The Ten Most Hated Men In Rock

[MindGoneHaywire]

Cute, good for a laugh. I love this opening salvo at Paul McCartney:

"Barely qualified to carry John Lennon's roach clip while both toiled with a grotesquely overrated boy band known as the Beatles"...

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/issue...-01/music.html

[mad rhetorik]

Jay, this is awesome (not to mention long overdue). I'm printing out the "Least Wanted" posters as we speak.

Especially loved that blurb about Carraba/Oberst. Emo-hipster douches.

Speaking of douches, where's John Mayer?

[3-LockBox]

Good thing I have guys like you on this board, who like to surf and report your findings back here at RR. (I rarely, if ever, surf)

Thanks for the laugh.

[tentoze]

A beauty, Jay. Thanks.

[Swish]

...for me, although the bios they wrote are really a hoot, and I had to read each and every one. Thanks J, best thing I read all day.

Swish

[Jim Clark]

I even laughed when the nailed the one I like.

jc

[DarrenH]

It's really a shame that Carlos Santana has morphed into the pop/rock schlock guitarist that he's become. I still respect his work from the late 60's and into the 70's and own quite a few CD's from that era. I will always hold Carlos in some high regard.

Never ever was a Buffet fan. Never saw the appeal in his music. Not even Margaritaville.

Never like Bryan Adams either. Had no idea Ryan was even related to him. Tells you how much I know about him, eh.

I like Elton John's music. Just don't go past 1974.

Macca was okay. Buy Wings Greatest Hits and Band On The Run and you have all the good stuff with some fluff.

Fred Durst? Wasn't he the lead singer for some rap/metal band? Shows you much I care for that style of music. Or him for that matter.I wasn't paying attention.

Never knew anything about G.E. Smith beyond SNL. And never cared.

Conor Oberst & Chris Carrabba - couldn't even begin to tell you who they are or what they played or who they played it with. No clue. No importance to me at all.

The Dead will always have a following. I could care less if they're still on the road. Apparently, there's still a bunch of Dead Heads out there who still want this. I won't pay to see them but I do enjoy some of thier live stuff from the early 70's. At least Phil Lesh is doing some creative things lately.

Thanks for the post Jay. An interesting read.

Darren

[kexodusc]

My question is why isn't there one corporate shopping-mall punk frontman on the list?
Maybe nobody'd recognize the name?

Still this was pretty good. Can't believe Courtney Love didn't crack the top 10 (well, guess she's not a MAN per se...but Fred Durst is?).

[Mike]

run your career over ten years and you run the risk of being savaged by critics/hacks at some point, basically after 10 years very few acts have anything new or interesting to offer.
The exception being if an artist goes solo from a band or the band takes on some new blood.

Can anybody name a artist/band still doing the business after 10 years - I'm diving for cover as you type.

Cheers
Mike

[N. Abstentia]

Artists/bands still going after 10 years, and still doing very good stuff:

Rush
Yes
Live
Dream Theater
Fates Warning
Iron Maiden
Queensryche
Primus (still hanging on I think!)
Dave Matthews Band
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Gary Hoey
Eric Johnson
Journey

My head hurts.

[Mike]

Artists/bands still going after 10 years, and still doing very good stuff:

Rush
Yes
Live
Dream Theater
Fates Warning
Iron Maiden
Queensryche
Primus (still hanging on I think!)
Dave Matthews Band
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Gary Hoey
Eric Johnson
Journey

My head hurts.

I don't see many in that list that sustained interest and quality beyond 10 years. Arguably the last good Rush album is Power Windows although Presto isn't too bad. For Iron Maiden it would be Powerslave and as for Yes they peaked pretty early in my book. DMB, I like them although there are lots round here who don't but you don't need many of his albums to hear the same stuff over and over again.

I'm not knocking these guys it's just a fact of life it's difficult to sustain interest or quality in the studio beyond 10 years. One exception (and I accept there will be some) might be David Bowie.

Cheers
Mike

[kexodusc]

Mike, I could see a virtual gang stomping breaking out between you, N. Abstentia, and myself over slandering Rush, Dream Theater, and Yes in one post!

