With all due respect: Golden Earring are overdrumming it here ...

[gweimer]

I like the Modest Mouse guy with the alcohol poisoning + helium inhalation vocal thing.  He actually toned that down when they got bigger and did that record with Johnny Marr (I've been listening to therm since high school, not a young band). I find it makes them more accessable to their target demographic of weird schizoidal kids in high school (think Allison from Breakfast club.... that's the one not played by Molly Ringwald in case you weren't sure).

It scares me to realize that you and my son would probably get along.  He basically loves any band with 100 or fewer fans, and abandons any band that gets played on the radio.  I will say that he did turn me on to Deerhoof, though.  Awesome band, but I think he would accuse them of selling out, because their last album had a nice cover.  I should let him know about the Sean Lennon/Deerhoof project just to rub it in.

[Pilgrim]

Generally, you yanks are most tolerant and forgiving of accents.

[snip]

I truly believe it doesn't bug most of you guys and that is something just as truly in favor of you. You yanks are easy-going zat vvvay.

Hey, we have to understand people from Texas, Brooklyn and Joisey.  No wonder we're tolerant.  

Edited to add: And Georgia.  Y'awl.

[westen44]

I dislike this intensely.  It would be hard for me to find anything more unappealing.  I don't know who it is geared toward, don't care, but just pray that I can avoid ever having to hear something like this again. 

[Granny Gremlin]

It scares me to realize that you and my son would probably get along.  He basically loves any band with 100 or fewer fans, and abandons any band that gets played on the radio.  I will say that he did turn me on to Deerhoof, though.  Awesome band, but I think he would accuse them of selling out, because their last album had a nice cover.  I should let him know about the Sean Lennon/Deerhoof project just to rub it in.

LOL, he's not actually that bad is he?

Speaking for myself, I support indie bands more rabidly because they need it more not because bigger bands are sellouts.  I go to smaller shows becasue duelling for floor space with 500 other schmoes, half off them douchebags, while The Whiff complains that she can't see and it's too hot just isn't fun anymore (and becasue the capacity at my venue is 166; since becoming dad I don't really go to any other shows unless I'm playing/once in a while so I came up with my own loophole)

I stumbled back here partially to not feel so old; mission accomplished. Thanks.  

I dislike this intensely.  It would be hard for me to find anything more unappealing.  I don't know who it is geared toward, don't care, but just pray that I can avoid ever having to hear something like this again.  

Really, with all the crap on the radio this is what crosses the line for you?  To each his own I guess, but there's plenty worse out there. Make sure as heck not to watch this one:



The whole lofi thing and somewhat intentional sloppy/poor playing/singing isn't so much a sign of nobody (or those who like these bands anyway) not giving a fugg anymore, so much as a reaction to what I like to refer to as surealfi ethos that has been the status quo for major label stuff since the 70s (thanks in part to many of the bands/their producers you lot are talking about here), and has gone to insane heights with today's top 40 music.  This, by contrast, is accessible and honest. I can understand people not being into it though.  

We actually have a Modest Mouse T Shirt for Jr as soon as he's big enough for it (can't remember where we got it, I think it was a gift, but it's too small for either of us).  It's in the stack with my old Che Guevara, Dead Kennedys and (mostly ironic) Twisted Sister  (with "RON" ironed on the back) TShirts, as well as all the unsold smalls from every band I've been in.  The little dude's got such a jump on being a hipster it's not funny.

[westen44]

Suffering from a toothache at the moment and can't wait to see a dentist tomorrow.  So, this may not be the best time for me to respond to anything.  Whatever Modest Mouse's motivations were, even if they were noble, I simply can't stomach their music.  That doesn't mean there isn't other horrible music out there, too.  Surely, there is. 

[gweimer]

Suffering from a toothache at the moment and can't wait to see a dentist tomorrow.  So, this may not be the best time for me to respond to anything.  Whatever Modest Mouse's motivations were, even if they were noble, I simply can't stomach their music.  That doesn't mean there isn't other horrible music out there, too.  Surely, there is. 

I love you, man!   

[westen44]

I love you, man!   

Thanks.  I thought it might be a good idea to post this, the last song from what could be the final Golden Earring album.

[uwe]

LOL, he's not actually that bad is he?

Speaking for myself, I support indie bands more rabidly because they need it more not because bigger bands are sellouts.  I go to smaller shows becasue duelling for floor space with 500 other schmoes, half off them douchebags, while The Whiff complains that she can't see and it's too hot just isn't fun anymore (and becasue the capacity at my venue is 166; since becoming dad I don't really go to any other shows unless I'm playing/once in a while so I came up with my own loophole)

I stumbled back here partially to not feel so old; mission accomplished. Thanks.  

