Who are the most overrated bands/musicians?

[bojendyk]

Who do you think is overpraised?

Here are my choices:

Bob Dylan. Every time the guy farts, thrity different national magazines publish long essays in which the author goes into gory detail about how Highway 61 Revisted changed his life, how some guy yelled "Judas" at him, how people booed him at a folk festival (NPR had a story on this that included audio from the show, and the crowd is unquestionably thrilled by the performance; there is not a boo to be heard), yadda yadda yadda. I like him okay, I guess, but, come on, people.

Lou Reed. The VU were amazing, and some of the early solo stuff is good, but if you're going to record the exact same record thirty times, at least do it with a wink, like the Ramones. And his lyrics remind me of some of the people from my undergrad writing classes--they didn't care about the writing so much as they cared about cultivating the persona of a "writer." Reed is a pretentious twat. The first Modern Lovers record took Reed's formula and perfected it.

[Motterman]

Stevie Wonder

Randy Newman

[655321]

Originally posted by bojendyk
Who do you think is overpraised?

Here are my choices:

Bob Dylan. Every time the guy farts, thrity different national magazines publish long essays in which the author goes into gory detail about how Highway 61 Revisted changed his life, how some guy yelled "Judas" at him, how people booed him at a folk festival (NPR had a story on this that included audio from the show, and the crowd is unquestionably thrilled by the performance; there is not a boo to be heard), yadda yadda yadda. I like him okay, I guess, but, come on, people.

Lou Reed. The VU were amazing, and some of the early solo stuff is good, but if you're going to record the exact same record thirty times, at least do it with a wink, like the Ramones. And his lyrics remind me of some of the people from my undergrad writing classes--they didn't care about the writing so much as they cared about cultivating the persona of a "writer." Reed is a pretentious twat. The first Modern Lovers record took Reed's formula and perfected it.

Sounds to me like you have more of a problem with the people writing about them. See my post about the new Strokes LP.

Bob Dylan is a genius...period. Now while normally I have no problem agreeing that all music is up to the listener and someone is only as good as his audience reaction at that time, I have zero problem giving Bob Dylan carte blanche to do anything he wants. He has changed music that much.

[Matt in the Hat]

Originally posted by Motterman
Stevie Wonder


Are you high?

[655321]

Originally posted by bojendyk

Bob Dylan. ...how some guy yelled "Judas" at him,

That show (the second disc of "Live 1966") is, in my humble opinion, the greatest live rock and roll concert of all time. Every "great live rock and roll band" you can name from this century WANTS to have that much energy, tension and electricity. For once, the hype was correct. Best concert ever.

[hangthadj]

The Doors

Bob Marley

Dylan is a genius, he belongs nowhere near this list.

[bojendyk]

Dylan is unquestionably talented and gifted, but I can't go with the genuis tag. He acts and looks like a genius, and he changed music, but that word gets thrown around all too much. Rick Rubin thought to combine hip-hop and rock in the early 80s. That, too, has changed music considerably. He ain't a genius either.

Dylan combined different forms of music and did interesting things. Brian Wilson completely reshaped the arrangement of pop songs. Phil Spector might have used horns and strings first, but he never did anything close to as sophisticated and subtle as Wilson. He might be the only person in pop music who deserves to be called a genius.

As far as best concert goes? Well, I saw the Replacements toward the end of their time, and I can't imagine anything being better than that--and that was when they were past their peak! (Yes, I've heard the Dylan show.)

[obie]

Of the four people listed so far, only Lou Reed's solo material is deserving to be talked about here. And even then New York is an excellent album. Stevie Wonder and Dylan are complete geniuses, and Randy Newman is so underrated that it's not even funny.

Off the top of my head I'd add KISS, Aerosmith, Cream, and Tina Turner.

[bojendyk]

Originally posted by hangthadj
The Doors

I agree--pretty good band, obnoxious singer, way too much filler and psychedelic nonense to be better than pretty good.

