On back-order: The Byrds (16), Wilco (14), Public Enemy (14), Van Morrison (13), OutKast (13).
As we start a new week, a couple of friendly reminders:
We’ve had several new voters join up in the last few weeks, which is great. If you want to vote, please feel free, but remember—the first week you put an artist on your ballot, you have to explain WHY you’re voting them off (and I’d prefer if the comments amount to something more substantial than “Lou Reed sux how can u compare wih Pik Floyd Pik Floyd roolz!!! ok”).
Also, some long-time voters have made comments in the last few weeks along the lines of “Oh my god, [name of artist] is still here? I forgot about them”—and I’ve had that experience myself, so I’m not calling anybody out. 51 artists is half of the pool we started with, but it’s still a lot of people to keep track of, so do try to go over the list below to make sure you’re not missing anyone ejection-worthy…
The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Beck, Chuck Berry, Björk, David Bowie, James Brown, The Byrds, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, The Clash, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Costello, Miles Davis, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, PJ Harvey, Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Curtis Mayfield, Van Morrison, Nirvana, OutKast, Pink Floyd, Pixies, Elvis Presley, Prince, Public Enemy, Radiohead, Otis Redding, Lou Reed, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Sly and the Family Stone, Sonic Youth, Bruce Springsteen, The Stooges, Talking Heads, The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits, The Who, Wilco, Hank Williams, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young.
1.Talking Heads 5
2.PJ Harvey 4
3.Pixies 3
4.L Cohen 2
5. NEW : Elvis Costello 1 py: it's partly due to the fact I'm not very familiar with his repertoire. But the songs you recommended me last week didn't do enough to put him above other remaining islanders. I like his voice, his ecclectism, his devotion to songwriting, but there is not yet a single song of which I can say "Wow, it's a masterpiece..."
1) Beck
2) Public Enemy
3) Nirvana
4) PJ Harvey
5) The Stooges: They sort of evaded me, and although I have no particular bad feelings for Iggy (only 3 artists left who I wouldn't mind never listening to again), the rest who's still left is simply better. Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna turn on Search And Destroy. Probably the best "proto-punk" (whatever that entails) song ever.
This week I’m starting from scratch. Three of my castaways have rigged the jib, luffed up and set sail for the mainland, while another* has received a full pardon from the govna'. That leaves only one remaining. Time for a fire sale...
1. WILCO
2. OUTKAST: Embarrassingly, I forgot about this duo. "Ms. Jackson", "Hey Ya" and "B.O.B." are all great (and all three are on my iPod), and Andre 3000 gets my full respect for being a highly-skilled musician, producer, performer, etc., but it's not enough to carry them any further.
3. THE STOOGES: Chalk this one up to plain ol' ignorance. A temporary vote while I explore more of their catalogue (specifically, the album that Jack White considers the best rock album ever made).
4. TALKING HEADS: I own their most acclaimed album, but it does absolutely nothing for me.
5. THE BYRDS: When I first started playing guitar, "My Back Pages" was one of the first songs I learned that wasn't Nirvana, Weezer, the Pumpkins or Pearl Jam. I still have a soft spot for it, and McGuinn's Rickenbacker 360/12 tone is something to behold (think: "Turn Turn Turn" or "Mr. Tambourine Man"), but I think their time has come.
(*I'm removing Prince from my ballot for now. I just have way too much admiration for this guy; plus, there are still a few suspects on the island left to assail).
Pure cool, their grooves conjuring a hazy twisted urban reality, their lyrics smugly heartfelt, with an emphasis on the heartfelt.
Generic, though. And a one-trick pony too.
2. Hank Williams (4 pts)
He is to country what Robert Johnson is to blues: someone who invokes the very spirit of a musical genre, the paragon of its mystical beauty. He is magical.
Way boring, though, unless you're into that kind of stuff.
3. OutKast (3 pts)
Bouncy as hell, full to the brim with imaginative effects, and just way fun.
But there's not much behind that bag of tricks of theirs, as annoyingly loveable as they are.
4. Beck (2 pts)
All style, no substance. He's great at synthesizing things, but they're never more than the sum of their parts.
Would have been better if he'd taken a different approach, as he has got the talent for it.
5. Chuck Berry (1 pt)
He's got the essence of rock'n roll, for sure. He basically invented it.
But he's got a song called "My Ding-A-Ling," that goes, among others, "I want you to plaaaay with myyyy ding-aaaa-liiiing." He needs to get out of here, and fast.
In all honesty, I'm surprised the Pistols made it this far (not that I had yet voted for them). So long Massive Attack, P-Funk and Blur, I'll miss you!
1) [5pts] Al Green. Been voting for him since near the start I'm afraid - just bores me slightly.
