Directors Overrated bands (1 Viewer)

[DonaldB]

I wondered how long it would be before the first person would come along with that original bon mot.

 

[JasonK]

Well any rap would... oh wait you said bands! This is where people have to learn an instrument and write their own music!?

Well I'll be the one to get bent out of shape over that comment. Whenever I hear that comment (which happens at lot here at the HTF for some reason,) or something similar, I present the following:

1. Jurassic 5 - Quality Control

2. Blackalicious - Nia

3. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing

4. Dr. Octagon

5. Deltron 3030

6. Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

7. Hi-Tek - Hi-Teknology

8. Mos Def and Talib Kweli - Black Star

9. The Roots - Do You Want More?

10. Kid Koala - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

11. A Tribe Called Quest - The Anthology

That is a list of 11 (give me time, I'll give you another 20, if you like) terrific rap albums.

To anybody who has listened to these and believes that their music somehow has less 'artistic merit' because they don't all play instruments, I ask: Is it not music? Just because these bands don't all fit the traditional mode of what makes a 'band' is no reason for them to be criticized. I didn't realize producing a rap album was such a piece of cake. Same as 'reconstructing' (a DJ Shadow term) old pieces of forgotten vinyl.

You want to knock Master P, fine, I'll help. Same as most of the No Limit label, and a lot of the mainstream rap that's out there now. But to generalize a whole genre of music as "(c)rap" is just absurd.

Your pal,

Jason (The HTF Hip-Hop defender)

P.S. Sorry for taking the thread off-topic.

 

[CharlesD]

JasonK:

Thanks for posting that. I am not at all a fan of Rap, but even in my limited experience of that genre its obvious that some of the practitioners are very talented individuals. It does irk me when people dismiss an entire genre as "(c)rap" and that opinion is, at best, a knee-jerk reation to a form of expression the holder of that opinion doesn't happen to like. Sometimes there is also another agenda at work, but thats off-topic for this forum.

I don't listen to rap music, it is not something that at all appeals to me, but its still obvious that there is a great deal of creativity there, on the other hand alot of it is complete rubbish and cookie-cutter imitation, but the same is true of any form of music.

 

[Steve Enemark]

Hang on a minute, Donald. Some of the names on your list are people I've actually heard of, and I'm familiar with and enjoy their work. My world is spinning out of control!
BTW, you forgot Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, Alan Moore and Joe Sacco. I'll let it slide this time.

 

[DonaldB]

BTW, you forgot Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, Alan Moore and Joe Sacco. I'll let it slide this time.

Ah, thanks for the reminder, Steve! There are many other omissions from my hastily conjured list, like...

Jim Woodring

George Herriman

Bill Watterson

Robert Crumb

Harvey Pekar

Drew Friedman

Lynda Barry

Gary Panter

Charles Burns

Lorenzo Mattoti

Joost Swarte

Kim Deitch

Chester Brown

Gary Larson

Jonathan Rosen

Kaz

Tony Millionaire

 

[Dome Vongvises]

DonaldB.

I'm not disturbed by you any longer. The only reason I brought you up is because I thought you didn't like ANYTHING. Oh well, I've now been properly informed. Time to movie on.....

 

[Brian Perry]

Nirvana

Sex Pistols

Rolling Stones

Bruce Springsteen

Sheryl Crow

Lauryn Hill

 

[Chris_Anders]

I forgot who said Led Zep, but you're smoking crack. How could one of the most musically talented bands of all time be over rated? IMO I just don't understand your logic there. I'm having computer issues right now that is affecting my posting so I'll write more later.

Oh, just have to Limp Bizcrap is the biggest pile of just that.

 

[Michael Allred]

Yup, the Beatles though perhaps I'd use the word "over-hyped" instead of "over-rated".
Excluding screaming fans (and who didn't have teen girls go nuts back in the 60's?), their live act was positively average. Yes, average.
Singing...well none of them had what you'd call "range", especially Lennon and Starr.
None of them were true stand outs on their instruments, they're certainly never mentioned in the same breath as Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, John Bonham or John Entwistle.
Songwriting, sure they had some classics in their later years but it seems that most fans like to overlook the "love, love me do" crap they started off with. For all intents and purposes, they were the Backstreet Boys when they hit the pop scene.
Influence, sure I'll give you that though I wonder if some artists mention them as such purely out of wanting to seem "cool".
What of the artists who influenced the Beatles? Why are they not credited? Without Chuck Berry or Little Richard, the Beatles might have ended up sounding VERY different.
If I want a great live band with a unique guitar sound, incredible harmonies and a lead singer whose voice is STILL unmatched in the rock world, I'll stick with Queen, thank you very much.
(and yes, I know Queen loved the Beatles a great deal. McCartney respects Queen, Lennon credited Mercury's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" as inspiration in his solo career and Ringo was very good friends with the band.)

