Thoughts?
So: 1) Never owned any Nirvana. Didn't care for them. Owned plenty of Soundgarden, plenty of Alice in Chains. Didn't really think Nirvana was the best band to come out of Seattle by a long shot. 2) Never owned any Foo Fighters. Never so much as listened to 'em. Not my kind of music. Not a fan of the Foo Fighters. BIG fan of Dave Grohl. Why? Because there's a raw enthusiasm and a drive to share in the man that's just charming. Sonic Highways is awesome to watch. Yeah - the dude is making a Foo Fighters album. And yeah - the part at the end where they play the song that the show is ostensibly about? Definitely the worst part of the show. But if I, a person who doesn't give the first fuck about Foo Fighters, sits down to enjoy multiple hours of television focused on making a Foo Fighters record then maybe the dude is doing something right. And hey. You wanna hear Come as you Are back in 1984? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighties_(song)#Nirvana Killing Joke dropped the suit and any mention of it when Kurt Cobain died. Know what Dave Grohl did? Never seen Foo Fighters. Never listened to Foo Fighters. Probably never will. Never liked Nirvana, never will. But fuckin' lay off Dave Grohl. Not only is he not being an asshole about it, he's legitimately giving back. I mean, The Doors sucked hardcore, too but for some reason you can't say shit about Jim Morrison. So I guess Grohl's crime is not dying?We were very pissed off about that, but it's obvious to everyone. We had two separate musicologists' reports saying it was. Our publisher sent their publisher a letter saying it was and they went 'Boo, never heard of ya!', but the hysterical thing about Nirvana saying they'd never heard of us was that they'd already sent us a Christmas card!
Nine years later, in 2003, Dave Grohl, Nirvana's drummer, took a leave of absence from his current band, the Foo Fighters, to record on drums for Killing Joke's second self-titled album. The move surprised some Nirvana fans, given Nirvana's past conflict with Killing Joke.
Bother Robert Summerlin is preaching to the choir in my case. Listen up and let him pull the veil from your eyes. I've never been able to focus on more than 30 seconds of a boring ass Foo Fighters song. Groany ass unoriginal white boy music. I can't understand some of the music you post Green. Pearl Jam is JUST FUCKING TERRIBLE. They can't hold a candle to the stuff you make yourself. The structures you use in your music have about 50 times more originality, your subject matter is way less indulgent and repetitive and I'd could listen to just about anybody more happily than what ever his names vocals (for real Brittney, Kati Perry, Yoko Ono, fucking anyone else please). Can they rip a rocking riff? Sure, so can many others and in a way that is intensely more alive. They are zombies for a certain rock feeling that was bequeathed by our forefathers. Kids want that classic rockin feeling but they don't want to listen to their parents shit so they glommed onto this dead ass simulacrum of real original rock and roll to try and match that feeling while being "original" (see manipulated). Foo Fighters are just trying to ride the same Pearl Jam money train. Makes me sad to see guys like Mike Watt climb up on that pony and stop playing anything worth listening to again. The minute he started talking about Buddy Guy it make me think of a vid I saw of him last week, Buddy is fucking alive in this shit.
Also made me think of Neil Young "Ohio". I'm not a big Neil Young fan, can't say Ohio is big up on my list of songs I want to hear but just chanced to hear and pick it apart the other day. Not a song I especially give a shit about but it's a great song, lyrically, structurally and giving that classic rock feeling. Song means something more than the White guy experience and kicks butt. Mostly it's not a murky pile of self indulgent, groany, unoriginal crap. If Foo Fighters never wrote a song that could hold Ohio's jock strap I don't know about it.
Thanks for the compliment, I hold your music taste in high regard and it heartens me to know that you have checked out some stuff Ive posted. As for Pearl Jam, there's a reason I haven't listened to an album of theirs that they've released past me being 22 years old. It's nostalgia for me.
I really don't disagree with you and I'd be bummed out if I thought that you equated my music library with PJ. In the realm of my musical influences PJ is almost non existent. In the realm of the soundtrack to my youth, they're everywhere. As such, I'm able to be transported to a time and place that was special to me when I hear Ten, VS, Vitology and even Yield. Beyond that, I don't think I could name a song or an album. But yeah, I tend to agree about them and the Foo Fighters. Not a lot of soul in there, even less in the FF. I'm surprised that you're not a Neil Young fan. He has some really amazing music. Thanks for the links
cgod thenewgreen What about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild_%28soundtrack%29 Also, Pearl Jam kicks ass live, even 20 years after they stopped making good music.
