Unpopular Opinions about Music

[Enigma X]

My unpopular opinion is that both Nirvana and Pearl Jam were overrated but agree that Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were much better bands. 

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

I think the main reason why Nirvana got that much attention is because they were the "gateway drug" to a lot of the weird underground 90s music, even to this day, in a way that the other grunge bands weren't.

I heard their demo tape, and it was a definite sit up and take notice moment; it didn't sound like anything we'd been listening to.  By the time they got signed to a major label, a couple of other earlier-signed grunge bands had released singles/albums, but for whatever reasons it was "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that really kicked off the mainstream success of the overall sound.

Edited May 20, 2019 by Bastet

[UYI]

Kurt Cobain would also name check a lot of his favorite bands in interviews. There were a LOT of little known underground bands that got signed to major labels because of that.

One of my UOs is that my favorite version of "Angel of the Morning" is Juice Newton's. Merilee Rush's version is great, too, but Juice's is the definitive for me.

And damn, "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" does NOT get remembered enough compared to it and "Queen of Hearts." 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

I heard their demo tape, and it was a definite sit up and take notice moment; it didn't sound like anything we'd been listening to.  By the time they got signed to a major label, a couple of other earlier-signed grunge bands had released singles/albums, but for whatever reasons it was Smells Like Teen Spirit that kicked off the mainstream success of the overall sound.

Technically Facelift was the first mainstream successful album classified as "grunge" (whatever that actually was). But Nevermind made grunge a household name (well, sort of...my college roommate had never heard of Nirvana and that was in 2009!...and one of my friends had never heard of Alice in Chains....)

8 minutes ago, UYI said:

Kurt Cobain would also name check a lot of his favorite bands in interviews. There were a LOT of little known underground bands that got signed to major labels because of that.

Nirvana was indirectly responsible for so many weird bands being signed to major labels. Before that it would have been unthinkable that an album like Pony Express Record by Shudder to Think could be released on a major label, for example, and it would probably be unthinkable today.

[UYI]

7 minutes ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

Nirvana was indirectly responsible for so many weird bands being signed to major labels. Before that it would have been unthinkable that an album like Pony Express Record by Shudder to Think could be released on a major label, for example, and it would probably be unthinkable today.

The one that immediately came to mind for me was the Butthole Surfers.

Speaking of which: I enjoy "Jingle of a Dog's Collar" a little more than "Pepper", lol. 

Edited May 20, 2019 by UYI

[Bastet]

32 minutes ago, UYI said:

One of my UOs is that my favorite version of "Angel of the Morning" is Juice Newton's. Merilee Rush's version is great, too, but Juice's is the definitive for me.

It's interesting you classify that as unpopular, because I would think if you asked ten people (who answered yes to knowing "Angel of the Morning" in the first place) who sang it, you'd get at least seven "Juice Newton" answers.  Maybe one "Pretenders" and one "Bonnie Tyler," with a "Merrilee Rush" even less likely.  Of all the various recordings, Newton's was the biggest seller, so I think hers is the definitive for most people.

40 minutes ago, UYI said:

And damn, "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" does NOT get remembered enough compared to it and "Queen of Hearts." 

I agree.  I love that song.  I have her Greatest Hits album, and that's the song I most often put on repeat and belt out over and over.  "Queen of Hearts" is actually fairly far down my ranking of favorite Juice Newton songs; in addition to "The Sweetest Thing" and "Angel of the Morning," I'd put "It's a Heartache," "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me," "Break It to Me Gently," and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" ahead of it. 

[UYI]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

It's interesting you classify that as unpopular, because I would think if you asked ten people (who answered yes to knowing "Angel of the Morning" in the first place) who sang it, you'd get at least seven "Juice Newton" answers.  Maybe one "Pretenders" and one "Bonnie Tyler," with a "Merrilee Rush" even less likely.  Of all the various recordings, Newton's was the biggest seller, so I think hers is the definitive for most people.

I feel like it almost goes back and forth, depending on the day. I've seen Merrilee Rush's version get a lot of praise and attention, but I've also seen The Pretenders version get a fair amount of attention, probably because it originally appeared on Friends, so who knows.

I will say this, though: Olivia Newton-John's version is my least favorite. I love her, but her version is very weak compared to the others.