I would add Pearl Jam to the list as well...in fact their more recent stuff is far better than the primitive grunge stuff that got them big in the first place.

Hmmm, other bands...how about THE FREAKIN' ALLMAN BROTHERS!!!

Megadeth gets a vote for me too...though Risk was last passable album...The World Needs a Hero should be forgotten except for a few songs.

[Worf101]

That's really not to hard a question, to me at least....

1. Prince - Kinda obvious, man's got a new album selling out all over and doin' fine.

2. Annie Lennox - Still making beautiful music and I'd still drink her bath water.

3. Sade - Although you have to remember she'll take as much as 7 years between albums but when she's back, she's BACK!!!!!

4. Chili Peppers - Don't love everything they do, but at least they try.

5. Madonna - Her last album tanked but like herpes, she'll be back.

Man, I'm runnin' out of steam. Guess this is harder than I thought. Well at least I got 5.

Da Worfster

[mg196]

Hey Absentia, I agree that most on your list still have at least a few drops left in the tank, but JOURNEY? They have that Kenny G look-alike who sings EXACTLY like Steve Perry. That CANT qualify for your list, can it?!

A few on my list:

Bowie
Neil Young
Dylan
Morrissey

[N. Abstentia]

I don't see many in that list that sustained interest and quality beyond 10 years.

Cheers
Mike

I know you're not knocking Mike, but I have to reply..it's just too much fun!

Rush- Didn't make a completely un-interesting album until Vapor Trails. Starting with the first album, each one was better than the last, peaking with Presto. That's 16 years! Starting with Roll The Bones it started going downhill, each having less and less to get interested about until Vapor Trails was finally puked up.

Iron Maiden BLASPHEMY! Powerslave was okay, but not nearly as good as Piece Of Mind. But Somewhere In Time and Seventh Son are two of the strongest albums start to finish ever recorded! I think they peaked with Seventh Son, hit rock bottom without Dickinson, and Dance Of Death is right there with Vapor Trails for me. The sound quality is awful.

Yes Come on now, these guys have been getting it done since 1969. May never best the Fragile/Close to the Edge era, but 90125 is still my favorite Yes album (despite the 80's fluff here and there). Magnification is a very good album and is actually a bit of a change again for them.

Dream Theater Haven't made an un-interesting album yet. Wanna hear something even scarier? They haven't peaked yet!

Dave Matthews Busted Stuff is his best yet.

[N. Abstentia]

Mike, I could see a virtual gang stomping breaking out between you, N. Abstentia, and myself over slandering Rush, Dream Theater, and Yes in one post!

I would add Pearl Jam to the list as well...in fact their more recent stuff is far better than the primitive grunge stuff that got them big in the first place.

Hmmm, other bands...how about THE FREAKIN' ALLMAN BROTHERS!!!

Megadeth gets a vote for me too...though Risk was last passable album...The World Needs a Hero should be forgotten except for a few songs.

Heck yeah, just because a guy listens to Yes doesn't mean he can't start some sh*t! You ever been curb-stomped by a guy wearing a japanese robe, big fuzzy boots, and holding a Rickenbacker bass??

I forgot about Pearl Jam, Megadeth is a good call also. Of course the Allmans, they're like the Grateful Dead..they'll never go away.

[N. Abstentia]

Hey Absentia, I agree that most on your list still have at least a few drops left in the tank, but JOURNEY? They have that Kenny G look-alike who sings EXACTLY like Steve Perry. That CANT qualify for your list, can it?!

A few on my list:

Bowie
Neil Young
Dylan
Morrissey

Dude, I LIKE Steve Augeri!

Trial By Fire was a darn fine album (Steve Perry's last) despite a few fillers here an there.

[kexodusc]

Heck yeah, just because a guy listens to Yes doesn't mean he can't start some sh*t! You ever been curb-stomped by a guy wearing a japanese robe, big fuzzy boots, and holding a Rickenbacker bass??

Can't say I have, but there was a mosh-pit at the only Yes show I've ever seen...figure that one out???

