Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Artists with no filter


Low End Bee
 Share

Recommended Posts

Inspired by Bilbo's Steve Hacket thread.
I find the fine line between genius and disaster interesting.
I put forward Lawrence from Felt/Denim/Go Kart Mozart. Is he a wry commentator and skilled songsmith or just the loony next door who doesn't know what an email is?
Mark E Smith likewise.
Ritchie Blackmore from Highway Star to the Hey Nonny Nonny stuff on lutes while wearing Carry On Medieval get up.
More will come to me. I'm not sure why I'm quite so intrigued by the no filter brigade. Maybe it's that they are true punk rock!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, so I'll jump straight in with a controversial (or is it) suggestion. An up and coming young lad called Paul (Macca) McCArtney.

It's been interesting to watch his progress from the point where he kinda got too big for anyone to say to him, "Paul, really...?" For me I'd musically put that some time soon after the "Give My Regards to Broad Street" album. I reckon that's the last album I've heard of his full of cracking songs. I've always thought he benefits from a strong co-writer/collaborator - Lennon (adding the cynicism back into his music*) or George Martin, Denny Laine or, on "BrRoad Street", Eric Stewart of 10CC fame IRRC.


* The story of "Getting Better All The Time" as told by George Martin is a great example of this where Lennon's interjected "...counld't get much worse..." saves it from just being a twee syurpy tune.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1442851894' post='2870002']
I'm sorry guys but I have just two words to say to you.

Elvis Presley
[/quote]

Hmm, possibly. I think his management wasn't good for him for most of his career. I suspect that missing out on the 1980s has helped him to retain a little dignity in that respect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Possibly a controversial choice here, but Kate Bush seems to (almost) always have one track on each of her albums that makes me cringe.

Case in point: [i]Experiment IV[/i], which was the bonus '[color=#252525][font=sans-serif]previously unreleased track[/font][/color]' on [i]The Whole Story[/i] greatest hits, which leaves me embarrassed for her every time I hear it. I think there's a similar example on just about every other album she's put out.

[i]There Goes a Tenner[/i] sticks out on the otherwise magnificent [i]The Dreaming.[/i] Lots of other examples to be found.

Oddly, [i]The Hounds of Love[/i] is entirely free from such aberrations, which is probably why it's my favourite KB album.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the biggest disappointments of my years in record companies was turning down a Ray Charles album (turned out to be his last) that really needed some filtering. Horn arrangements were all played on the cheesiest of synths. I suggested to his management that we'd take the album if we could put real horns on but they said they couldn't relay this back to Mr Charles. Album came out a few months later and got slated for the awful horn lines!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1442849537' post='2869981']
Inspired by Bilbo's Steve Hacket thread.
I find the fine line between genius and disaster interesting.
I put forward Lawrence from Felt/Denim/Go Kart Mozart. Is he a wry commentator and skilled songsmith or just the loony next door who doesn't know what an email is?
Mark E Smith likewise.
Ritchie Blackmore from Highway Star to the Hey Nonny Nonny stuff on lutes while wearing Carry On Medieval get up.
More will come to me. I'm not sure why I'm quite so intrigued by the no filter brigade. Maybe it's that they are true punk rock!
[/quote]Don't forget Sting - he's got lute crime on his criminal record.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to add Jeff Berlin into this mix. He is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished players on the scene in terms of advanced chordal technique, soloing etc etc. Nevertheless, he has the worst, thinnest, ickiest sound imaginable and chooses the worst tuines (Imagine, Tears In Heaven) to perform with some sort of pseudo-commercial intentions, his concepts are cringeworthy (Low Standards - a trio with a pianist who can also play bass so JB can do a 'lead' bass thing over the top of a walking double bass. I LOVED him with Bruford and Allan Holdsworth and Champions and Pump It were great (a couple of turkies in there but otherwise ok) but now and for the last couple of decades he is, for me, the 'cleverest bass player who I can't listen' to in the world. He needs a producer that can stand up to his 'I have this concept' b******.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To a very limited extent - Phil Lynott :o

Yes, I know that the majority of his work was great, [i][b]but[/b][/i]....

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKb13Z9gg0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvKb13Z9gg0[/url]

and

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhAmA_ILgl4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhAmA_ILgl4[/url]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...