Some soundtrack UOs: 

The soundtracks of Grease and Dirty Dancing are better than the actual movies. Meanwhile, I find both the soundtracks and the movies of Flashdance and Footloose to be enjoyable and fun. 

[Bastet]

51 minutes ago, UYI said:

The soundtracks of Grease and Dirty Dancing are better than the actual movies.

Same with Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump.  (And, of course, Purple Rain, but I think that's a rather popular opinion.) 

[Shannon L.]

Just because I've been hearing them a lot on the 80s XM station:

Tears for Fears

Head Over Heals > Everybody Wants to Rule the World > Mad World > Shout > Sowing the Seeds of Love

[Oosala]

On 4/7/2019 at 3:25 AM, Wiendish Fitch said:

It almost makes one nostalgic for Oasis, where Liam Gallagher's enunciation was so precise and calculated, you'd swear he was auditioning to play Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.

This is a good lead-in to my UO.  I fucking LOVE the Gallagher brothers and Oasis.  I love Noel all of the time because he's so talented (and hot) and I love Liam most of the time because he's a true Manc and a real rock and roller (and hot).  There are only three Oasis songs played on American radio now but there's so much more that is amazing (Live Forever, Masterplan, Columbia, Cigarettes and Alcohol, Little By Little, Lyla, shit I could go on and on).  I hesitated to post this because I didn't want to piss off my homey AimingforYoko but there you go.

It's been mentioned by others but I don't like the Beach Boys except for 'Sloop John B' and I don't like Bruce Springsteen at all.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Oosala

[Oosala]

On 2/11/2016 at 6:43 PM, AimingforYoko said:

On 2/11/2016 at 11:39 AM, cpcathy said:

I agree with Liam Gallagher

If you wanted a textbook definition of what this thread is about, there it is. I believe it's one of the rarer sentences in the english language.

^^^AimingforYoko and I are usually in sync.  Here we disagree.

Edited May 22, 2019 by Oosala
Spelling!

[Dandesun]

On 5/1/2019 at 5:32 PM, UYI said:

Am I the only one who is a bigger John Mellencamp fan than Bruce Springsteen fan?

Don't get me wrong, Bruce is amazing--but I feel like John has never fully gotten the accolades he deserves, probably in large part due to the fact that he is less crazy about the spotlight/touring overall. I do feel guilty about it sometimes, because of the implication that you are somehow lesser than for liking John more than Bruce (the whole repping for Indiana vs. New Jersey thing--the idea of Midwestern blandness vs. East Coast "cool"--probably factors in there, too), but I love him and will always stick up for him and his music. I personally really love his evolution from Heartland rocker to Americana/folk artist. It fits him like a glove, for sure. 

It's funny because when Bruce came up there was nothing cool about New Jersey. And the record company wanted to sell him as a New York artist and 'the next Dylan' which is why he made sure his first album was 'Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ' -- There is NOTHING glamorous about Asbury Park, Certainly not in the early 70s so, in a sense, Bruce and John came from a very similar place... a very unglamorous, unhip place that record execs didn't want to acknowledge.

Hence John being stuck with the Johnny Cougar name when he first hit. And I rather love that both of them hit back... they are vastly more similar than not which is why I love them both. That being said, in recent years I've become a huge Bruce fan (always liked him... now kind of obsessed but whatever.) If you prefer Mellencamp that is your choice. Don't let anyone give you shit for it.

[Blergh]

Even before Moby's claims re the much-younger Natalie Portman (to say nothing of her rather scathing rebuttal of said claims) came to light, I NEVER liked Moby. Not only do I have no use for whiny, sulky singers in general but the fact that he and his parents actually bragged that his  performing name came about due to him being a collateral descendant of Herman Mellville and they wanted to highlight that via naming him for Mr. Mellville's most infamous, tedious and boring tome annoyed rather than impressed me. 

Edited May 24, 2019 by Blergh
clarity

[UYI]

I am honestly baffled to see how many people like Darius Rucker's version of "Wagon Wheel." To me that is OCMS' song and no one else's. And the fact that there are probably countless people who have no idea that the original version even exists? Sigh. 

Edited May 25, 2019 by UYI

[Snowball II]

Is it unpopular to think Katy Perry's Chained to the Rhythm is one of the best songs of the past ten years?

I think it's great.  There is something about it that reminds me of an old school pop song, like something from the late 90's/early 2000's.  In a good way of course, not in a dated way.

