The Most Overrated Bands in the World

richardhomer

I was in a music shop once when Dan from the Darkness came in. He had an entourage around him and wouldn't look at anyone. Which is surprising, as this was last year and no one had the faintest idea who he was. Someone who worked at the shop told me - otherwise I would have been none the wiser....

Lixarto

TinLip said:

Nobody mentioned The Darkness yet?

Absolute. Shite.

Octahedron

richardhomer said:

I was in a music shop once when Dan from the Darkness came in. He had an entourage around him and wouldn't look at anyone. Which is surprising, as this was last year and no one had the faintest idea who he was. Someone who worked at the shop told me - otherwise I would have been none the wiser....

Maybe it wasn't him? Because the band, as a whole, are a good bunch - they're good with fans and the public in general on public sightings. So I find it hard to believe. Unless he was just having a bad day. 

Lixarto said:

TinLip said:

Nobody mentioned The Darkness yet?

Absolute. Shite.

Refer to previous comment...  

richardhomer

^ The manager of the shop had been sent to collect him from his hotel - there's no doubt it was him. Seriously, there was a whole load of rock star attitude from someone who by this point could only really be considered to be one by himself. Very embarrassing really.... If it helps identify him as the 'real thing', he was very tall.

ToneControl

AC/DC - Poor musicianship, awful vocals, and repetitive - solos by numbers

Deep Purple - Good musicianship, Formulaic and repetitive, sounds uninspired. I really tried to like them

Frank Zappa - I like some of his stuff, but he wasn't some amazing gifted genius as some people seem to assert. A lot of his stuff is just well crafted parody or mimicry of pop/rock, facilitated by his band leading skills. There's only the "Shut up & play yer guitar" albums I would really be inclined to listen to now

Smiths - Formulaic and repetitive, annoying vocals, often sounds like Garage band arpeggiation

Kiss - hard to believe they are not a parody band

Rolling stones - playing weak, dreadfully sloppy and out of tune live, not very interesting songs,  I have never heard any performances that sounded competent, I don't hear loads of raw attitude in their music, just white rehashed R&B. Even the classic Songs are rarely interesting. The Yardbirds were much better. I don't know why the Stones get compared with the Beatles, who were good musicians, and excellent composers

Kaiser Chiefs seem dull

Genesis. So dull. I tried very hard to like them as a teenager. Nothing memorable that I could get to stick in my head

Lynryd Skynyrd were very repetitive and formulaic, cheesy even. ZZ Top have quite a few albums that demonstrate how to make interesting music, even though they mostly work to a formula


hmm there is some formulaic stuff I like though, so perhaps it's not a useful criticism

Octahedron

I have to say I would disagree with your comments with regard to Deep Purple and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Why? Because, I don't find them to be formulaic. Well, mostly. I'd say Deep Purple have a pile of albums in the middle that are kinda formulaic, but the bookends of their output thus far, are most certainly not! Their early stuff and (some) of the latter stuff (Now What?! Rapture of the Deep and Abandon) are certainly not formulaic. 

And Lynyrd Skynyrd... listen to an album like Second Helping or The Last Rebel, and then listen to one of their newer ones (Last of a Dyin' Breed or God & Guns), they've changed enough to not be formulaic. 

I think it can be a problem for bands with large back catalogues. Usually you'll find, as I say, the bookends of their body of works, will prove you wrong.  

Gassage

N Dubz. Useless.

Now this is a true story, so bear with. Back in the days of my ex and our dance biz, we got invited to the 'gifting lounge' at T on the Beach or whatever it was, where the celebs get branded stuff. We blagged loads of stuff, and who came in but Nappy (as I call him) with his 'cool mates' He is about 4 foot tall.

I was looking to go outside and he literally stood in my way, chatting in 'cool talk' and despite it being obvious that I wished to pass, totally ignored me. So I picked him up and placed him to one side and carried on my way, with a fusilade of empty threats ringing in my ear from the posioned dwarf.

I also met The Hoff there. The coolest man I've ever met in my life.

ToneControl

Octahedron said:

I have to say I would disagree with your comments with regard to Deep Purple and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Why? Because, I don't find them to be formulaic. Well, mostly. I'd say Deep Purple have a pile of albums in the middle that are kinda formulaic, but the bookends of their output thus far, are most certainly not! Their early stuff and (some) of the latter stuff (Now What?! Rapture of the Deep and Abandon) are certainly not formulaic. 

And Lynyrd Skynyrd... listen to an album like Second Helping or The Last Rebel, and then listen to one of their newer ones (Last of a Dyin' Breed or God & Guns), they've changed enough to not be formulaic. 

I think it can be a problem for bands with large back catalogues. Usually you'll find, as I say, the bookends of their body of works, will prove you wrong.  

you are probably right, I just listened to their most successful albums back when I had an appetite for lots of rock. Mind you I expect people to develop, that's the malady that we suffer in the UK and USA - ignoring the later material from artists as they mature.
My assessment is just that their highly successful and most known work from the 70s wasn't very interesting

RocknRollDave

ICBM said:

Jeremiah said:

David Bowie (great voice, mediocre songs)

You can't be serious.

I admit he has produced quite a lot of tosh and filler over the years - not surprising over such a long career - but his best songs are up there with anyone's.

....and his voice is poor

ICBM

Gassage said:

Now this is a true story, so bear with. Back in the days of my ex and our dance biz, we got invited to the 'gifting lounge' at T on the Beach or whatever it was, where the celebs get branded stuff. We blagged loads of stuff, and who came in but Nappy (as I call him) with his 'cool mates' He is about 4 foot tall.

I was looking to go outside and he literally stood in my way, chatting in 'cool talk' and despite it being obvious that I wished to pass, totally ignored me. So I picked him up and placed him to one side and carried on my way, with a fusilade of empty threats ringing in my ear from the posioned dwarf.

lol

Best thing I've read in ages .

Philly_Q

Speaking of "urban", hippity-hoppity types, did anyone see Professor Green on TV the other day?  It was either on Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton, I wasn't really concentrating...

Graham (or Jonathan, or someone) interviewed him, he seemed like quite a nice well-spoken chap.  Then he did a song.... and sounded exactly like some whiny little 12 year old kid in the playground going "knowhatimean bruv init blood".  Does he seriously release records like that?

I didn't think anyone could be more ridiculous than Tim Westwood, but now I'm not so sure.

Gassage

Just re Bowie:

1. His work from 69-83 is utterly unsurpassed BY ANYONE in the history of popular music (IMO)
2. His voice- he hasn't a great voice but just like Sinatra, he sings the song better than any man alive.

Genius.

And yes, I'll fight you to the death on this.

Teetonetal

The white stripes. Never got it at all. Quite like his solo work though.

Would also add the strokes, who were hyped to heaven when they came out.

Teetonetal

Gassage;451783" said:

Just re Bowie:



1. His work from 69-83 is utterly unsurpassed BY ANYONE in the history of popular music (IMO)

2. His voice- he hasn't a great voice but just like Sinatra, he sings the song better than any man alive.



Genius.



And yes, I'll fight you to the death on this.

Wow, i mean i like that period of bowie, it's his best for sure but unsurpassed by anyone.. That's quite a claim! :-)

Point 2 is true though anyone else singing those songs more often than not doesnt work

richardhomer

I wonder how much @Gassage would give to see Davids Gilmour and Bowie performing together?

Gassage

richardhomer said:

I wonder how much @Gassage would give to see Davids Gilmour and Bowie performing together?

£65.

Albert Hall 2006.

That's pissed on your strawberries.

EricTheWeary

still a better idea than having balsamic vinegar on them. B-)