Tori Amos is still making music...Tool and Nine Inch Nails are probably hitting 10 years by now...they've got big followings...of course there's AC/DC...


Bands that have been around for 10 years or more that I wish would go away:
Aerosmith
Metallica
Korn
Courtney Love
etc

[N. Abstentia]

Bands that have been around for 10 years or more that I wish would go away:
Aerosmith
Metallica
Korn
Courtney Love
etc

I'll agree with all that for sure. Ugh.

However, the first Korn CD is great stuff. They were really breaking new ground, you gotta remember that they were the ONLY band that had that sound at the time. Now everybody has it. But that first Korn CD has true angst that you can feel, and that's what made them a great band. They were truly pi$$ed off. However, once you sell 32 million records and you own 8 mansions it's hard to get pi$$ed off and make good angry music, thus Korn needs to now go away.

[tentoze]

These type discussions invariably turn out to be nothing more than one person's opinion versus another's. So, in that spirit, I 'll just toss out that I'd listen to a recording of Van Morrison (performing for 10 yrs x 4) spitting into a sink before I'd willingly sit through any of the artists mentioned in this part of the thread (above or below).....

:]

[mad rhetorik]

However, the first Korn CD is great stuff. They were really breaking new ground, you gotta remember that they were the ONLY band that had that sound at the time. Now everybody has it. But that first Korn CD has true angst that you can feel, and that's what made them a great band. They were truly pi$$ed off.

Bunk. Korn's debut owed largely to the sound of Helmet, Faith No More, Prong, and Sepultura. Helmet's In The Meantime and the aforementioned Roots are about the clearest reference points I can think of for Korn and nu-metal in general (except for the fact that it didn't suck). Roots even has a Jonathan Davis cameo--on "Lookaway."

As for the angst thing, Korn always sounded contrived and forced to me. I know this sounds horrible, but personally I question Davis' history of being abused as a child. Even if he was abused, his angst just comes off as uncompelling and whiny. "Look at me, I'm SO tormented" juvenile crap. Now, if you want genuine no-holds-barred RAGE, you should pick up a Strapping Young Lad, Fear Factory, or (metal-crossover era) Ministry album. They don't come much more vitriolic and pissed-off than that, and it's still listenable and inventive music (of course your mileage may vary).

Not intending to slam you. If you dig Korn's first album, fine. You like what you like. But Korn "groundbreaking?" Not hardly.

[N. Abstentia]

Yeah I still think Korn broke new ground. Other than Petrucci, I don't think I ever saw any metal guys using a 7 string guitar. Now they all use them...and it was old 2 years ago. Plus you didn't see any Prong or Helmet clones popping up everywhere...it took 5 years after Helmet broke up for Chevelle to become popular!

But that does bring up memories...I used to love Prong and Helmet both. Prong's Prove You Wrong is amazing stuff, along with Helmet's Betty. I need to dig those back out. One of the best concerts I ever saw was Helmet opening for Primus, probably 1994 or so.

I think the problem people have with Korn is they are unable to seperate 'then' Korn from 'what has happened since then' Korn. Now they look like just another rap/funk/rock/metal band on MTV all day long. Back in '98 (or when was it?) it wasn't like that. Korn was raw, fresh, and just what we needed. It took something like that to get rid of all the Nirvana grungies and bring music back to it's raw roots.

[MindGoneHaywire]

>Korn was raw, fresh, and just what we needed. It took something like that to get rid of all the Nirvana grungies and bring music back to it's raw roots.

Post of the year.

[N. Abstentia]

Have I made my hatred for Kurt Cobain's useless, no talent a$$ clear?

Thanks for the post of the year nomination

[MindGoneHaywire]

I would suggest that talent has more to do with what you perceive it as if that's how you feel about one of the most talented mofos to come down the pike in quite some time. In the meantime, I might be more willing to accept that bundle of joy in the form of a list you threw down there a few posts back that are supposed to have something to do with a continued legacy of quality after ten years in the biz, if I ever accepted that they produced a single, solitary note worth listening to. That would take some convincing. In short, I think tentoze's comments pretty much sum it up for me here.