Really, with all the crap on the radio this is what crosses the line for you?  To each his own I guess, but there's plenty worse out there. Make sure as heck not to watch this one:



The whole lofi thing and somewhat intentional sloppy/poor playing/singing isn't so much a sign of nobody (or those who like these bands anyway) not giving a fugg anymore, so much as a reaction to what I like to refer to as surealfi ethos that has been the status quo for major label stuff since the 70s (thanks in part to many of the bands/their producers you lot are talking about here), and has gone to insane heights with today's top 40 music.  This, by contrast, is accessible and honest. I can understand people not being into it though.  

We actually have a Modest Mouse T Shirt for Jr as soon as he's big enough for it (can't remember where we got it, I think it was a gift, but it's too small for either of us).  It's in the stack with my old Che Guevara, Dead Kennedys and (mostly ironic) Twisted Sister  (with "RON" ironed on the back) TShirts, as well as all the unsold smalls from every band I've been in.  The little dude's got such a jump on being a hipster it's not funny.

I could only listen to "Broke", the other tracks were blocked. I thought it neither horrible nor earth-shakingly different. Tell me, out of tune guitars are just a coincidence on this track or part of a greater holistic artisitic concept? In a day and age where even a bad set of ears can buy a good tuner for little money that seems a bit strained to me.

[nofi]

people tend to forget that most 'indie' bands suck as much as the big boys. indie does not automatically mean clever, different or good. writer theodore stugeon wrote that 95% of everything is shit. if you think about it, then it tends to be true. btw, the word indie means nothing anymore imo,since indie became the mainstream about the time R.E.M. came along. please discuss this quietly among youselves.

[Granny Gremlin]

Fair enough both of you, but:

- indie as in 'independant' still has meaning.  Not much, and often it is used in meaningless ways (e.g. 'indie rock' as a genre makes little sense)
- the guitars are no more out of tune than on most classic era Motown records
- no, not earth-shakingly different; but a near-complete lack of pomp and pretense (more so than their later single, Float ON posted above).  Emotionally naked in the way you expect from those breathy 90s riot-folk grrrls, which can be refreshing every now and then.
- how the hell is nobody jumping on the Twisted Sister t-shirt thing; honestly, just so disapointed over here.

[gweimer]

people tend to forget that most 'indie' bands suck as much as the big boys. indie does not automatically mean clever, different or good. writer theodore stugeon wrote that 95% of everything is shit. if you think about it, then it tends to be true. btw, the word indie means nothing anymore imo,since indie became the mainstream about the time R.E.M. came along. please discuss this quietly among youselves.

Oh, I don't forget that for a minute.  I played in the indie circuit in Cincinnati, and it was a pathetic display of bands that couldn't write/play in front of people that didn't care.  The same can be said for metal in the '80s.  I did record reviews, and if you think you heard really bad songs on the radio, imagine those just making it to the tip of the iceberg, with LOTS worse never even getting there.

[westen44]

I could only listen to "Broke", the other tracks were blocked. I thought it neither horrible nor earth-shakingly different. Tell me, out of tune guitars are just a coincidence on this track or part of a greater holistic artisitic concept? In a day and age where even a bad set of ears can buy a good tuner for little money that seems a bit strained to me.

I just listened to "Broke" and it isn't as bad as "Float On," although the out-of-tune guitars were even worse than I was expecting.  I don't know which end is responsible for this, but I'd wager that "Float On" was blocked as an act of compassion to Europeans. 

[uwe]

I have an Indie guitarist in my band, he call's me his "Mr Classic-Rock & Western-European-harmony-rules-as-we-know-them-bassist" ("you play the thirds, not me!"). I sometimes think to myself when we're playing "Does anybody even realize in the audience that the bassist thinks that Ritchie Blackmore is God's gift to guitar while the guitarist thinks its Kurt Cobain?" And then there is our chick singer who professes a disdain for "classic rock" but everytime I come up with an especially 80ish AOR type arrangement (hammering keys in Manfred Mann's Blinded by the Light style and all) she is wide-eyed about it - "Oh, that sounds really neat and leaves room for the vocals, I like it".

I'm really good at corrupting people. Virtue is nothing without stains. 

[westen44]

^
Kurt Cobain as God's gift to guitar.  That's amusing.  I was never much of a Nirvana fan, and puzzled why people liked them so much.  But I've been reading a little about Kurt Cobain and feel in real life he was probably a really cool person.  In fact, it even makes me feel a little different about the music. 


"I would like to get rid of the homophobes, sexists, and racists in our audience.  I know they're out there and it really bothers me."
--Kurt Cobain

[gweimer]

^
Kurt Cobain as God's gift to guitar.  That's amusing.  I was never much of a Nirvana fan, and puzzled why people liked them so much.  But I've been reading a little about Kurt Cobain and feel in real life he was probably a really cool person.  In fact, it even makes me feel a little different about the music. 

Lots of minor third and fourth chord patterns under very poppy melody lines.  I think they owe their success more to Butch Vig and Steve Farmer than to Kobain's quirky songs.  He should never have wandered outside of intimate bars.  He was not equipped to handle fame, and that was something everyone around him knew.