I also listened to the song cgod did. I actually enjoyed it, it's not fantastic, it's never going to be on a mix I make for someone (yeah, I still do that) but it's a fine song. If we are getting rid of artists that sing about "white guy problems" -whatever that is? I suspect there's a lot we will be throwing out. Again, I'm not a huge fan, but I'm not a detractor either. PJ has a major place in my past. I'm not familiar with Eddie Vedder solo work, but he did do a song with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan a while back and when listening to it, all I could think was damn, this song is awesome I just wish it were only Nusrat.
For the most part I'm over hearing white guys with guitars bitch about how troubled they are. There are so many things which I find immensely more stimulating and inspiring that I have no time for groany cliche. Occasionally a troubled white boy strums his way to my heart but It's less and less common every year.
Sorrow cares not of pigment and all pain is relative, but I suppose I get where you're coming from.
I just gave "Hard Sun" a try, it was the "hit" off that album. It's a White guy problem song.
The world is hard (he even thought about killing himself), he has a great girl that he keeps leaving but she always takes him back. The guitar is lost somewhere between rock and country, if I were him I've pushed for a bit more country might have given this thing some soul. It's him singing alright, way toned down from PJ but it's his affectations, once again maybe he should have cut a little country. Pretty sure that I'd have a bad time seeing them live. I've been won over by bands that I didn't like going into a live show so who really knows (the opposite is true as well). I'm sure that ticket prices for them would be high enough and their opening band would never be tempting enough for me to give a PJ show a shot.
I have to say the Ten is probably one of my most played albums. Tried listening to the other ones, didn't connect to them. I discovered Ten when I was a teen, 15 maybe? And it did hit a nerve. Still love listening to it :) Into the wild was an amazing soundtrack. You should check it out... As for Dave grohl, I didn't know he was in nirvana (oil and feather me...) but I also never had a foo fighters track on my lists. No idea why
I own and listen to a few Neil Young records. I'm not a fan but really enjoy some of his work. I'd say I am a fan of CSYN, I can listen to just about anything they did and have a good time. There are Neil Young albums that I find unlistenable. If I had to guess the single biggest influence in your music I'd guess the Beatles.
I can't disagree with many of the points in this article. At the same time, Dave Grohl is still one of my favorite musicians. I don't listen to the Foo Fighters to hear raw, authentic rock and roll. I don't listen to the Foo Fighters for clever, insightful lyrics or innovative musical ideas. I can find that type of music from other places. I listen to the Foo Fighters because they write catchy, accessible music that, at the same time, has an emotional appeal that spans across many different demographics. At one point, Dave Grohl was probably the best songwriter in the world, according to these parameters. The Foos last few albums have been a disappointment, but at this point I can't say I'm surprised. They still have a remarkably strong back catalog, and put on quite an entertaining show (based on personal experience!). And yes, Dave Grohl's enthusiasm is also a big factor. He comes across as a genuine, warm guy that simply enjoys writing and performing music, and feels blessed to be able to do that. I think it's ridiculous to suggest he continues to perform and write simply to make money. Is it possible? Yes, I don't know him personally, nor do I know a lot about his business ventures. He certainly doesn't come off as money hungry though, and that in itself is rare enough these days that I treasure it. Sure, many people probably benefit financially from his touring and releasing music, and I think that in itself is great. Still, he doesn't need anymore money, and neither do his bandmates.
I like his new show on HBO. Well, I like the parts he's not in. I feel like a prick saying that because he seems like a sweet dude who has a real passion for what he does. He seems like that. I get a weird vibe listening to him sometimes. He's just too damn nice. Maybe I'm just a bitter asshole. I don't hear passion in his music. We saw Foo Fighters in New Orleans Halloween weekend and it was just so... meh. There's no fire in it. It's poprock to my ears. What do I know? Only song I can play on guitar is House of the Rising Sun. The man has talent and I wish Foo great success. They just don't get my blood pumping.
Two things make me like Dave Grohl, neither of which relate to his music. They relate to him as a celebrity. It's okay with me: 1) He's been part of getting Bob Mould to eschew retiring in favor of rockin' our asses again. 2) He played Aneemuhl in the recent Muppet Movie.
Really? I didn't know that. I know Grohl was part of a tribute concert to Bob Mould but that's about it. Also, his new abum, Beauty & Ruin? Great, great album.1) He's been part of getting Bob Mould to eschew retiring in favor of rockin' our asses again.