[UYI]

2 hours ago, Fiver said:

Is it unpopular to think Katy Perry's Chained to the Rhythm is one of the best songs of the past ten years?

I think it's great.  There is something about it that reminds me of an old school pop song, like something from the late 90's/early 2000's.  In a good way of course, not in a dated way.

I LOVE it. And really, Katy Perry herself and her music has only grown on me. I know some can barely tolerate her, but there is something very charming and sincere about her, to me at least. And I love a lot of her songs.

I also adore Meghan Trainor. I guess I just gravitate to a lot of otherwise polarizing/reviled pop stars. 😛 

[Snowball II]

1 hour ago, UYI said:

I also adore Meghan Trainor. I guess I just gravitate to a lot of otherwise polarizing/reviled pop stars. 😛 

I like Meghan Trainor's voice, but I don't like her songs.  The only one I can tolerate is Lips Are Movin'. 

Another UO: hair metal really should have been a female dominated genre.  There weren't very many women performing that kind of music back then, but listening to the likes of Lita Ford and Vixen, there should have been more.

[UYI]

6 minutes ago, Fiver said:

I like Meghan Trainor's voice, but I don't like her songs.  The only one I can tolerate is Lips Are Movin'. 

Another UO: hair metal really should have been a female dominated genre.  There weren't very many women performing that kind of music back then, but listening to the likes of Lita Ford and Vixen, there should have been more.

I had a post about this sometime back, but I really think promoting more female artists in rock music in general would go a LONG way in reviving the genre as a whole in terms of mainstream success. In many ways, it is actually the most male-dominated genre there is--country, rap/hip hop, the folk/singer-songwriter lane and pop music have all had a large number of women find success over the years (although the first two genres are lacking in that department these days, on the radio at least), whereas the number of truly successful female rock musicians feels much smaller in comparison. 

And yes, I do believe that seeing more women in hair/heavy metal (a hair metal revival, perhaps?) is related to that, too. 🙂 

Edited May 25, 2019 by UYI

[WendyCR72]

6 minutes ago, UYI said:

And yes, I do believe that seeing more women in hair/heavy metal (a hair metal revival, perhaps?) is related to that, too.

There is a market for it, too. Lzzy (Yes, that is how she spells it!) Hale seems to be very popular in that genre now, too.

[BuyMoreAndSave]

On 5/22/2019 at 1:12 PM, Dandesun said:

There is NOTHING glamorous about Asbury Park,

My first thought "well, they DO have the gay pride parade there every year...."

Asbury Park has improved a lot though. Some parts of the town are rundown but even there I've never seen anything worrisome go down (at least during the day) and the beach and boardwalk area are very nice. Plus it's next to super fancy Ocean Grove. My husband said when he used to go to Asbury Park in the 90s, there would be needles washing up on the beach. He once went to a wedding on the beach (I think it was in Long Branch though) and during the vows, a dead body washed up on shore!!

On 5/25/2019 at 7:38 PM, UYI said:

I had a post about this sometime back, but I really think promoting more female artists in rock music in general would go a LONG way in reviving the genre as a whole in terms of mainstream success. In many ways, it is actually the most male-dominated genre there is--country, rap/hip hop, the folk/singer-songwriter lane and pop music have all had a large number of women find success over the years (although the first two genres are lacking in that department these days, on the radio at least), whereas the number of truly successful female rock musicians feels much smaller in comparison. 

And yes, I do believe that seeing more women in hair/heavy metal (a hair metal revival, perhaps?) is related to that, too. 🙂 

A question I was thinking about recently though: where can rock music really go from here? Or even metal.

I love those genres but it kind of seems like the sonic space has been thoroughly explored. I'm very curious to see what is next for music and especially music with a similar feel to rock/metal that may evolve in the future.

[Anduin]

2 hours ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

A question I was thinking about recently though: where can rock music really go from here? Or even metal.

I love those genres but it kind of seems like the sonic space has been thoroughly explored. I'm very curious to see what is next for music and especially music with a similar feel to rock/metal that may evolve in the future.

I've thought that metal was tapped out, but I've been wrong. People may groan, but I'm going to bring up Batushka for the third time today. Repurposed eastern orthodox hymns set to black metal. Then there's Igorrr, which is hard to describe. Still, it's new and different. Nightwish are now old school, but they started with an opera singer on lead vocals. I could list a dozen examples. It'll continue evolving. Even the throwback bands bring something new to the table.

