Kerrang's Top 100 (promo vids)
Discussion
Yesterday, from 1600-midnight, one of those generally lame 24 hour Freeview music channels was pumping out the readers' poll of the above.
I didn't come across it until later on but fortified by a bottle of premium fizz (stimulation always guaranteed to heighten reactions, favourably or otherwise), began to take note.
First off, it was being presented by a young mob whose nomenclature evades me but I recognised from elsewhere as representing the current vanguard of the Nu Metal Elite.
Alas, what a pale shadow of genuine, original hedonism, did they almost entirely, depressingly represent?
Papa Roach (if that's even how you spell it, whereby despite the name, the chimp with the mike appears to resemble yet another angst ridden white boy plus gross, rap confused identity crisis?)
Still, there are worthy exceptions to those appreciative of the gauntlet metalique and certain toons & vids stood out (although it must be said, even the best of what's been on offer since what I liberally condemn as the 'post-Nirvana watershed' seems to me to have been at best inconsistent, whether it be Pearl Jam in the early 90s, through to the high riding Foo Fighters presently - you get one, two or maybe three storming tracks per album but which of these bands have the sheer ability to pen together a string of magnum opii in the manner of the heroes of yore, Purple, Sabbath, UFO, Thin Lizzy, etc?)
Nevermind (no pun, I assure you), we must be grateful for small mercies and you could hardly doubt the sincerity of some of these 'newbies' in their finer moments.
The absolute sweat and committment exhibited by 'The Foos' in 'All My Life' had me screaming into the flute like it was 1977 all over again: oldies like Metallica's 'One' reaffirmed in my own mind the respect these guys are due - at their best, searing, original redfiners of metal and for multi layered note density, the fret board attack and pummelling percussion work of Lars Ulrich received the full, heads down treatment, something people approaching the wrong point of life should avoid and an embarassing spectacle too, as The Boss (i.e. 'er indoors) pointed out during Marilyn Manson's description-defying interpretation of 'Tainted Love*' (*Oh dear.)
But, the tracks kept coming and the creeping inebriation settled the nerves some more, my mental time machine spiralling me back to Donningtons past and Gillanesque glories gone.
Up came the unique charms of 'Velvet Revolver' and whilst proudly ticking every box in the cliche options list - and adding a few more categories to boot - the track 'Slither' fired up and quite frankly, it was an unavoidable, several minute incursion into the realms where Donnay tennis raquet meets Tom Cruise in a pronounced and wholly unleashed Risky Business frenzy: that in this day and age, masters of the craft can still churn out riffs and melodies on such a, what, [i]nuclear[/i] scale, fills the heart with joy.
So not all bad then but you do get the feeling that for most latter day moshers, the eyebrow and lip pierced, overly tattoed brigade, presenters included, the whole thing only started in Seattle, during 1990, perhaps with the exception of some bloke called Ozzy who's sold his soul, not for rock 'n' roll, instead, modern age dread celeb cred and a whole pile of mammon.
Too old to rock 'n' roll, too immoderate to tolerate Pink Floyd. :hehe:
I didn't come across it until later on but fortified by a bottle of premium fizz (stimulation always guaranteed to heighten reactions, favourably or otherwise), began to take note.
First off, it was being presented by a young mob whose nomenclature evades me but I recognised from elsewhere as representing the current vanguard of the Nu Metal Elite.
Alas, what a pale shadow of genuine, original hedonism, did they almost entirely, depressingly represent?
Papa Roach (if that's even how you spell it, whereby despite the name, the chimp with the mike appears to resemble yet another angst ridden white boy plus gross, rap confused identity crisis?)
Still, there are worthy exceptions to those appreciative of the gauntlet metalique and certain toons & vids stood out (although it must be said, even the best of what's been on offer since what I liberally condemn as the 'post-Nirvana watershed' seems to me to have been at best inconsistent, whether it be Pearl Jam in the early 90s, through to the high riding Foo Fighters presently - you get one, two or maybe three storming tracks per album but which of these bands have the sheer ability to pen together a string of magnum opii in the manner of the heroes of yore, Purple, Sabbath, UFO, Thin Lizzy, etc?)
Nevermind (no pun, I assure you), we must be grateful for small mercies and you could hardly doubt the sincerity of some of these 'newbies' in their finer moments.
