or Zander.
Want to try and guess who this is from my selections?
I am guessing that this is John, but I could be wrong as I think Dan is a real possibility. I am tryng to think of anyone I know who likes Yes and Cheap Trick. Joe admitted today to me that he went through his Prog Rock stage. possible as well.
I would say that Woke Up With a Monster is much better than you think, although I would agree The Doctor is soooooo Bad! The Red Ant Cheap Trick is excellent by the way. The last studio one is terrible. Queen Live Killers is horrid, I still kind of like Cornerstone minus Why Me and the Babe thing--The Give Me Light track I like. Flick of the Switch, yeah but to me, most AC/DC albums sound similar--but by Flick of the Switch, they ran out of steam. I used to own Tormato, but it was on 8-Track and I never played it--Gosh, I am old.
Thanks for contributing.
Who else can Kill their IDOLS???
Here is my two cents on this particular subject. I have put them in chronologically for sake of order:
The Moody Blues-Days Of Future Passed (1967). Thirty years worth of teenagers/college student drinking and smokin’ weed to expand their minds to this album, can’t change the fact that it really isn’t that good. Very derivative in both content, and concept of ideas done and released earlier in 1967 by a host of other bands.
Brave Belt-Brave Belt I (1971)/Brave Belt II (1972). Randy Bachman’s first band after he left the Guess Who. The best thing about these albums are that they are currently out of print. The smartest move Randy Bachman every did was take a year and a half off, and then form BTO.
George Harrison-Extra Texture (1975). Has the distinction of being that last album released on Apple Records. Only one true gem on the whole album. Judging by the (majority of the) content, there is a reason that there is a rotten apple core on the label. Believe it or not - - -Not Harrison’s worst effort!!!!!
The Guess Who-The Way They Were (1976). Bet you didn’t know that the last “original “ Guess Who album came out in 1976? Neither did they!! God awful, and nearly ashamed to admit I own it. Should have been the follow up to Road Food, titled: Road Kill!! Effectively tainted all the good music that they had put out before, and relegated the band to the “Sate Fair” circuit well into the late 1990’s.
Styx-Paradise Theater (1981). 70’s power rock versus the last gasps of disco versus Broadway show tunes. It worked (somehow) in 1981, but now really seems like that Mantovani LP in your parent’s “stereo” coffin when you were a kid.
Bruce Springsteen-Nebraska (1982). The follow up to The River. I bought it, enjoyed it a couple of times, but I expected a helluva lot more than “demos” (which is basically what the entire album contains).
Dire Straits-Brothers In Arms (1985). The album of the “MTV generation”, and they are welcome to it. It single handedly took everything that was the Dire Straits, and put an over produced and over polished shine on it. That and the fact that I can no longer hear "Walk Of Life" without changing the station. If you want Dire Straits at their best, try Communiqué (1978), or Making Movies (1981).
Alas, those are the “biggest offenders” in my collection. I will state here and now that I do currently own all these albums, and have no plans on getting rid of any of them in the foreseeable future.
Here is your chance to guess anew!
Hmm...Dan or Joe would be my guess, and I will go with Joe over Dan on this one. Boy, Styx is taking some hits on this thing.
I agree with Moody Blues on this album--Yuck. I love that poem at the end of Knights in White Satin--wow does that suck. It is humourous now--Breathe deep...
I owned the Brave Belt stuff on 8-Track as well. Chalk it up for being stupid.
Yeah, most George Harrison albums are weak, but his singles were great (Check out my Beatles Blog--which my brother, a confimed Elvis Presley fan--told me was mean and cruel to do to Elvis--heh heh).
Guess Who--did they have a good album? I had Rockin' and that was downright lousy. Never heard of the one you mentioned.
Styx Paradise Theater is really bad--They weren't "The Best of Times" (Raise your hands if you saw that one coming...uh huh) for the band. I still think Kilroy Was Here was worst than either Styx album mentioned, but can we all agree Pieces of Eight was their best album and Grand Illusion was a close second?
I like Nebraska, personally.
My college roommate emailed me his thoughts and he also had Brothers In Arms on it. I like the non-hits (Man's Too Strong among others) and I really do not hate this album as much as others. Now the last Dire Straits studio album with Calling Elvis and The Bug is downright awful. Making Movies is great and I am a huge fan of Love Over Gold.
Thanks for playing Kill Your Idols.
With Randy Bachman running all over the place and Goerge Harrison....That's Dan. No doubt about it. I want to know where the hell Joe is on this. I really NEED to know which Beach Boys album he hates.
I also just realized something, Why wasn't there any KINKS on your list? We all know there were some clunkers in there.
On the larger blog I mentioned The Kinks Low Budget--Kinks do disco. Yuck. Like I said, I try to avoid the obviously bad (Soap Opera, Schoolboys In Disgrace, Percy Soundtrack, Phobia, UK Jive, and ANY live Kinks album.