[27bored]

On 5/20/2019 at 1:59 PM, Enigma X said:

My unpopular opinion is that both Nirvana and Pearl Jam were overrated but agree that Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were much better bands. 

I agree with this, but I would say it’s saying something that of those four bands, Eddie Vedder is the only frontman still alive and didn’t succumb to drug addiction.

On 5/20/2019 at 4:37 PM, Bastet said:

I heard their demo tape, and it was a definite sit up and take notice moment; it didn't sound like anything we'd been listening to.  By the time they got signed to a major label, a couple of other earlier-signed grunge bands had released singles/albums, but for whatever reasons it was "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that really kicked off the mainstream success of the overall sound.

I agree here as well. Fun fact: Moses Avalon, author of Confessions of a Record Producer, has a story about a band he heard a few years before Nirvana came out. Raw sound, low-quality, but different and exciting. They didn’t want to sell out by signing a deal. He said (and this was almost twenty years ago) the band fell by the wayside and the lead singer was still delivering pizzas when a small blurb on MTV’s 120 Minutes (remember them?) about a new band came on. Same look, same sound. 

Nirvana. 

[Ohwell]

While it's sad that she died at such a young age, I never understood the appeal of Amy Winehouse.   She was an average singer, at best.

[27bored]

10 hours ago, Ohwell said:

While it's sad that she died at such a young age, I never understood the appeal of Amy Winehouse.   She was an average singer, at best.

I liked her voice, but I do think Amy was mostly good marketing. The beehive ‘do, the waify frame, the pointy eye shadow, Rehab...She just hit with the right look and the right song at the right time. She had a tortured soul that gave her a mystique. And also, I think being a critical darling helps. They loved Frank and Back to Black. 

UO: It annoys me to no end when people can’t say Ariana Grande’s name right. Hearing people call her “Ehriana” is like fucking nails on a chalkboard. 

[UYI]

29 minutes ago, 27bored said:

UO: It annoys me to no end when people can’t say Ariana Grande’s name right. Hearing people call her “Ehriana” is like fucking nails on a chalkboard. 

I'll sit next to you on this one! 

[GaT]

18 hours ago, 27bored said:

UO: It annoys me to no end when people can’t say Ariana Grande’s name right. Hearing people call her “Ehriana” is like fucking nails on a chalkboard. 

I feel the same about Rihanna. it's "Re-Anna", not "Re-Ah-Na".

[27bored]

28 minutes ago, GaT said:

I feel the same about Rihanna. it's "Re-Anna", not "Re-Ah-Na".

Word. The former is how she pronounces her name, but it did throw me off when she said the latter in Bitch Better Have My Money.

[Gurkel]

On 7/2/2019 at 3:41 PM, GaT said:

I feel the same about Rihanna. it's "Re-Anna", not "Re-Ah-Na".

On 7/2/2019 at 4:11 PM, 27bored said:

Word. The former is how she pronounces her name, but it did throw me off when she said the latter in Bitch Better Have My Money.

This. I always listen to how an artist pronounces his or her own name. And on our local radio stations, I’ve heard her say her name both ways. But she does say Re-Anna more often. 

[UYI]

On a similar note, as a die hard John Mellencamp stan, it drives me bat shit when I hear people STILL include "Cougar" in his name. He not only dropped it in 1991 (when he released the album Whenever We Wanted), he didn't even give himself that name! It was his original manager, Tony DeFries (David Bowie's manager) who gave him the moniker Johnny Cougar--which John only found out about when his debut album Chestnut Street Incident was released in 1976, and that was the name featured on it. According to him, he has NEVER been called "Johnny" in his life, and he doesn't know how the name "Cougar" was given to him either, but he's ALWAYS hated it. And yet some people just won't let it go. HATE. 

Edited July 11, 2019 by UYI
His debut album came out in 1976, not 1975. As a die hard stan, I should know better. Sigh. -_-

[GaT]

1 hour ago, Gurkel said:

This. I always listen to how an artist pronounces his or her own name. And on our local radio stations, I’ve heard her say her name both ways. But she does say Re-Anna more often. 

