The recently bought records topic

[jimmie ray]

Uriah Heep?
That band was as vacuous then as Lady Gaga is now: Image over content. By the way: I like Lady Gaga better, she is at least funny. Uriah Heep was just pathetic.

Are you dwelling on lyrics, again? I rember Uriah Heep as a decent bunch of musicians, like Deep Purple - and "Easy Livin" stills stands out as an enjoyable classic. Being "funny" is not much of an attribute to musical quality, except maybe in the case of the B-52's, or Talking Heads.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

I'm going to feed into this only once, he's the only person here who puts down other forum members musical tastes, that says enough. I also agree with Jimmie Ray, being funny is not much of an attribute to musical quality, and if you believe it is, then that pretty much says it all.

[redrabid]

Come on, boys and girls, don't be so sensitive. This isn't a society to congratulate each other on musically correct taste. Having senseless discussions on the musical value of particular bands is part of the fun of a site like this. I remember a discussion between Jimmy Ray and me about Randy Newman, an artist that he loathes, that I liked very much. It sharpens one's opinions.
I find it rather surprising that it is O.K. to put down Lady Gaga, mainly because of the bland marketing package that stiffens whatever musical quality, she as an artist may have (at least she sings better that the leadsinger of Uriah Heep), but that we must refrain from criticizing a band like Uriah Heep who (as a lot of other metalbands) were at the beginning of the development of cloaking a band in an "image" by marketing departments. Just because somebody on this forum likes that band. Yes, I think Lady Gaga is funny, as a phenomenon, a perfect example of what the music industry has come to.
Deep Purple? Remember "A Child in Time"? Dreadful music to my ears.
Keep this forum in true Airplane manner: Let's fight amongst our selves. This site has been a bit static and sleepy for too long. Time to kick some ass. Yes okeedoe, provoke us again.

[Susan Butcher]

Don't you think the Mothers' early records are funny? If you're really serious about what you do, you've got to have a sense of humour. The point is that this is different from being unintentionally funny, something that's ultimately sad. And history should warn pop musicians that paying attention to your image and neglecting your music is going to make you into a half-remembered joke eventually.

[jimmie ray]

Come on, boys and girls, don't be so sensitive. This isn't a society to congratulate each other on musically correct taste. Having senseless discussions on the musical value of particular bands is part of the fun of a site like this. I remember a discussion between Jimmy Ray and me about Randy Newman, an artist that he loathes, that I liked very much. It sharpens one's opinions.
I find it rather surprising that it is O.K. to put down Lady Gaga, mainly because of the bland marketing package that stiffens whatever musical quality, she as an artist may have (at least she sings better that the leadsinger of Uriah Heep), but that we must refrain from criticizing a band like Uriah Heep who (as a lot of other metalbands) were at the beginning of the development of cloaking a band in an "image" by marketing departments. Just because somebody on this forum likes that band. Yes, I think Lady Gaga is funny, as a phenomenon, a perfect example of what the music industry has come to.
Deep Purple? Remember "A Child in Time"? Dreadful music to my ears.
Keep this forum in true Airplane manner: Let's fight amongst our selves. This site has been a bit static and sleepy for too long. Time to kick some ass. Yes okeedoe, provoke us again.

That was a good one, when we bantered about Randy Newman! I actually felt better, after lambasting his total lameness. But I can't see not appreciating a group of musicians that can not only play their instruments, but also push their abilities and complement each other. I kind of know what a good or bad voice is - but then again, you hear so many bad voices that people claim have character or soul. I can't distinguish between insightful or silly lyrics, hence I push these aside or go more for simplistic ones. I've seen some threads here, and on other forums, where members share their own lyrics, and it is usually a "society of congratulations". It doesn't do much for me, but I wouldn't poke fun at this, if it means something to them.

[jimmie ray]

Don't you think the Mothers' early records are funny? If you're really serious about what you do, you've got to have a sense of humour. The point is that this is different from being unintentionally funny, something that's ultimately sad. And history should warn pop musicians that paying attention to your image and neglecting your music is going to make you into a half-remembered joke eventually.

I have and love all of these, but would say the lyrics are just plain gross. I'd actually be embarrassed to play most of these songs in front of some people. But Zappa was an under-rated guitarist that always kept a great group of musicians. I've always tied image and marketing more to the singer, and felt that while maybe there's probably many better singers nowadays, the instrumentals are either gone or incredibly dull.

[oldblue]

it's interesting that so many people take criticism of musicians, bands, artists, authors, etc., they like as ad hominem attacks. i wonder why that is


you should deal with dylan fans on this matter. whoa

[redrabid]

Jimmy Ray, do you think we can find another artist we can totally disagree upon? Bob Dylan, perhaps? I can"t recall that he was ever mentioned in this forum before (I joined last year, maybe that's why). Strange.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

People take criticism of musicians they love as ad hominem attacks because people who love music that much are usually shaped by the music they love, and they become the music and the music becomes them, so criticizing the music is criticizing the person.

But that is right, the forum has been sleepy and needs some activity, would've been better if it wasn't through negativity, but so be it. RANDY NEWMAN SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!!!!!!!!!!

There.

[plasticfantastic]

I do think Newman's a talented songwriter, but his voice gets to me after a while.

I think that people often take personal offense to critique of their music because, in my opinion at least, there is a very philosophical element to the music one chooses. It has to do with much more than just something like chord progressions and hit singles. A lot of it has to do with a band's identity in my opinion, at least to some people. Whatever it is in a band that appeals to someone, I feel it often goes back to a person's character connecting with the musician's, and sometimes how they see themselves.

For what it's worth... rather a stretch, I realize. A bit of a dive into deep analysis, but that's okay.

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Sometimes you do seem like the smartest person on here, PF, even if you're the youngest.

I just still stick with my belief that just because you happen to not like something, doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong, and someone's wrong for liking it. Uriah Heep are amazing musicians, they had great chemistry and great songs, Randy Newman can write songs... that's it. Heep really weren't image either, they were one of the bands from the 70's that I think were not as focused on image. And on a note unrelated to Newman, punk was so much born out of image the music was left too far behind, when one thinks of punk they think of the image, and it takes some digging to realize what the music really was. But, I love punk and was semi-raised on it anyway, I actually love all music forms that aren't rap, disco, opera or pure pop music. I can also admit the down sides of all genres, I can completely understand why a lot of people hate Progressive Rock, tons of meandering solos and depressing concept albums, among many other things. I just happen to love it all, and alongside how I love the simple-almost-idiotic anger of The Ramones and The Stooges, or however you could describe it. The point being, you can think Randy Newman is a better songwriter than those of Uriah Heep, but you can't think he's a better musician because that'd just be silly.

I never thought I'd be putting together Uriah Heep and Randy Newman in one paragraph... The nonsensicalness of it shows in this posts lack of cohesion.

[Susan Butcher]

Liking a particular type of music is something like religion. There's arguments over it, people feel personally insulted when their faves are rubbished, and there is an unpleasant tendency to turn the volume up to try to convert the neighbours. (Personally, I like anything that gives me goosebumps. I guess that makes me a mystic rather than a fundamentalist.)

[usedtobebabson]

I hate rap and country, but can empathize with the tribal contact to a very earthy good feeling for the whole crowd.
I remember I was dating my wife in '71 and put in some Grand Funk Railroad music in the car and got goose bumps all over my arms. My wife said to me, You really like that music, don't you?

[jimmie ray]

Jimmy Ray, do you think we can find another artist we can totally disagree upon? Bob Dylan, perhaps? I can"t recall that he was ever mentioned in this forum before (I joined last year, maybe that's why). Strange.

We could start another thread, with a rating system for categories such as lyrics, vocal, instrumental, song structure, consistency, live performance, etc... related to talent - and leave this thread back to it's original content. Nothing too serious, but we could spout off or celebrate our opinions, while understanding more what each person connects with. I'm not a musician, so that puts me at somewhat of a disadvantage for this - but I'm game...

[EmbryonicRabbit68]

Paul Kantner... Or Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship, or Jefferson Airplane, or Jefferson Starship, or Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra (P.E.R.R.O)... It's a fresh wind that blows against the empire.