Yeah, I thought it was Dan too...
Such the negativity for Styx. Ah well...
I am mean if I wanted to become real nasty, I could rip Mighty Like a Rose by Elvis Costello to shreds or the Brodski Quartet or that CRAP he did with Burt Bacharach, but those are obviously awful and like I said, EVERYONE had a clinker (Goats Head Soup and Dirty Work by the Stones, The Cure CD with Mint Car, Cut The Crap by The Clash, That Calling America ELO one) and some groups just ARE clinkers (REO Speedwagon, John Cougar or Mellencamp or whatever he is calling himself these days, Journey, Night Ranger, Poison--in fact MOST Hair Metal Bands, and dare I mention The Specials--The English Beat and Madness are SOOOOOO Much Better).
Thanks for playing.
Ah, I knew the music fans I know and love would never let me down. From my college roommate, one of the funniest people I have ever met, a good friend, a great fantasy footnall commish, and a heck of an awesome person--Keith:
Hey!
I want to add to your last Blog. I was intending on doing it on my Blog site, however I have not gone to my site in a long time(Dec 2004 I think) so I am not sure it is even there anymore. So to that end, I will add a little more to your list, because as humans, we can only see the bad things in life...
1. Shakedown Street/Terrapin Station/Go to Heaven-The Grateful Dead. Some of their "stellar" offerings from the late 70's(1980 counts). On all three of these albums there is not enough good material for 1 album. Well, actually there is one side(if you edit out all of the instrumentals in the middle that just makes "Terrapin Station" repetitive and dull.
2. Anything by Led Zepplin. I'm not sure if it is because I grew up listening to them or the simple fact that I live in Central Illinois and a radio station can't define themselves as "classic" unless they mount up the "Get the Led Out" hunk of music that they trot out each and every night at dish. To say that I find all of "The Mighty Zep's" songs to be dull, pedantic and boring would be a step up. I cringe when ever I even think that I am going to hear Led Zepplin. This comes from a guy who went to a midnight showing of "Song Remains the Same." Maybe that is where it started?
3. U2. Mere words cannot describe the depths of hatred that I feel for this band and anything that they have ever done. I would sit though the 5 disc set of the best of Bruce Springsteen if it would make these f#cking humps go away!
4. I think that "Thick as Brick" has held up over the years. "Passion Play" however has not. Ian..baby..stick to the flute and guitar..leave the sax to Boot Randolph..or that 3rd grader I heard at Church yesterday.
5. "Brothers in Arms" Dire Straits. It reminds me of everything that was wrong musically in 1985/86. Those 2 years were the worst in music history as far as I am concerned. This over-bloated hunk of crap lead the charge for all of the other over-produced(White City), over-wrought(Unforgettable Fire), slick(Dream of the Blue Turtles) and down right embarrassing(Mr. Mister anyone?) periods of music.
On the upside however there were some good things that came out of 85-86. Not during that time but the next 2-3 afterwards. "Skylarking"(now somewhat dated on my 787th listen) by XTC, "Up on the Sun", "Out My Way" and "Huevous" by The Meat Puppets, "Telephone Landslide Free Victory" by CVB, TMBG's first full length release, "Globe of Frogs" by Robyn Hitchcock, the much maligned(but the last good one)"Life's Rich Pageant" by REM and "The End of Every Day" by Zeitgeist/The Reivers(I think it came out at the tail-end of 1988. It was the last great "jangle-rock" album that closed out the 1980's).
Wow I do need my own Blog spot again. I intended this to be a short list.
Keith
Keith actually "got me into" XTC, and it is a favor I cannot return, although I will say I influenced him on like the Ramones, DEVO, and The Clash (the only band that matters).
I like Terrapin Station, it helps me grade papers--seriously. There are CDs I play when I am grading and this is one.
Have to agree with Led Zep, except I like Led Zep 3 and Houses of the Holy. I own them all except CODS--the name even gives me chills.
More anti-U2 ont the blog. Whoa--the fans are turning this into a "bloody, bloody Sunday." (Again--hand raised if you thought that one was coming...I thought so.)
Yeah, Passion PLay by Tull is pretty weak, but I just have higher expectations of the band and in retrospect, Aqualung hurt more. keith and I were in his fan and I was imititading Aqualung, which had us both "bursting out live" with laughter as we did the lounge lizard version of the song.
Brothers In Arms? We saw this show live, Keith was sick, but we went as I wore my Rockple T-Shirt and was screaming at Terry Williams from the lawn (yeah, he heard me). How can you rip on Terry "drums drums drums" Williams. Sniff, I feel the pain.
