On this last version, Chuck mentioned how hard it was to find people to debate music with, because of the subjectivity, and also because the person you are debating must:
a) Be as knowledgeable as you are on the subject. (good luck, Chuck!)
b) Appreciate the same kind of music that you do, so as to debate the merits of producers/artists in that genre.
This second point got me thinking about a recent exchange with some musician buddies of mine who, you know, are actually still musicians. Unlike me. My musicianship these days mainly consists of trying to figure out how to play songs like "Whiskey in the Jar" on the ukulele . Not a wide audience for that. Moving on...
So, here's a few things that the idiots I know have been talking about.
DEBATE TOPIC 1: Who's Country is it?
I have a buddy who has been recently recording alot of the top 40 country music stuff for some local talent, jumping in on bass and guitar where needed. Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney...stuff like that.
This caused me to chime in, as I am not a fan of this kind of music. Not because I don't like country music. I do. I just don't like new, top 40 country. At all.
I ain't saying they ain't great musicians--Paisley, Vince Gill, Keith Urban, that girl who was on SNL...not to mention the studio guys backing them up--mother effer musicians all.
But, to my ears, the sum adds up to be so much less than the individual parts. It's just all too shiny and minute rice perfect.
I like the sound of live, honkytonk style country instead--Willie, Waylon, Cash... the outlaws.
Plus, the new guys are pussies when it comes to the subject matter of their songs.
Can you see Kenny Chesney releasing an equivalent to Willie's "I Can Get Off on You"?
Of course not. It's all, "it's 5 o'clock somewhere". When did COUNTRY music become wuss-central When? Hank Williams (1 or 2) would have punched out Mr. Chesney for having the balls to wear a cowboy hat while he sings that song.
DEBATE TOPIC 2: FAVORITE BEATLE DURING and AFTER
As old as time itself. Without getting into too much detail: here seems to be the breakdown from my musical braintrust:
Paul--By just a hair, voted everyone's favorite while in the Beatles, mainly because of his bass playing and songwriting skills. He lost his fastball after 1972. Wings...sigh. Got on HGH in the 90's and had a little Roger Clemens-like renaissance. Now, every album he releases is just a blight on his legacy.
John--The french classical composer of the group, and didn't suck QUITE as bad as Paul immediately following breakup. But again, really missed the give and take from Paul. Here's a guy who needed someone else to tell him when his songs sucked. Didn't live long enough to put out a new wave album, sadly enough.
George--A lot of love for George, during and post Beatlemania. He gets tons of votes from musicians as their favorite Beatle, i've found. And, then there's "Got my Mind Set on You." Well, it was the 80's. Even Buster Poindexter had a hit.
Ringo--Who?
DEBATE TOPIC 3: TOP 5 BASS ALBUMS
Okay, so this sprung out of the Beatles talk, and is really my thread for this blog. To my mind, Paul is one of the most underrated bass players ever. Which is hard to do, because he's an effing Beatle, you know?
So, here's my top 5 bass albums--Rock Division.
5) Rush, Hemispheres--Geddy Lee. La Villa Strangiato is enough to get in my top 5.
4) Primus, Sailing the Seas of Cheese--Les Claypool. Grab a bass, and try to write something as cool as "Jerry was a Racecar Driver", then argue with me.
3) RHCP, BSSM--Flea. I mean, he IS that album. And it's a good one.
2) Rush, Moving Pictures--Geddy Lee. Red Barchetta. Tom Sawyer. YYZ. Holy. Crap.
1) Beatles, Abbey Road--Paul McCartney. Just a master class, if you ask me. It's all so. good. and musical. And I hear something different every time.
And the beat goes on.
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