The absolute sweat and committment exhibited by 'The Foos' in 'All My Life' had me screaming into the flute like it was 1977 all over again: oldies like Metallica's 'One' reaffirmed in my own mind the respect these guys are due - at their best, searing, original redfiners of metal and for multi layered note density, the fret board attack and pummelling percussion work of Lars Ulrich received the full, heads down treatment, something people approaching the wrong point of life should avoid and an embarassing spectacle too, as The Boss (i.e. 'er indoors) pointed out during Marilyn Manson's description-defying interpretation of 'Tainted Love*' (*Oh dear.)
But, the tracks kept coming and the creeping inebriation settled the nerves some more, my mental time machine spiralling me back to Donningtons past and Gillanesque glories gone.
Up came the unique charms of 'Velvet Revolver' and whilst proudly ticking every box in the cliche options list - and adding a few more categories to boot - the track 'Slither' fired up and quite frankly, it was an unavoidable, several minute incursion into the realms where Donnay tennis raquet meets Tom Cruise in a pronounced and wholly unleashed Risky Business frenzy: that in this day and age, masters of the craft can still churn out riffs and melodies on such a, what, [i]nuclear[/i] scale, fills the heart with joy.
So not all bad then but you do get the feeling that for most latter day moshers, the eyebrow and lip pierced, overly tattoed brigade, presenters included, the whole thing only started in Seattle, during 1990, perhaps with the exception of some bloke called Ozzy who's sold his soul, not for rock 'n' roll, instead, modern age dread celeb cred and a whole pile of mammon.
Too old to rock 'n' roll, too immoderate to tolerate Pink Floyd. :hehe:
derestrictor said:
... oldies like Metallica's 'One' reaffirmed in my own mind the respect these guys are due - at their best, searing, original redfiners of metal and for multi layered note density, the fret board attack and pummelling percussion work of Lars Ulrich received the full, heads down treatment....
Ah yes, Lars Ulrich. Not the worlds most gifted stick master by any stretch of the imagination, yet sufficiently talented, and more importantly devoted, to give real meat and intensity to the Metallica engine room. Coupled with an ultra dependable rhythm section in the shape of bassist Jason Newsted this proved a devastating foundation for Hammett to lay his trademark thumping riffs and Hetfield, his gruff yet powerful and, somewhat well written, vocals.
This particular formula was, imho, about as good as its gets. Sadly, Newsted chose to depart company with the remaining trio, later being replaced by ex Ozzy Osbourne bassist Rob Trujillo, who although extremely talented, lacks Newsted’s raw, visceral edge.
Seen them perform ‘One’ live many times over the years now but their Donnington Monsters of Rock Festival version back in ‘95 was, for me, the very best I’ve seen them play. None of Ulrichs usual ham-fisted gaffs or Hammetts over indulgent transcendence into solo nirvana – just four guys on stage applying exactly what was required, in exactly the right places – nothing more, nothing less. Save for maybe a half a ton of pyrotechnic devices.
Sigh….. they don’t make em like that anymore
derestrictor said:
...as The Boss (i.e. 'er indoors) pointed out during Marilyn Manson's description-defying interpretation of 'Tainted Love*' (*Oh dear.)
Quite
what about the fact that: Papa roach,linkin park, Foo fighters et al, <B>ARE</B> my age groups equivalent to your age group's :mettalica, ACDC, Iron Maiden etc etc.
if it wasnt for my dad forcing me to listen to 'pronounced lynyrd skynyrd' when i was 4, and dragging me to a dire straights gig aged six, i would be ignorant of the musical output of the sixties and seventies. be thankfull that there is a pale imitation of your type of music about, otherwise it's all gonna be manufactured pop in a couple of years :shudder:
anham, currently listning to some Iron Maiden
if it wasnt for my dad forcing me to listen to 'pronounced lynyrd skynyrd' when i was 4, and dragging me to a dire straights gig aged six, i would be ignorant of the musical output of the sixties and seventies. be thankfull that there is a pale imitation of your type of music about, otherwise it's all gonna be manufactured pop in a couple of years :shudder:
anham, currently listning to some Iron Maiden
derestrictor said:I agree wholeheartedly with that appraisal 'der' and indeed my own taste in music is well documented elsewhere in this pub, but I really think that it's the 'manufactured' side of the business which is tending to put pressure on a lot of these bands. In 'the good old days' bands brought out an album when it was finished, maybe a single (or two at a push) every year and were relentlessly touring for most of the rest of the time often around fairly small venues (because that was the way it was done). Now they are pushed to pump out 'product' at such a rate lest some hyped up newcomers steal their valuable 'screenspace' with the music channels. To enable the never ending recording to take place bands just play a 'Stadium Tour' of, say, ten shows so that we (yes, the people who pay for it all) see them from 100 yards. And we put up with it......