2) [4pts] Simon And Garfunkel. Some very good singles, but I'll have to vote for them again.
3) [3pts] The Byrds. I confess, of all the big areas of AcclaimedMusic, the Byrds/Band/CCR country rock type bands are the ones I get the least (I do like The Band's s/t however). Just find it a bit too... nice.
4) [2pts] Curtis Mayfield. Full respect for speaking out, etc. But his voices grates on me, in a frustratingly soft way.
5) [1pt] Aretha Franklin. My first vote for Aretha I think. Undeniably, a great great voice. But would I be right in thinking that's all she's still here for? Is that definitely enough? With such overwhelming competition, unfortunately I fear it is not.
1. (5p) Chuck Berry - When Marvin Berry called Chuck, as witnessed in Back to the Future, to give Chuck the sound he was looking for.. well, he used it for all it was worth.
2. (4p) Bob Marley and the Wailers - I've come to say that Mister Marley ain't expected to make it through the week, and that if Mister Schleuse wishes to take his leave of him, he'd best nip along sharply, or there won't be no Mister Marley to take leave of, as we know the use of the word.
3. (3p) The Byrds - If I, Aguirrune, want The Byrds to drop dead from the trees... then The Byrds will drop dead from the trees. I am the wrath of god.
4. (2p) Lou Reed - Well, at one time, you've got it, and then you lose it, and it's gone forever. All walks of life: George Best, for example. Had it, lost it. Or David Bowie, or Lou Reed...
5. (1p) Marvin Gaye - All the music I listen to is full of cussing. Why would I listen to Marvin Gaye? He never swore... well, until his father shot him.
Aquemini and Stankonia are my favourite Outkast albums but even then I think there's just way too much filler. If it weren't for the singles no one would care about them.
As for the Stooges, the piano line to the second track on Fun House has to be greatest performance ever.
1. THE BYRDS. Yes, Jonah, they survived another week. Why, I don’t know…
2. SIMON & GARFUNKEL
3. LEONARD COHEN
4. PINK FLOYD
5. TOM WAITS
As John Cleese once said, “Like it or not, you’ve got to admire the skill that goes into it.” Let’s call that my comment for the two artists who are new to my ballot this week, Cohen and Waits. But, no, I can’t leave it at that…
Leonard is lionized by many artists I admire, but more for ambience than anything else, I think. At this point, songwriting alone won’t cut the mustard—we need some performing chops, and I don’t think he’s got ‘em.
Tom Waits…I’ll be honest—I’ve had “Singapore” marching through my head pretty frequently for over two decades now. Any artist who can make such a bizarre song so irresistible…well, that’s impressive. But, as Harold might say, SH2B47. (On the subject, is it just me, or does Rain Dogs have one of the most disturbing album covers ever?)
By the way, I’m pulling Curtis Mayfield off the endangered list for a while—thanks to everyone for their suggestions. “Move on Up” by itself would have been sufficient to convince me to keep him around a bit longer.
1. Wilco
2. The Byrds
3. The Who
4. The Clash
5. Ray Charles - It's often difficult for me to love an album when I'm not a fan of its main single. The case is similar with Ray, not that I have anything against "What'd I Say", but I can't help feeling it's overrated. Also, Sam Cooke is my man, he would have made it a lot further, but sadly he's not here.
Favourite song of Ray: "I Believe to My Soul".
The sun is aloft and we be sailin’ headway into the port come sundown. She’s been lee helmin’ for a fortnight, but if Seaman Jonmarck mans the mainmast, this fine vessel will be reachin’ the destination posthaste!
By the way, I’m pulling Curtis Mayfield off the endangered list for a while—thanks to everyone for their suggestions. “Move on Up” by itself would have been sufficient to convince me to keep him around a bit longer.
That makes me very happy. Have you checked out Alice by Mr. Waits? It's got some filler, but the high points are quite glorious and among the most accessible of his career. Plus, sparkly production.
Yes, nicolas, he looks happy, but I can't escape the feeling that (choose one):
a. He's 14 years old.
b. The woman is his mother.
c. The woman is a cheap dockside prostitute.
d. The woman is about to bite a chunk out of his neck.
e. All of the above.
No need to apologize, schleuse – the “jack shit” remark was funny as hell. I actually couldn’t take a phone call because I was laughing so hard (and I don’t know you, but I could almost see the disapproving look on your face, which made it even funnier.)
How is that project coming along anyway? Will any hints be forthcoming?
5 points. Tom Waits- Why won't you go away!
4 points. Johnny Cash
3 points. Bruce Springsteen
2 points. Lou Reed- Since the Velvet Underground are on the list I'm going to judge Lou Reed on his solo work and I like very little of it.