R.E.M--wow. You and my wife ought to get together and whine more about this group. Actually Pam was into the Meat Puppets when we were in college thanks to Keith's influence and I grew into a Camper Von Beethoven fan as well.
Keith was a progressive person--a man ahead of his time.
There, was that enough credit, or should I stop?
Thanks for allowing me to share your thoughts.
Next Kill your idol person--Joe???
It does my heart good that you'd all be so concerned about my opinions. It really does. Having said that, I'm sure to disappoint with the following ravings...
BLONDIE - THE HUNTER. I sure do love Blondie. Love 'em lots. Used to have a poster of Debbie Harry up on my wall to look at for...inspiration. Yup, I love Blondie. But I HATE this f'ing piece of crap. I'd be able to say I have all of their CD's if it weren't for this over-blown attempt at " ART ". ( Actually, I wouldn't be able to say I own 'em all even if I DID own this, because I sold John the almost-but-not-quite-as-disappointing " Curse Of Blondie " from a few years ago. ) Before this LP came out, I thought Blondie were one of the best groups in America, if not the world. Then The Hunter came out, they did a horrible tour of it, and they broke up. Serves 'em right for over-reaching. But I still love all their earlier discs.
And I wish I still had that poster...
10CC - MIRROR MIRROR. Boy, was I happy when I saw this in the store back in 1995. " Wow, 10cc is back together ! I love all their other LP's. This'll be great !! " But no, it wasn't. They hadn't REALLY gotten back together, it was just some Graham Gouldman & Eric Stewart solo tracks that they cobbled together and called " an album ". And they aren't even GOOD solo tracks. Suck city. Oh, and it has a remix of " I'm Not In Love " as well, just to rub salt in the wound. They actually apologized later for putting it out, but they still haven't sent me a refund. For money spent & time wasted, not to mention the heartbreak of yet more of my musical idols letting me down.
LUSH - LOVELIFE. Yeah, none of you listen to or care about Lush. And if this had been the first CD by them you'd ever heard, I'd understand. But I really enjoyed their previous discs, and thought that this would be more of the same. Nope. Very anti-men songs, or at least that was how I interpreted them, and being a man, this was somewhat unsettling. ( I should add that the main songwriters in the group were women. ) I haven't listened to it since, although I still own it, so maybe someday I'll try to listen to it again, & I'll like it better. But I've said that since 1995, when I bought it, and it hasn't happened yet. Maybe after I finally watch " Being John Malkovich ". Oh, and Lush broke up after this disc came out. Go figure.
THE VENTURES - ROCKY ROAD. It sure is, when you're an instrumental band whose home country has abandoned you and you haven't had a hit since 1969. So now it's 1976 and what do you do to revitalize your career ? Hire a chick to sing for you and make a disco album ! Great idea !! ...No, not really. In fact, it's a wretched idea which produces a wretched album which I still have because I have all their discs. Lucky for me, it came out on CD as part of a 2-fer, so I didn't have to buy it seperately. Because I would have, because I love them, but I would have had a hard time justifing it. And I would have waited a long time to do it. Thankfully, they didn't break up after making it, and have made many fine albums since then. Not so the case with...
THE BEACH BOYS - SUMMER IN PARADISE. What do you get when Brian Wilson doesn't participate, and Carl Wilson, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston are barely present ? That's right, a Mike Love solo album, which is what this is for all intents and purposes. It's bad. REALLY BAD. So bad, in fact, that I don't own it and have no plans to do so. Because sometimes you just have to say " I can't buy this CD even though I own every OTHER CD that says " The Beach Boys " on the cover, because I know in my heart that it sucks. Because it's a Mike Love solo CD, and that's a BAD THING. " It DOES have a nice cover tho'...
So there you go. Hope it was worth the wait. My pain is your pleasure.
Thanks for Blogging, Joe.
I own the Hunter and bought it when it was reissued. Having said that, I HAVE NEVER PLAYED IT. Chris Stein said it was his favorite. Ouch! I should give it a listen.
I always like 10CC and I like Godley and Creeme's Cry single. I have never heard this album.
OK, I admit it--I have NEVER heard of LUSH. Knowing your penchant for Girl Groups, I am assuming this is one.
I do not own anything other than Best of Ventures CD's. If it is a Rocky Road, I hope it has more marshmellows than nuts (All those expecting that horrid pun, raise hands again!)
I think I have Summer In Paradise ona two-fer, maybe not. Mike Love's house address is 666 because HE IS THE DEVIL. I just wish Brian Wilson would kick hs ass amd end it once and for all.
By the way, I had a student last year who says she is a very distant cousin of Al Jardine. I told her to find me an autograph, but to no avail. So, I flunked her.
Just kidding.
I was kinda thinkin' you'd put 15 Big Ones on your list.
Thanks for adding to the kill of the idols.
Post a Comment
<< Home