quote:

Originally posted by Mick_DH:
I think The Monkees are credible and talented artists. Who had some of the best songs of all time, quite a lot of which they actually wrote.

I like The Monkees too.

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Originally posted by Ebenezer Borachon:

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Originally posted by Mick_DH:
I think The Monkees are credible and talented artists. Who had some of the best songs of all time, quite a lot of which they actually wrote.

I like The Monkees too.

The same people who dog the early-Beatles also tend to make fun of the Monkees. FYI, Rhino put out an awesome compilation of Michael Nesmith's (the one who penned "Different Drum") post-Monkees solo stuff called Older Stuff: Best of the Early Years, which just reinforces what a great talent he was and what a raw deal he received for being in a pop band.

Agreed that the Monkees get a really bad rap. They're much more than an American Beatles knockoff.

Another thumbs-up for The Monkees. Terrific pop music.

I'm just going to say it...

I have never, and will never, understand the appeal of Led Zepplin. I have tried. Oh have I tried. But I just can't get into it and sing the bands praises. Doesn't help that the local radio station needs to rub salt in the wound and play 'Stairway to Heaven' every 20 minutes.

In light of recent discussion, and in keeping with the thread's spirit, I'm left with little choice but to say that The Monkees are garbage!

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Originally posted by Eckle:
I'm just going to say it...

I have never, and will never, understand the appeal of Led Zepplin. I have tried. Oh have I tried. But I just can't get into it and sing the bands praises. Doesn't help that the local radio station needs to rub salt in the wound and play 'Stairway to Heaven' every 20 minutes.

I'm with you there. The problem is that the radio hits are overplayed and everything else is really thin. I'm sorry, but most of Houses of the Holy and Physical Graffiti is just unlistenable. For being the band that might as well have invented "album-oriented rock" they have a really weak catalog.

I can make the same accusation against Jimi Hendrix, who just wasn't a consistent songwriter. I was born in 1985; I have a hard time really appreciating Hendrix's experimentation, and as far as electric blues guitar goes I'm more of a Clapton man.

I've never been able to really dig into a Jimi Hendrix album, though I love individual songs of his ("Spanish Castle Magic," "All Along the Watchtower," "Crosstown Traffic," "Castles Made of Sand," "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Little Wing"). The albums just never take hold.

I don't know too much about the Monkees' catalog, but holy crap is "Daydream Believer" a good song.

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Originally posted by odysseyandoracle:

I can make the same accusation against Jimi Hendrix, who just wasn't a consistent songwriter. ...and as far as electric blues guitar goes I'm more of a Clapton man.

I couldn't agree with you less re Hendrix the songwriter. As for Clapton, here's something you might find interesting.

I'v also got to disagree. Jimi was not only a fantastic songwriter, he could make very consistent albums. I actually don't like some of his more well-known stuff, and as far as Clapton compares to Hendrix, I'll take Jimi over him anyday.

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Originally posted by Chamberk:
I don't know too much about the Monkees' catalog, but holy crap is "Daydream Believer" a good song.

Yes! It's so uniquely amazing.

Also, I finally paid attention to "Good Vibrations" the other day, and was completely floored.

Clapton flat out sucks.

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Originally posted by Eckle:
I have never, and will never, understand the appeal of Led Zepplin.

Really? Not even when you were in Junior High? Every adolescent boy should go through a Led Zep phase, and then put them away with the rest of their childish things when they grow up.

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Clapton flat out sucks.

I wouldn't quite go that far. I do enjoy Cream and a couple of Derek and the Dominos tracks. But yes, his solo career has been pretty uninventive and generic, I think. I feel like sometimes he's too good at guitar to have a good feel for what people actually like.

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Originally posted by Bhob:

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Originally posted by odysseyandoracle:

I can make the same accusation against Jimi Hendrix, who just wasn't a consistent songwriter. ...and as far as electric blues guitar goes I'm more of a Clapton man.

I couldn't agree with you less re Hendrix the songwriter. As for Clapton, here's something you might find interesting.

Nice article. I'd say that about sums up why I like Clapton as a guitar player more than Hendrix - when I listen to Clapton it just feels more "musical" to me. I feel like I can relate to Clapton more than I can relate to Hendrix, who just sounds, well, out of this world. And Clapton's playing in the early 70s has an intensity I haven't heard from anyone else working in the electric blues idiom.

As far as defending Clapton's career as a whole, I definitely won't do that. Most of it is really awful, probably reaching a nadir with his lifeless self-cover of "Layla." But the guy can still play - I saw him at Madison Square Garden a few days ago - and I'd take the Derek & the Dominos stuff over anything Hendrix did - although to be fair Hendrix never had Duane Allman as a sideman.

Personally, my favorite virtuoso guitarist/singer/songwriter from that era is Richard Thompson. He seems to have settled into kind of a groove as a songwriter but he still hasn't run out of neat things to do on guitar.

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Every boy should go through a Led Zepplin phase.

Good thing I'm a girl.

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Originally posted by Eckle:

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Every boy should go through a Led Zepplin phase.

Good thing I'm a girl.

Ooops. I knew that. I read your wonderful intro post. Umm, you'r off the hook, now go and listen to everything remotely related to Talulah Gosh.

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Originally posted by odysseyandoracle:
And Clapton's playing in the early 70s has an intensity I haven't heard from anyone else working in the electric blues idiom.

Peter Green >> Clapton. I've always found Clapton's blues playing unconvincing. He's more of a blues-rock player.

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Richard Thompson. He seems to have settled into kind of a groove as a songwriter but he still hasn't run out of neat things to do on guitar.

Agree. I've only ever seen Thompson play "wooden music". I'd love to see him plug in.

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Originally posted by Bhob:

Peter Green >> Clapton. I've always found Clapton's blues playing unconvincing. He's more of a blues-rock player.

That's sort of what I meant. Normally I'd hesitate to knock an entire genre, but this IS a thread titled "SACRILEGE" - I find straight electric blues pretty boring. Give me rock and roll or just give me the pure stuff..

It should go without saying that I'd induct Stevie Ray Vaughan into the Hall of the Overrated - slavish Hendrix imitations + ass loads of generic electric blues.

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Agree. I've only ever seen Thompson play "wooden music". I'd love to see him plug in.

Same here, actually. I've seen him acoustic twice but he never seems to come by me with a full band - especially now that I live in the middle of nowhere most of the year.

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Originally posted by Maximum Jack:

quote:

Originally posted by Eckle:
I have never, and will never, understand the appeal of Led Zepplin.

Really? Not even when you were in Junior High? Every adolescent boy should go through a Led Zep phase, and then put them away with the rest of their childish things when they grow up.

I don't think Zeppelin should be put away! Led Zeppelin III is still one of the best rock albums ever. IV is damn good, too.