Bob Marley[/QUOTE]

Again, I agree. If I never hear "No Woman, No Cry" again, I would die a happy man

Dylan is a genius, he belongs nowhere near this list. [/QUOTE]

Well, two out of three ain't bad. :)

[bojendyk]

Originally posted by obie

Off the top of my head I'd add KISS, Aerosmith, Cream, and Tina Turner.

I don't think KISS or Aerosmith get much critical acclaim, so they seem to be a different bird.

Cream! Yes! Good addition! Eric Crapton is unbelievably cloying, and his ballads are ridiculously sappy. He's a great guitarist, but his solos are boring. When I was a teen, just learning how to play guitar, I used to marvel at how Mark Knopfler was considered a lesser guitarist. His chops are just as good, but his solos actually added something to the song.

[Footix]

Pearl Jam.

[655321]

I'm suprised noone's mentioned Patti Smith. I don't know enough about her to call overrated, but her name always seems to pop up in these conversations...

[Lowecifer]

Pearl Jam
Rush
Dave Matthews Band
Phish

[Matt in the Hat]

Originally posted by Lowecifer

Rush


40,000,000 Canadians would have your head for this one. No band has made more sound with just 3 guys.

[hangthadj]

Originally posted by Matt in the Hat
40,000,000 Canadians would have your head for this one.

Once they were done listening to their Tragically Hip albums...

[joshdcu]

Originally posted by Footix
Pearl Jam.

Amen.

Pearl Jam are one band whose appeal I have never understood.

[minorthreat]

Originally posted by Lowecifer
Dave Matthews Band
Phish Who actually rates Dave Matthews Band, though?

Although there's something to be said about their individual playing being overrated. The sax player isn't any better than an average jazz musician and Carter Beauford is the most overrated drummer this side of Neil Peart.

[champmanager]

Originally posted by bojendyk
Who do you think is overpraised?

Here are my choices:

Bob Dylan. Every time the guy farts, thrity different national magazines publish long essays in which the author goes into gory detail about how Highway 61 Revisted changed his life, how some guy yelled "Judas" at him, how people booed him at a folk festival (NPR had a story on this that included audio from the show, and the crowd is unquestionably thrilled by the performance; there is not a boo to be heard), yadda yadda yadda. I like him okay, I guess, but, come on, people.

Lou Reed. The VU were amazing, and some of the early solo stuff is good, but if you're going to record the exact same record thirty times, at least do it with a wink, like the Ramones. And his lyrics remind me of some of the people from my undergrad writing classes--they didn't care about the writing so much as they cared about cultivating the persona of a "writer." Reed is a pretentious twat. The first Modern Lovers record took Reed's formula and perfected it.

You really know how to push my buttons. I bet there's a lot of ex-girlfriends from my college days who are still bitching about having to those two. Sarah? Have you changed your name to Bojendyk?

Dylan: Others have explained the folly of your ways. In a hundred years, when Rock N' Roll is a footnote in a history book, Dylan will be there, alone with the Stones and Bob Marley. The Beatles and Elvis will be there as footnotes to the footnote.

Lou Reed: You seem to know too much about him for me to really slam you. To paraphrase what someone else said, perhaps your beef is with the critics, not the artist. Some of Reed's stuff is absolutely awful (By strange coincidence, I found a cassette of "Coney Island Baby" in a box I was digging through this morning. Not very good. BUt it makes "Mistrial" look like Hiway 61 Revisited.) But as I get older, I find myself more and more drawn to rock n' rollers who don't take it all too seriously. Its been a long time since I read a good review of a Lou Reed album.

[art]

thanks for mentioning Phish. CHRIST I hate them, with the white hot passion of a billion exploding suns; not sure what is sadder, Phish themselves, or the sad sheltered little suburban kids who drive 40 hours to go to their shows because it's a chance to "get crazy", "smoke up", leave the soap and deoderant behind, and feel right at home about doing so.

[joshdcu]

Originally posted by C-towner
Who actually rates Dave Matthews Band, though?


That's true. Besides, when the fratboys who like them get a little older and age out of regular concert-going, Dave Matthews Band will go the way of Hootie and the Blowfish before them: into obscurity.