She did this interview back in 2012, & around the 2:00 mark he asks how to pronounce her name & she says Re-Anna, so it's been a long time

[WhitneyWhit]

UO: While some of Mariah's diva antics crack me up (Champagne with bendi straws, hiring someone to make sure her dress never touches the ground) her constant need to be passive aggressive and downright rude about any singer with a vagina reeks of jealousy and insecurity rather than divadom. The infamous "I don't know her" remark about Jennifer Lopez is a perfect example of this. Then there's the dismissive tone she's always had when it comes to Ariana. I loved Demi Lovato calling her out on this bullshit a couple years ago because it's true. It's funny that she's always complimentary about Beyonce though which I think has to do with her crazy ass fans and her connection to Jay Z.

[janie jones]

On 7/10/2019 at 6:21 PM, GaT said:

She did this interview back in 2012, & around the 2:00 mark he asks how to pronounce her name & she says Re-Anna, so it's been a long time

I think there are a few reasons why the Re-ah-na pronunciation persists, one of which I thought of while watching the video.  She says paparazzi with "rat" in the middle not "rot," as I think most (American) people pronounce it.  So if you heard her saying her own name correctly but then also heard her pronounce other words with an accent that's different from your own, you might then "correct" the pronunciation of her name so that you're saying it in your own accent.  (Not that I think this is a good reason, necessarily, just a logical unconscious one.)  I think the biggest culprit is that you hear it out there pronounced the other way.  The-Dream pronounces it the wrong way in the song she is featured on. 

A lot of people just let others pronounce their names wrong because it's easier, celebrities and regular people.  I have a friend who introduces himself with a different pronunciation for his last name from what his family uses.

Edited July 13, 2019 by janie jones

[Blergh]

I like John Mellencamp's singing a great deal but I wish he'd quit SMOKING inasmuch as it could not only easily  destroy his voice but also shorten his life and he's too interesting to leave us before his time! 

[UYI]

7 hours ago, Blergh said:

I like John Mellencamp's singing a great deal but I wish he'd quit SMOKING inasmuch as it could not only easily  destroy his voice but also shorten his life and he's too interesting to leave us before his time! 

I agree with this (even though he will clearly NEVER do it), although I will concede that it does add character to his more recent albums. He's always had a more fatalistic outlook to life, but now that he's 67 (68 on October 7th this year), hearing his aged voice makes it that much more effective and raw.

Edited July 13, 2019 by UYI

[Blergh]

13 minutes ago, UYI said:

I agree with this (even though he will clearly NEVER do it), although I will concede that it does add character to his more recent albums. He's always had a more fatalistic outlook to life, but now that he's 67 (68 on October 7th this year), hearing his aged voice makes it that much more effective and raw.

Don't disagree but I'd rather have a few more decades of him being able to sing (not to mention BREATHE) than have to worry about Mr. Mellencamp's voice, throat, lungs and heart.  The Surgeon General's warning has been on packs in the US since 1966 and one would think he'd have heeded loved one's pleas( and/or concerns about coffin nails' threats to his livelihood/life) but it doesn't appear to be the case. I know he's hardly the only singer out there who does this but he's one of my faves so I hate that he's doing it! 

[UYI]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

Don't disagree but I'd rather have a few more decades of him being able to sing (not to mention BREATHE) than have to worry about Mr. Mellencamp's voice, throat, lungs and heart.  The Surgeon General's warning has been on packs in the US since 1966 and one would think he'd have heeded loved one's pleas( and/or concerns about coffin nails' threats to his livelihood/life) but it doesn't appear to be the case. I know he's hardly the only singer out there who does this but he's one of my faves so I hate that he's doing it! 

Oh, of course! The amazing thing is that he supposedly "cut down" on the number of cigarettes he smokes a day after his heart attack in 1994 (when he was on tour for the Big Daddy album), but given how often he still smokes today, at least based on numerous interviews where he almost always inevitably lights up at one point or another (even when he was on the otherwise smoke free Late Show with David Letterman during his final appearance in 2015, shortly before it ended), one wonders just how bad it was before...*shudder*

To stay on topic, I would say that the singles on The Lonesome Jubilee are actually a lot stronger than the ones on Scarecrow, despite the fact that the latter's singles are largely more iconic. In fact, on the whole, the majority of his more recent albums are probably the strongest of his career, even if he is long past his commercial hey day. 

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, UYI said:

To stay on topic, I would say that the singles on The Lonesome Jubilee are actually a lot stronger than the ones on Scarecrow, despite the fact that the latter's singles are largely more iconic.

