Oasis - Rate or Slate

[Cowboy Bob]

Have you ever heard Paul Rodgers (Free) sing?

If not, go and take a listen. Then you'll know what a real singer actually sounds like.

Well if you're determined to stay an old fogie musically and not try new stuff, that's your prerogative. I happen to enjoy all forms of music, from opera (Kiri Te Kanewa wipes the floor with Paul Rodgers BTW) through to thrash metal, and I do know what a decent singer sounds like. However, musical talent isn't everything, imagination plays a large part, and unfortunately imagination is something rather lacking in the music of Free. It's all rather derivative, hence their merciless mocking at the hand of Smashie and Nicey.

Your original point with this thread seemed to be to point out the blandness of current popular music, but then with your last post you seem to be suggesting that you're perfectly happy listening to bland AOR. If you're not willing to challenge yourself musically, what was your point?

[Cowboy Bob]

You need to get out more.

You need to learn not to insult people who are trying to civilly answer you questions...

[Cowboy Bob]

Musical talent is everything.

And that is the heart of our disagreement. I don't believe that musical talent is everything. I think the Sex Pistols and The Ramones are great bands, but neither of them contained great musicians. I also love Pink Floyd, and they are very innovative - and a perfect case in point. The least gifted musician out of all of them is Roger Waters (he can barely sing, and his bass playing is mediocre) yet he is considered the heart of the band.

If talent was everything then everyone who likes music with guitars would worship Yngwie Malmsteen since on a pure technical level he is probably the greatest living guitar playing virtuoso. Yet, not many people do, mostly because his music is not terribly innovative and doesn't have much soul.

[OrangeHopper]

Isn't a question of age?

We think the groups of our teens are the best. For me, Led Zep, Floyd, AC/DC, U2 etc.

Then we look for something different. It is human nature.

As the decades have passed it has been for me, The Clash, Suzzie and the Banshees, The Prodigy, Nirvana, The White Stripes, Gorillaz and many more. Recently I have enjoyed something as different as Goldfrapp because she/they have the ability to stand out. Oasis were the opposite for me, just another group offering nothing new or different.

However, I still feel that the are practically no groups who can produce the variety and depth of the likes of Led Zep or Floyd. Robert Plant has been productve throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s and is still worth listening too with his recent offering of the Mighty Rearranger.

We are desperately in need of another musical revolution.

[Cowboy Bob]

The real problem with popular chart music these days is that there is a distinct lack of musical talent and innovativeness represented in the charts. True real bands have emerged in the naughties but I can't say that they measure up to the earlier creatives in the 70s. Mainly because music has become too business focussed these days and so many bands are dictated to about what they need to produce to ensure mass sales with the big record companies. This lies at the very heart of the problem for me.

Now here I agree with you 100%. I haven't bought any music on a major label for a long time, and I'm unlikely to start now. This brings us back full circle in a way with what I said at the beginning of the thread. There is a lot of great innovative music out there, you're just not likely to see it on the Brits, hear it on the radio (since John Peel has died anyway), or get it on a major label. The original links I put up were deliberately obscure and challenging in order for me to demonstrate that fact. None of those bands make music that sounds much like anything else that has come before them, none of them are on major labels, and all of them are doing it for the love of the art rather than the $$$.

[Cowboy Bob]

We are desperately in need of another musical revolution.

It's here, just that the revolution is not coming in the traditional way. The revolution is not happening on the radio or in the record shops. It's happening on the Internet - on lots of obscure little music blogs where people discuss new music. In the 70s we had the fanzine to track what was cool and happening, now we have the blog. It's rumbling along under the surface just as healthily as it was in the 70s, you've just got to be brave enough to dive in, just as you had to be brave enough to blow all your pocket money to go to the gig advertised at the "Spit And Sawdust" on the back of The Organ in 1978. The music being made now is just as exciting as it always was, and just as challenging and new, and just as much out of the industry's grasp...

[Jawz]

Great band, sure Liam may be a bit arrogant, but they are undeniabally one of the best bands to come out of the UK since the Beatles.

[Bagpuss]

Great band, sure Liam may be a bit arrogant, but they are undeniabally one of the best bands to come out of the UK since the Beatles.

Have you ever considered working in snake oil sales?

[Churchill]

Great band, sure Liam may be a bit arrogant, but they are undeniabally one of the best bands to come out of the UK since the Beatles.

They're the biggest load of wank I've ever heard.

If you want a decent band try Pink Floyd, Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin!

Fecking Oasis!!! They'll never stand the test of time.

Another thing, this forum is turning more and more into a school playground!!!

"What's your favorite pop band?"

"I really fancy this girl, should I ask her out?"

FFS!

[ratewhore]

It's here, just that the revolution is not coming in the traditional way. The revolution is not happening on the radio or in the record shops. It's happening on the Internet - on lots of obscure little music blogs where people discuss new music. In the 70s we had the fanzine to track what was cool and happening, now we have the blog. It's rumbling along under the surface just as healthily as it was in the 70s, you've just got to be brave enough to dive in, just as you had to be brave enough to blow all your pocket money to go to the gig advertised at the "Spit And Sawdust" on the back of The Organ in 1978. The music being made now is just as exciting as it always was, and just as challenging and new, and just as much out of the industry's grasp...

You're quite right CB, the internet is creating a much cheaper channel to market for young bands than going to the labels. Look at that band that made the Top 40 recently with no label support. That will only happen more and more over time.

And Zane Lowe does a good show on Radio 1 showcasing non mainstream musical talent (although more in the way of Steve Lamacq than John Peel)...