1 point. Hank Williams- An innovator for sure. I think the only time I ever hear his songs though are at a bar my friend and I go throw darts at. I would never have the urge to play them on my own time.
I'm so tempted to put Miles Davis on my list but I can't since he's the lone jazz guy. He wouldn't even place in my top 10 but he's on a lot of my favorite jazz sides. I can't keep him off for too much longer though since I don't really like much of the stuff with his name on it.
... but you wouldn't expect a Tom Waits cover to look like let's say... a Radiohead cover (contemporary museum art) ?
Even more scary is Bone Machine cover
1. OutKast
2. Public Enemy
3. Ray Charles
4. Prince - I've held off my vote for this guy long enough. His music doesn't interest me and his hyper sexual personality, feminine stylings and immense ego are turn-offs. I really should have given him my vote earlier.
5. Bjork - I'm not familiar enough with her music to keep her around. What I have heard doesn't spark any interest.
1 pt Nirvana - Shocking! Of course I admire their songs, and the wonderful fact that they were the prime movers in the destruction of hair metal, but I really don't listen to 'em much anymore. They really weren't all that original (not that originality is the be-all/end-all); worse, I find it almost impossible to sit through any of their albums. There is no middle-ground production-wise -- it's either slick or muddy, and in the end my favorite by them is a live album, sponsored by MTV at that.
1. Aretha Franklin
2. Bjork
3. PJ Harvey
4. Radiohead - Too serious. Sorry. It's only rock and roll. (But I really did kinda like In Rainbows...)
5. OutKast - I genuinely like these guys, but we've finally reached the point where I've run out of artists I can live without.
More or less the same votes as last week, with some minor adjustments...
1. Bob Marley and the Wailers
2. Simon and Garfunkel
3. The Who- the songs poll has convinced me that I can tolerate them a little more than Simon and Garfunkel
4. The Byrds- Their continued presence hear disturbs my spirit.
5. Aretha Franklin
Anthony, the new project is progressing nicely. But no hints. Tell you what, I'll reveal what it is when we're down to the last ten artists on the island...which, as things stand now, would be May 26. It'll start once Survivor is over.
I should give it a cool code name until then that doesn't reveal anything...well, since jonmarck referenced boats travelling through time, let's call it the Philadelphia Experiment (yes, I know a lot about bad films of the 1980s).
Loophole - Radiohead are too serious? That's like saying Hank Williams is too country, or "Good Vibrations" is too "piecey". (Maybe I'm just sad that my favorite band - rock's trailblazers for the past decade - have entered this game.)
1) Van Morrison
2) Tom Waits
3) The Stooges
4) Nick Drake
New:
5) Leonard Cohen -- Listening to "Famous Blue Raincoat" again, afteri ts inclusion in the song poll, I was struck mostly by how unfocused it sounded to me. I appreciate, but feel removed from, Cohen's dispassionate takes on his passionate tales. Hence, he gets a vote now.
1) Ray Charles - He's OK.
2) Leonard Cohen - At the risk of be lambasted by his fans, he sounds a little like a Dylan knock-off to me.
3) Nick Drake - He's back on the list, because now we're starting to get down to great artists, and he's not one of them.
4) Hank Williams - I'm not the biggest country fan in the world, so while I appreciate ol' Hank, his time has come.
5) Curtis Mayfield - He might be "super," and he's certainly "fly," but I don't think he's "Superfly."
On deck (in alphabetical order) are the likes of Blur, Lou Reed, and the Stooges and Hank Williams
Ok, rethinking my list of five - just in case it needs reiterating. Firstly I delete everyone that I'll regret voting against, which leaves these eleven names:
The Byrds, The Clash, Elvis Costello, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Van Morrison, Nirvana, Pixies, R.E.M., Bruce Springsteen,
Secondly, I arrange them in order of who is worst (in my opinion), as follows:
Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Pixies, The Byrds, Elvis Costello, Nick Drake, Bob Marley and the Wailers, The Clash, Nirvana, R.E.M.
And thirdly, listing the top five and giving reasons.
1 (5 points) Bob Dylan - What a nightmare this man is, I concede he's a great lyricist and poet, but this is a music forum, not a poet forum. Meanwhile everyone heaps praise upon him and his works. Have I mentioned his irritating voice?
2 (4 points) Van Morrison - Just nasty, pompous, ugly music by an awful man. Never liked him, and I tend to like people.
3 (3 points) Bruce Springsteen - Apparently he recorded one of his albums in his bathroom, that's the only thing about him that I like (the fact, not the album)
4 (2 points) Pixies - I never understood why they were so beloved of students while I was going through my student-taunting phase. Other beloved bands I do indeed appreciate, such as Sonic Youth - but not this lot.