I just looked up those two albums, and The Lonesome Jubilee has "Cherry Bomb" but Scarecrow has "Small Town" so I can't decide.  I only recognized a few songs from each album, though - he's someone whose songs I generally like when I hear them on the radio, but that's as far as it goes.

I thought of you while watching Jeopardy! Thursday night - there was a clue about Mellencamp, and the contestant who correctly identified him from his picture (after another incorrectly guessed Jon Bon Jovi!) called him John Cougar Mellencamp.  But, to be fair, the picture was from 1982, when I would have thought he was going by John Cougar Mellancamp, but the the internet tells me he was John Cougar then (I don't keep track, and I do still think of him as John Cougar Mellencamp - because that's what he went by when I was hearing a lot of his music - and have to mentally correct myself).

I can't believe his then-manager started him off as Johnny Cougar.  John Cougar isn't terrible (not good, but not terrible), but Johnny Cougar is - it sounds like a parody of a stage name.

Edited July 13, 2019 by Bastet

[Wiendish Fitch]

24 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I can't believe his then-manager started him off as Johnny Cougar.  John Cougar isn't terrible (not good, but not terrible), but Johnny Cougar is - it sounds like a parody of a stage name.

It's on par with Greg "Johnny Bravo" Brady. 

[Blergh]

Although I'm aware of Sir Elton John's shadowside as a person, I have to say that, overall, I admire his commitment to helping others and his evidently having at least made peace with the worst of his demons. I will always admire his courage in being virtually the first person outside the immediate family to come to the defense and to urge others to rally around the late Ryan White who had been horribly shunned  and persecuted over something completely beyond his control yet  Mr. White used his remaining time to try to make things better for others (ultimately including Sir Elton).

 All the above said, I can't say I've ever liked him as a singer. Yes, I consider him to be a very talented composer and pianist but I just have always found his singing to more whiny than  I like. Perhaps the most tolerable song of his is his collaboration with Kiki Dee 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' - but IMO that's mainly due to letting HER do most of the tricky parts. 

[Shannon L.]

22 hours ago, Blergh said:

All the above said, I can't say I've ever liked him as a singer. Yes, I consider him to be a very talented composer and pianist but I just have always found his singing to more whiny than  I like. Perhaps the most tolerable song of his is his collaboration with Kiki Dee 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' - but IMO that's mainly due to letting HER do most of the tricky parts. 

I can't believe I'm going to say this, because I love his music, but I like Taron Egerton's versions of his songs just as much, and in some cases, maybe even just slightly more than Elton's himself.

[27bored]

On 7/19/2019 at 10:53 AM, Blergh said:

Although I'm aware of Sir Elton John's shadowside as a person, I have to say that, overall, I admire his commitment to helping others and his evidently having at least made peace with the worst of his demons. I will always admire his courage in being virtually the first person outside the immediate family to come to the defense and to urge others to rally around the late Ryan White who had been horribly shunned  and persecuted over something completely beyond his control yet  Mr. White used his remaining time to try to make things better for others (ultimately including Sir Elton).

 All the above said, I can't say I've ever liked him as a singer. Yes, I consider him to be a very talented composer and pianist but I just have always found his singing to more whiny than  I like. Perhaps the most tolerable song of his is his collaboration with Kiki Dee 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' - but IMO that's mainly due to letting HER do most of the tricky parts. 

Oh man, I totally agree. I’ve always thought Elton John was ass at singing. So many of his songs sound better when other people them. And by so many, I mean virtually all of them.

[outofbounds]

Queen doesn't get enough recognition for their contribution to music.  Not just rock music, music period.  I can't think of another band that ran the gamut in EVERY genre (even opera ffs) and did it as well as they did.

They were, are and will always be better than the Beatles.

[BookWoman56]

I fell down the Bee Gees rabbit hole on YouTube this past weekend, and was reminded of something long forgotten. I much prefer their earlier, pre-disco songs, and infinitely prefer Robin Gibb’s natural singing voice to Barry Gibb’s falsetto. Watching some of the performances from the early years, Robin focused on conveying the emotions of the lyrics, while Barry seemed to be focused more on getting the best camera angles. 

[27bored]

UO: Anybody remember Duffy? She came out around the time Amy Winehouse and Adele did. She released one album that did well in part thanks to her song “Mercy” (it might’ve shown up in a makeup commercial or two) and then took a hiatus before making a second album that didn’t do too hot. 

Put a pin that for a second. 

Does anybody read Crazy Days and Nights (CDAN)? It’s an oddly addictive, at times bracing and quite frankly shocking celebrity gossip site. Some of the blind items seem  not believable, but the site runner, “Enty” (short for entertainment lawyer), has been eerily right about some things. Like, for example, he wrote item about Lil Nas X being gay about a month before he came out. He also said the charges against Kevin Spacey were going to be dropped a few weeks before they were. 

Other general tidbits (all of this is alleged):

- A lot of people in Hollywood do coke. A lot. Even people you wouldn’t expect. And often times people who seem like something may be wrong...are very often doing coke.

- A lot of women in Hollywood engage in “yachting”, which is his way of saying they more or less prostitute themselves to rich men...who own yachts. Even some women you...wouldn’t expect.

- Even though he doesn’t typically out anybody, there are a lot of men in Hollywood who are gay and have relationships that are just for their image. Again: even men you wouldn’t necessarily suspect. Even some Oscar winners. 

- A lot of women in music use ghostwriters and sleep with producers for songs. I heard about this a long time ago from Dallas Austin, who said Christina Aguilera did it when she was recording Stripped. She never addressed it, and he kind of apologized (I think). Still, it happens, especially with female rappers.

- Several high profile deaths over the years were due to foul play, and often due to that person finding out information that could take down some powerful people. He’s written extensively about Jeffrey Epstein over the years, for example, who recently attempted to commit suicide. Just sayin’.

Here’s the site: Click.

Anyway, all this is what lead me to think about Duffy, and how my UO is she was a better artist than Amy Winehouse and Adele. He posted a blind item years ago about how they met and have been friends for a long time, but she’s afraid of fame and how her career has faltered because of her fear. It’s actually kind of sweet and sad at the same time. See here.

[Annber03]

I remember Duffy, yeah. I liked that "Mercy" song, and she had another one called "Warwick Avenue" that was good, too. 

I don't follow blind item gossip sites, but if there is any truth to that about her being afraid, I wouldn't blame her. The music business is rough, and seeing a friend die so young like that because of their demons and whatnot...yeah. Who wouldn't be shaken up by that? 

[proserpina65]

On ‎05‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 1:17 AM, BuyMoreAndSave said:

However I highly doubt Courtney was involved, for the simple reason that I don't think she could have kept quiet about it for 25 years.

I don't think she was involved in his death, just that she bears some responsibility for how fucked up that relationship was, and that a least of small part of why he killed himself was rooted in their relationship.

On ‎05‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 1:59 PM, Enigma X said:

My unpopular opinion is that both Nirvana and Pearl Jam were overrated but agree that Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were much better bands. 

I guess my unpopular opinion is that I don't like any of those bands.

On ‎05‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 6:08 PM, UYI said:

One of my UOs is that my favorite version of "Angel of the Morning" is Juice Newton's. Merilee Rush's version is great, too, but Juice's is the definitive for me.

And damn, "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)" does NOT get remembered enough compared to it and "Queen of Hearts." 

Agreed 100%.

[proserpina65]

On ‎07‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 2:24 PM, Bastet said:

I just looked up those two albums, and The Lonesome Jubilee has "Cherry Bomb" but Scarecrow has "Small Town" so I can't decide.  I only recognized a few songs from each album, though - he's someone whose songs I generally like when I hear them on the radio, but that's as far as it goes.

I thought of you while watching Jeopardy! Thursday night - there was a clue about Mellencamp, and the contestant who correctly identified him from his picture (after another incorrectly guessed Jon Bon Jovi!) called him John Cougar Mellencamp.  But, to be fair, the picture was from 1982, when I would have thought he was going by John Cougar Mellancamp, but the the internet tells me he was John Cougar then (I don't keep track, and I do still think of him as John Cougar Mellencamp - because that's what he went by when I was hearing a lot of his music - and have to mentally correct myself).

I can't believe his then-manager started him off as Johnny Cougar.  John Cougar isn't terrible (not good, but not terrible), but Johnny Cougar is - it sounds like a parody of a stage name. 

It sounds like a porn star.

Edited to note: a very minor 70s porn star.  It's just a terrible name.

Edited July 30, 2019 by proserpina65

[proserpina65]

16 hours ago, 27bored said:

UO: Anybody remember Duffy? She came out around the time Amy Winehouse and Adele did. She released one album that did well in part thanks to her song “Mercy” (it might’ve shown up in a makeup commercial or two) and then took a hiatus before making a second album that didn’t do too hot. 

I loved Duffy.  That first album had some fabulous songs on it, and there was a real Dusty Springfield vibe to her sound.  I much prefer her to Amy Winehouse, and to anything  on Adele's first album.

[BuyMoreAndSave]

56 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

I don't think she was involved in his death, just that she bears some responsibility for how fucked up that relationship was, and that a least of small part of why he killed himself was rooted in their relationship.

I guess my unpopular opinion is that I don't like any of those bands.

Agreed 100%.

That just falls into the "blaming women" thing I was talking about earlier in this thread though. He made her life just as difficult as she made his, but if it had been her who killed herself, nobody would be blaming him. He had untreated bipolar disorder and substance abuse issues that pre-dated their relationship. Even his friends and family members say he acted erratically his entire life and that several members of his family had severe mental illness. Even when he escaped rehab days before he died, he jumped over a fence despite the fact that he wasn't forced to stay there and could have just walked out the door. I still have some doubts about whether it was a suicide due to Cyril Wecht's analysis -- he is a highly respected coroner and there are inconsistencies in the ballistics, etc. However, I think it's unlikely she was involved for the reasons I stated -- he was around a lot of other less famous sketchy people who were actually in the Seattle area at the time.

Haha, well that is really an unpopular opinion with me -- I can't even imagine how anyone could not love AIC or Soundgarden!

[BuyMoreAndSave]

17 hours ago, 27bored said:

UO: Anybody remember Duffy? She came out around the time Amy Winehouse and Adele did. She released one album that did well in part thanks to her song “Mercy” (it might’ve shown up in a makeup commercial or two) and then took a hiatus before making a second album that didn’t do too hot. 

Put a pin that for a second. 

Does anybody read Crazy Days and Nights (CDAN)? It’s an oddly addictive, at times bracing and quite frankly shocking celebrity gossip site. Some of the blind items seem  not believable, but the site runner, “Enty” (short for entertainment lawyer), has been eerily right about some things. Like, for example, he wrote item about Lil Nas X being gay about a month before he came out. He also said the charges against Kevin Spacey were going to be dropped a few weeks before they were. 

Other general tidbits (all of this is alleged):

- A lot of people in Hollywood do coke. A lot. Even people you wouldn’t expect. And often times people who seem like something may be wrong...are very often doing coke.

- A lot of women in Hollywood engage in “yachting”, which is his way of saying they more or less prostitute themselves to rich men...who own yachts. Even some women you...wouldn’t expect.

- Even though he doesn’t typically out anybody, there are a lot of men in Hollywood who are gay and have relationships that are just for their image. Again: even men you wouldn’t necessarily suspect. Even some Oscar winners. 

- A lot of women in music use ghostwriters and sleep with producers for songs. I heard about this a long time ago from Dallas Austin, who said Christina Aguilera did it when she was recording Stripped. She never addressed it, and he kind of apologized (I think). Still, it happens, especially with female rappers.

- Several high profile deaths over the years were due to foul play, and often due to that person finding out information that could take down some powerful people. He’s written extensively about Jeffrey Epstein over the years, for example, who recently attempted to commit suicide. Just sayin’.

Here’s the site: Click.

Anyway, all this is what lead me to think about Duffy, and how my UO is she was a better artist than Amy Winehouse and Adele. He posted a blind item years ago about how they met and have been friends for a long time, but she’s afraid of fame and how her career has faltered because of her fear. It’s actually kind of sweet and sad at the same time. See here.

CDAN makes a lot of shit up and a lot of the stuff he says is completely out there. People remember the predictions that came to pass, but not the ones that didn't pan out. Also the categories of predictions listed are things anyone could guess (everyone in Hollywood does coke and pop stars use ghostwriters?! Who knew?!) or will never be confirmed or denied (closeted celebrities, conspiracies, mysterious deaths, etc.).

It really wasn't that hard to guess Lil Nas X is gay -- my gaydar isn't that great and even I guessed it. If you look at the tweet where he came out one of the top comments is "We been knew."