smoe.org mailing lists
ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Not Lame <popmusic@notlame.com> |
| Subject | More Adams |
| Date | Tue, 16 Dec 2003 17:28:18 -0700 |
[Part 1 text/plain US-ASCII (3.6 kilobytes)]
(View Text in a separate window)
> @@@@Hey Bruce, I gotta disagree with you. Mainly, I don't think he
> is abour "rocking on" when he's bad. His having the "songs" but
> being a mess during a performance doesn't mean I'm going to like the
> show. It sounds like he first was sulking, then walked off stage
> sulking twice, which is, well, lame. ;) Then, he seemed to
> get "chatty" over what a lousy show he was putting on. Sounds a bit
> self indulgent to me. (again, I was not there but that's how I read
> this review).
> I personally don't pay money to see a car wreck. I don't mind
> loose shows, drunken shows, but I do ask the performer to give a sh*t
> when they play. My sense is that for whatever reason; there are many
> shows where he just doesn't care to invest himself in the
> performance. I've seen many, many shows in my life (as most of us
> have on this list ), and many that have not been that great. Only a
> few times have I seen a show where the performer overtly seemed
> uninvested, uninterested or almost "above" caring about the
> performance. For me, Ryan Adam's show last year was one such show. It
> sounds like he had yet another in a series of such shows.. If
> that's anyone's thing, that's fine. . It's not for me. In fact, such
> performances for whatever reason, tend to linger for me and it takes
> me a while to even hear the songs on a disc the same way as I had
> prior to the show. The old, does the character of the singer matter
> in relationship to the songs discussion.
Understood, completely.
But, personally, I'll take ALWAYS never knowing what to expect w/ any artist
I'm going to take the time to go see. Knowing full well w/ someone like
Adams, well, it may be 'miss' on any given night.
But it could be one of the most memorable, too. NOT just another cool show
to attend and casually dig.
And if the artist/band suck, get self-indulgent, whatever, well, that's the
risk for potentially seeing greatness. But dialing in a predictable,
same-old-same-after-each-night-same set-list type of show which, let's face
it, most artists do in all rock genres way, way too often, well, I'll take
getting burned, every now and then. Sorry.
W/an artist like Ryan Adams, most folks know the risk, it appears. So when
he does a dud, well......it happens. But caving into what folks expect of
him, the pressure to deliver 'greatness' every night(which many of his
acolytes do), how can he not react negatively at some shows.
He's flawed. But so aren't we all. How would most of perform in such a
backdrop, if we made same career decisions to create music and found
ourselves touted as another Dylan and friends w/ Elton.
Speaking of, here's a GOOD thread. GREAT songwriters who just TOTALLY lost
the clue, the path, the vision-thing, the kaboodle---after shining greatness
for a short(or long) time.
Elton John ranks high on that list. When was his last truly outstanding
album(after a string of five amazing ones). For me, Goodbye Yellow Brick
Road and that was 30 years ago. Rolling Stones will forever rule on such
a list as being the most over-rated band in the history of rock 'n roll.
This has been an OLDIES band for almost 25 years now. Last great album,
MISS YOU, but you can twist my arm and give it up for Tattoo You. Stevie
Wonder, another one.....whoa did that guy need a guide to bring him back
into the light. The talk of him and Sting working together does not give me
hope for any change there. Let's tear down those Sacred Cows! (man,
anyone else miss that column in Uncut.....great fun, that was).
So pass those dice.
Bruce @ Not Lame
For assistance, please contact
the smoe.org administrators.