 

[Rob P S]

The Beatles

The Rolling Stones

Pink Floyd

Led Zeppelin

Rush

ZZ Top

Boston

Radiohead

Stone Temple Pilots

Alice in Chains

Weezer

Frank Sinatra

Aerosmith

The Doors

Janis Joplin

Barbra Streisand

Tony Bennett

Tori Amos

Kate Bush

Eminem

Outkast

Sheryl Crow

AC/DC

Van Halen

Elvis Presley

Queen

Limp Bizkit

Marylin Manson

 

[Christ Reynolds]

i can understand why people like to take shots at the beatles. a great band that is WAY too overhyped. i wouldnt say overrated, because i think a lot of their music is great and deserves as much praise it gets.

As for me, Pearl Jam. What on Earth sells these guys? Vedder's faux angst and "pain" re being a rock star grate at my nerves

funny. i've been a fan of pearl jam from the beginning, and the only time i've ever heard of this faux angst and pain is when people who dislike the band talk about it. i have just about every pearl jam live show they have ever done, and eddie does a fair amount of talking in them. sure, he may sound like a fucked up rock star sometimes, but i really cant recall him whining and complaining as most people claim he does excessively. of course if you had actually listened to the music, you'd know he doesnt. i dont even recall the last time i read anything about them on a non-pearl jam related website. they are a pretty private band, and vedder is hardly a loudmouth. i think they are a lot more creative than nearly every band active now, each one of their albums sounds different from the last, in a good way. i'm not saying everyone has to like them...call them overrated, call them talentless if you like, opinions are good. but a little explanation as to why some of you think vedder is angry and bitter would be nice, because i just dont see it.

CJ

 

[Zen Butler]

1. The Beatles....Not the greatest band of all time. Not a great band. Not a good band. I used to think they were at best mediocre, but after a recent reevaluation of their music I find that that initial assessment was much too generous.

I can see why responses to this were brief. But here, let me do it...
Whether you like the Beatles or not, you can't take away how large an influence this band is. It is so within the fabric of modern music, you do not possess the power to unwind its' influence. If you are(were) a musician or even a music lover, their influence would be heard daily by your ears. I can only think of one other artist in the history of time who transcends this form of criticism. His name would be J.S. Bach and that man was, is modern day melodic music. Melodically, these are just facts now.
This isn't directed at any one person. People love to take the opportunity to take digs at art they don't like. Some of the underground acts mentioned here are not overrated. Hell, not even rated. Yeah, P.J Harvey, the Roots, Sonic Youth...they're getting waaayyyy too much recognition.
This sure is looking similar to the Citizen Kane threads.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

This sure is looking similar to the Citizen Kane threads

bah, that movie isnt that great.
CJ

 

[Jack Briggs]

Precisely my sentiment, as well. It must seem like such fun for some to slag an iconic artist or musician or film and then think they are being daring somehow.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

It must seem like such fun for some to slag an iconic artist or musician or film and then think they are being daring somehow

my guess is that when people do this, they hear all the attention the particular artist or film gets and decide to comment on the attention, even if they think they are directing it towards the film or artist. i used to think the beatles were just some band my parents used to listen to until i heard what they had to offer. same with citizen kane. there will always be people who want to trash the best or most well known of something, even if the reasons are unclear. i'm guessing when this is done, the subject matter has either not been seen or understood.

CJ

 

[Zen Butler]

Fanaticism, hype and devotion seem to be a separate subject. In respect to the thread's title maybe partly responsible for one viewing something as "overrated."

Admittedly, my post was in direct response to a particular post more appropriate to a thread titled. "Is the Beatle's influence on modern music "over-stated?" In which I would respond, no.

This would make a good subject for another thread.

 

[Charles J P]

I think many people here are confusing "popular bands that they dont care for" with overrated. Bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Beattles, etc. have a huge following for a reason. Sure, everything that's popular is not "the best" but you have to acknowledge the overall power of these groups over popular culture. Bands like DMB and Barenaked Ladies (I'm picking on people who named these bands because they are two of may faves) are also hardly overrated because they arent "rated" that highly. Also, both of these bands would thrash about 90% of currently touring bands on the stage. If there is one thing I cant forgive, its paying money to go to a concert of a band I like and getting there and wondering why they cant play or sing any better than a gradeschool band or chior. Over rated is a band who goes platnum and cant even play their own songs outside the studio.

 

[Van Patton]

I'm surprised I haven't seen my favorite band mentioned here AT ALL......Phish.

Whenever I discuss them here, it's either a love/hate kinda thing. I believe them to be America's greatest band ever and certainly one of the most talented bands ever.