...what I liberally condemn as the 'post-Nirvana watershed' seems to me to have been at best inconsistent, whether it be Pearl Jam in the early 90s, through to the high riding Foo Fighters presently - you get one, two or maybe three storming tracks per album but which of these bands have the sheer ability to pen together a string of magnum opii in the manner of the heroes of yore, Purple, Sabbath, UFO, Thin Lizzy, etc?
Or not. I won't go and see a band with more than 400 people. The fun in music is still out there if you look hard enough.
Hey Ferg. Hi Wizzy.
I've got a whole Undertones thing going on at the moment. They are better now than at any other time in their chequered career. I'm going to see them in Cambridge in September.
Plus of course my dedication to the 'Koopa' cause!! Astoria 19th August, tickets limited, are you nearby?
>> Edited by Ferg on Saturday 16th July 14:50
I've got a whole Undertones thing going on at the moment. They are better now than at any other time in their chequered career. I'm going to see them in Cambridge in September.
Plus of course my dedication to the 'Koopa' cause!! Astoria 19th August, tickets limited, are you nearby?
>> Edited by Ferg on Saturday 16th July 14:50
wizzpig said:
Ah yes, Lars Ulrich. Not the worlds most gifted stick master by any stretch of the imagination, yet sufficiently talented, and more importantly devoted, to give real meat and intensity to the Metallica engine room. Coupled with an ultra dependable rhythm section in the shape of bassist Jason Newsted this proved a devastating foundation for Hammett to lay his trademark thumping riffs and Hetfield, his gruff yet powerful and, somewhat well written, vocals.
This particular formula was, imho, about as good as its gets.
They were better with Cliff Burton.
Anham, apologies.
I am become a near middle aged fart, albeit with the mindset of a 21 year old.
But it changes little: quality rock/metal existed exclusively between 1969-83/4.
One or two of the exponents from that era admittedly have found intermediate form, from time to time, in the subsequent period to-date but that was without doubt The Golden Age of Heavy Suasage.
The phrase 'purple patch' assumes a not insignificant currency for musical luddites like yours truly, whilst operating under such a robust and inflexible, narrow outlook.
The thing about the very best rock/metal is that it invariably possesses undated levels of stylistic aggression, excitement & melody in a way that is rarely challenged consistently by even the better contemporary protagonists: in other words, as much as I'm quite happy to acknowledge the very best outpourings from The Foo Fighters, QOTSH et al in a similar thrash of joyous moshing as outpourings from the best of the rest from 20-30 years ago, the critical difference resides in the contemporary bands' inability to deliver stomper after stomper.
This maybe because music in this form has been exhausted, the summit of metal mayhem having been conquered many times before and all that's left are new explorers seeking simply too convoluted an ascent for the sake of it when in fact, they'd be better of in some formulaic loop and 'doing a Darkness?'
I know, I know: nothing will come of nothing and all that but why strive to create the compromised?
The problem with this flawed but personally tempting, musical logic is nevertheless, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear, easily overcome by considering the options, as mentioned above: Stereophonics on CH18 or Robbie on CH21?
Well quite...it just ain't got the balls of old, you know?
I am become a near middle aged fart, albeit with the mindset of a 21 year old.
But it changes little: quality rock/metal existed exclusively between 1969-83/4.
One or two of the exponents from that era admittedly have found intermediate form, from time to time, in the subsequent period to-date but that was without doubt The Golden Age of Heavy Suasage.
The phrase 'purple patch' assumes a not insignificant currency for musical luddites like yours truly, whilst operating under such a robust and inflexible, narrow outlook.
The thing about the very best rock/metal is that it invariably possesses undated levels of stylistic aggression, excitement & melody in a way that is rarely challenged consistently by even the better contemporary protagonists: in other words, as much as I'm quite happy to acknowledge the very best outpourings from The Foo Fighters, QOTSH et al in a similar thrash of joyous moshing as outpourings from the best of the rest from 20-30 years ago, the critical difference resides in the contemporary bands' inability to deliver stomper after stomper.
