Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class

[The Human Q-Tip]

I'll flesh out my dislike for Foreigner, specifically because I have paperwork to do this week and I prefer long-winded takes on old rock bands to work. Foreigner albums when I was a kid were definitely in the same "silo" of music as Van Halen and Journey. I knew that I was supposed to like them because I like all these other bands... but something didn't click. I had the same feeling when I bought Bad Company Greatest Hits. I know I should like this because I like these other bands, I'm not really liking this... what is causing me to want this disc out of my collection?

I can now look back and say that the innovation and individuality was super low and the genre they worked in - corporate rock - kind of lent them to safe, self indulgent themes. Here's another song about having fun and getting your rock off. Here's another song about how great it is to be in a band. Here's the slow song about how hard it is on the road. Here's a love ballad, and on it goes. I knew they were a bunch of musicians thrown together by the record company to create hits, but the soul wasn't really there like a band who formed in high school and just kept at it, finding their voice. It's like a classic rock sweatshop churned out safe hits along with their alcolytes REO Speedwagon.

I do enjoy some of the musicianship on a few tracks. Urgent is a good example of their talent overshining this feeling I have that they didn't really have fun making music. But that silo of music, like Bon Jovi, is going to get people into the HOF and interested because a lot of their fans are looking for that validation. I just keep that hit machine silo separate from the "This band is so ahead of the times and pushing the boundaries" silo, or the "Check this out, the Rock Hall really is becoming more diverse" silo.

I think Foreignor's first album was their best - "Long Long Way from Home" is probably my favorite song of theirs. Not really a huge fan of Lou Gramm's voice in general, though.

I always did prefer Bad Company to Foreignor - Paul Rodgers has a fantastic voice.

And Oi, guess which band contributed a founding member to both Foreignor and Bad Company? Here's a hint - they can't stand you.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Brian Eno has a ton of influence, yet he hasn't willed his old band in yet.

Another Green World is still one of my favorite albums. Definitely a "headphones only" slice of music.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Your fascination is with “originality”, which is understandable. You and young Mike Patton from Epic would be good buddies, eating pastrami sandwiches together. I do get it.

But it’s been impossible to be original forever. So to some extent being able to appeal to the masses, entertain on stage and produce a massive amount of hits over 10 years had some respectability. How many bands of the zillions of bands that have come out have done all of those things?

I get that every band can't be breaking barriers or charting new ground. But they at least should have a sound or something that makes their songs recognizable. Maybe exceptional musicianship, or someone with a great voice. The problem I have with bands like Def Leppard is that I truly cannot listen to one of their songs and know it's one of theirs. To me, they are literally indistinguishable from Poison, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, etc. Unless I actually know the song and that it's their song.

So Heart - I don't think they were a particularly innovative band, but Ann Wilson's voice was fantastic.

 

[Randolphkeys]

I think the only way people can understand why Devo is always up for a nomination is to see a little live Devo:


They had a post nuclear meltdown theme where humanity is going through de-evolution. Once you see how committed they were to the idea, the music all starts to make sense. Or it doesn't... and that's your loss.

 

[The Oi]

Speaking of committed...How long till Gwar gets in?

 

[The Oi]

So Heart - I don't think they were a particularly innovative band, but Ann Wilson's voice was fantastic.

It still is pretty damn good, but like all rock n roll voices it has faded a little bit. They crushed Stairway at the Kennedy Center which I’m sure you’ve seen by now.

I put forward that 2:06-2:10 of Alone is one of the best vocal moments in rock history. Not kidding. I’ve listened to it a million times.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I think the only way people can understand why Devo is always up for a nomination is to see a little live Devo:


They had a post nuclear meltdown theme where humanity is going through de-evolution. Once you see how committed they were to the idea, the music all starts to make sense. Or it doesn't... and that's your loss.

I fucking love that.

 

[The Oi]

Devo is too bizarre for me.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

It still is pretty damn good, but like all rock n roll voices it has faded a little bit. They crushed Stairway at the Kennedy Center which I’m sure you’ve seen by now.

For sure. But I think my favorite part of that performance is watching the reactions of Plant, Page, and Jones. I know all the stuff about Led Zep supposedly stealing so much stuff, but even if they took a few riffs -- which is all it really boils down to -- what they ended up doing with them was so much better than the originals that I just don't care. And they did add a lot of their own originality around the bits they stole.

I put forward that 2:06-2:10 of Alone is one of the best vocal moments in rock history. Not kidding. I’ve listened to it a million times.

That's my favorite heart song because of Ann Wilson's vocals on it. Chills every time. So fucking effortless. Wish I'd have mentioned them earlier because they're a really good example of a non-innovative band that I think belongs in the HOF.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Devo is too bizarre for me.

Have you ever listened to Another Green World? I honestly think that an absolutely essential album because it kind of expands the boundaries of how you listen to music. Gets some quiet time, put on the best headphones you have, and just listen to it start to finish. That album taught me that songs weren't just about melody/chorus, and your brain knowing what was coming next, but really just focusing on the sound of what was being played. It's hard to figure out why it sounds so good -- it just does. I'm not sure I truly listened to music until I first heard that album.

@Randolphkeys

 

[Cavatt]

They had a short career because they became giants behind the scenes in music. For influencing the industry behind the scenes, they should get recognition eventually, or the old timer's vote in.



Brian Eno has a ton of influence, yet he hasn't willed his old band in yet. An old college buddy wrote me randomly one day and ranted about how Kraftwerk was great. People are catching up on them. If you are writing a term paper, Kraftwerk is great background music. Ten years from now I think we all talk about these three in the hall. Rundgren was a big champion of Cleveland as a rock venue throughout the 70s and early 80s, and I hope he is rewarded.



I just went through my old CD binder of actual purchased CDs from high school and college: one Zombies album, two Def Leppard albums, two Devo albums, three for RATM and Radiohead, and nine Cure albums. Thinking back to my cassette collection from back in the day, there was some LL Cool J and Janet Jackson... But even more Cure. I'm starting to remember how depressed I was living dependently in my parents house.



I think we just became best friends. Did you see Ween live for free at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this summer? It was walking distance from my place, wife and I got fucked up with her dad and a teacher at my kid's preschool. I'm a retired anarchist and the retirement benefits are shit.

The cure is definitely sad, but I always liked their straight pop stuff too. Lots of weird themes like hsowing up to a party and wishing you didn't go there.

I have seen a ton of bands. I don't know why I have never seen Ween. It is a great mystery. I work festivals sometimes, so in the past few years it has mostly been whatever was on while I wasn't working rather than stuff I went to see on purpose.

 

[KI4MVP]

The Zombie's invented the phrase "Whose your daddy" How can you not put them in. They have the best Harmonies in a band outside the Beatles IMO.

You never head the Bee Gees?

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

You never head the Bee Gees?

The BeeGees did have good harmonies, but I have never understood the fascination with the falsetto. So a guy doesn't use his full voice, and sings in a range usually reserved for women. But with a nasally tone and without much power.

What am I missing?

 

[Randolphkeys]

Have you ever listened to Another Green World? I honestly think that an absolutely essential album because it kind of expands the boundaries of how you listen to music. Gets some quiet time, put on the best headphones you have, and just listen to it start to finish. That album taught me that songs weren't just about melody/chorus, and your brain knowing what was coming next, but really just focusing on the sound of what was being played. It's hard to figure out why it sounds so good -- it just does. I'm not sure I truly listened to music until I first heard that album.

@Randolphkeys

Brian Eno's solo work is what Yoko Ono thought she was doing, but obviously she was wrong and Eno was right.

 

[The Oi]

Here he is with the Beegees again!!!