5 (1 point) The Byrds - drab music by a drab band, supposedly amazing but not my cup of tea. Dull and ordinary. Hardly the stuff of the top artistes of all time.
A lot of people are voting against Hank Williams precisely because he is too country, which isn't something they want in their music. By the same reasoning, I've got to list Radiohead. At least I waited this long. And I do like In Rainbows.
Paul – I understand. I don’t have to like it, but I understand. (I foresee a discovery of "The Bends" on the horizon for you...)
Re: Van the man… while I don’t completely agree with Harpo, I can see where he’s coming from. The musical showboating on the last half of Astral Weeks really is sometimes more of a turnoff than it is admirable, and as expected, I lean towards the poppier, more concise Van (you guessed it: Moondance).
Shoot, I used my real name a few posts back! It's not one you here much anymore, but there were six Paul's in my hall in the college dorm, so I use the dumb nickname.
There are only a handful of people in the United States with my last name (there are less than 100 Schleuses in North America, according to genealogical research some members of my family have done), so I use that since I'm very unlikely to be duplicated (it would be a different story in Germany, I suppose).
If anyone cares, my first name is Martin, but I'm gonna stick with my more unusual surname. "schleuse" is the guy I am on this forum.
Maybe I just like it that it's hard to pronounce...
schleuse
Your name is funny because that's how the French called the Germans during the wars
"les schleus"
Makes me think of black and white movies from the '60s
OK, nicolas…I’ll take your word for it. (I’m not sure I want a translation!).
Anthony, within my own family I’ve heard four different ways to pronounce it...and that's not counting my days as a teacher, when several hundred high school students mangled my name in quite entertaining ways. Probably the simplest is
/shloos/ (rhymes with “moose”)
although my other brother (the one who’s not Paul) favors what I take is the correct German pronunciation:
/SHLOY-zuh/
but that always sounds to me like some kind of wart.
I haven’t been “Marty” since I was 12, as I don’t care to be associated with either Michael J. Fox or Ernest Borgnine.
1)Outkast:Self-indulgent albums,almost unlistenable(for me) from end to end...
2)Leonard Cohen:Well I guess he can get a bit bland for my liking
3)Public Enemy:Fell well short of my expectations,can't get into their so-called 'Tour de Force' albums
4)The Stooges:Don't mind them,just starting to get into voting out artists I actually like,still I hardly listen to them very much
5)Lou Reed:I like Transformer but not too much else...
Right then, it's high time I dropped that stupid part at the beginning of my name here (somebody convinced me to include it in my email address years ago, and it stuck somehow). But it's no big change really.
1 Pink Floyd
2 Van Morrison
3 The Clash
4 Bruce Springsteen
5 Bjork:sweeter than a drop of blood from The Sugarcubes she may be, but Bjork is a classic case of an artist I admire rather than actually enjoy. A poor argument for eviction, but it's getting to that stage of the competition.
Also, Bjork sux, no way can u compare too Peejay Harvee she roolz!!ok
I'm going to be a little contrary--I like it when people use a different persona online than in their civilian life.
This probably has something to do with my preference for artifice over sincerity (in art). After all, it worked for Robert Zimmerman, David Jones, James Osterberg, Paul Hewson, David Evans, Gordon Sumner, Carlton Ridenhour, Reggie Dwight, Joseph Simmons, Del MacManus, John Ritchie, Roberta Joan Anderson, Jeff Hyman, Michael Lee Aday, Steveland Judkins, and Richard Starkey.
An internet username and an artist pseudo are different things IMO.
Here I never saw any reason to hide my name and identity.
But some artists change their names to have a stronger impact on their audience (Dylan, Bowie), or to signify something (Prince, Howlin' Wolf, The Edge, Stevie Wonder), or to anglicize their names (Dean Martin, George Michael, Cat Stevens)
When I wrote my book, I finally kept my own name (Nicolas Lejeune)
As a singer I went by the (rather stupid) name of Nick Raven (why ? long story)
But here I wanna be just myself.
I understand, though, those who chose distanciation;
It's a question of personality and aesthetic choices.
Verfremdungseffekt or Nemesis ? Distanciation or identification ? Any one can chose, but that tells a lot of our tastes I guess
4. Van Morrison - I don´t wan´t to see Public Enemy go! So in as a desperate measure I´ll sacrifice Van Morrison. He is due quite soon anyway
5. The Byrds - The Byrds is yet another band that I have very little relation to. They do not fire me up. And i do not think they have the place in history to advance further.
I really like the survivor game format. Soon I will have to start killing favorites to save the acts i really cares about. That´s when things start to become interesting.