This maybe because music in this form has been exhausted, the summit of metal mayhem having been conquered many times before and all that's left are new explorers seeking simply too convoluted an ascent for the sake of it when in fact, they'd be better of in some formulaic loop and 'doing a Darkness?'
I know, I know: nothing will come of nothing and all that but why strive to create the compromised?
The problem with this flawed but personally tempting, musical logic is nevertheless, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear, easily overcome by considering the options, as mentioned above: Stereophonics on CH18 or Robbie on CH21?
Well quite...it just ain't got the balls of old, you know?
hornet said:
...some old guff about Metallica....
They were better with Cliff Burton.
I'm not so sure you know. Got absolutely nothing but respect for CB, he was after all a certifiable genius, and technically suprior, but I feel that in Metallica's 3rd bassist, Newsted seemed to bring out something in their recorded work that they somehow lacked previously with Burton. Would be interesting to see what direction they would have gone had they had a chance to mature as a unit with CB.
Live on stage, however, there only one Cliff Burton. Pure unadulterated passion at it's most raw.
So I reckon, imho of course, Cliff for live performances, and Newsted for the studio.
ferg mate, yhm
derestrictor said:
Anham, apologies.
I am become a near middle aged fart, albeit with the mindset of a 21 year old.
But it changes little: quality rock/metal existed exclusively between 1969-83/4.
One or two of the exponents from that era admittedly have found intermediate form, from time to time, in the subsequent period to-date but that was without doubt The Golden Age of Heavy Suasage.
The phrase 'purple patch' assumes a not insignificant currency for musical luddites like yours truly, whilst operating under such a robust and inflexible, narrow outlook.
The thing about the very best rock/metal is that it invariably possesses undated levels of stylistic aggression, excitement & melody in a way that is rarely challenged consistently by even the better contemporary protagonists: in other words, as much as I'm quite happy to acknowledge the very best outpourings from The Foo Fighters, QOTSH et al in a similar thrash of joyous moshing as outpourings from the best of the rest from 20-30 years ago, the critical difference resides in the contemporary bands' inability to deliver stomper after stomper.
This maybe because music in this form has been exhausted, the summit of metal mayhem having been conquered many times before and all that's left are new explorers seeking simply too convoluted an ascent for the sake of it when in fact, they'd be better of in some formulaic loop and 'doing a Darkness?'
I know, I know: nothing will come of nothing and all that but why strive to create the compromised?
The problem with this flawed but personally tempting, musical logic is nevertheless, I'm sure you'll be glad to hear, easily overcome by considering the options, as mentioned above: Stereophonics on CH18 or Robbie on CH21?
Well quite...it just ain't got the balls of old, you know?
I agree, Der. I was musing to myself the other night, as it's almost a Who song anyway, wouldn't it have been good to let Old Rog the Dodge have a go at Robbie's "Let me entertain you"?
wizzpig said:
I'm not so sure you know. Got absolutely nothing but respect for CB, he was after all a certifiable genius, and technically suprior, but I feel that in Metallica's 3rd bassist, Newsted seemed to bring out something in their recorded work that they somehow lacked previously with Burton.
Other than on AJFA....you can't even hear him!
Bring back Ron McGovney, that's what I say
Velvet Revolver are the business, but then they would be, for obvious reasons (Slash, mostly)!
Papa Roach? Nahhhhhh... They really do rock but lyrically they're awful. Just listen to Dead Cell. Limp Bizkit are almost as bad.
Did I mention Incubus are a fantastic band (please feel free to explore "Nice To Know You," "Megalomaniac," "Mexico," "Circles," "In My Room" and "When It Comes"?
>> Edited by DanBoy on Saturday 16th July 21:33
Papa Roach? Nahhhhhh... They really do rock but lyrically they're awful. Just listen to Dead Cell. Limp Bizkit are almost as bad.
Did I mention Incubus are a fantastic band (please feel free to explore "Nice To Know You," "Megalomaniac," "Mexico," "Circles," "In My Room" and "When It Comes"
? >> Edited by DanBoy on Saturday 16th July 21:33
then we surely have to give a mention to Audio Slave. Did they appear on the top 100 per chance? Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff