Nickelback, Journey, Ke$ha – Terrible Artists/Great Songs

[tater1977]

Nickelback, Journey, Ke$ha – Terrible Artists/Great Songs

http://www.entertainment-bureau.com/nic ... songs/1818

By:Jay Sage On:May 08, 2012


Jay Sage: Greetings Entertainment Bureau readers and welcome to another edition of the EB Chat Wrap. Joining me as always is 2nd Lieutenant Jared Feldman. So Jared, I was cruising down the highway when a song by Nickelback came on the radio. I was prepared to change the station when I heard Chad Kroeger’s voice, but a couple seconds later it struck me that I actually didn’t hate the song. So today’s topic is good songs by terrible artists. Ready, Rock Star?

Jared Feldman: I don’t know if ready is the right term, but prepared to do battle at least. I’m gonna start with something potentially controversial. I’m going to start with Journey. They are an entertaining band to say the least, but let’s be real they weren’t all that talented. Apologies to Steve Perry. But a song my them that is fantastic in my opinion is Wheel in the Sky. It strays enough away from their Gleeful regular songs, and hints at something more like the Black Sabbath Dio days.



Sage: The main guitar riff in that song is quite addictive. I’m more of a Journey apologist in general, though. I really like other songs of theirs such as Lights, Any Way You Want It, Faithfully….Don’t Stop Believin’ is beyond a cliche at this point, but objectively speaking I don’t think it’s awful. Their major sin is too often being over-the-top.

Feldman: They were very much like one of the early 1980’s hair bands that were all about style and none about skill. Though Journey are great entertainers I just don’t consider them to be all that good from a musical point of view. I always seem to confuse them with Boston and Foreigner. While I know they are all different bands, their styles weren’t diffuse enough to really set them apart during their heydays.

Sage: Speaking of all style and no substance, how about the paragon of pop hair metal, KISS? Known more for their overdone makeup and flashy stage pyrotechnics, only Rock and Roll All Nite receives much radio play. However, check out this cover of Hello’s New York Groove by Ace Frehley.

Feldman: I think Kiss are really only known for that song, though I’m much more of a fan of Detroit Rock City, which is again decently known, but much harder to find on the airwaves. I think the film of the same title gave an interesting look on their fan phenomena during KISS’s time in the spotlight.

Sage: Here’s bringing in the heavy artillery…I’ll offer up Ke$ha, a veritable goddess of useless insipid trash-pop. My opinion of her music was pretty firmly in place when I wandered upon this (link) beautifully authentic version of Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright. Granted, she didn’t write the song, but I was shocked to hear something so emotive by the same woman who gave us Tik Tok.




And you thought you had forgotten.

Feldman: Let’s just call it a new version of a Bob Dylan classic while trying to forget who sings it. If we’re going pop, I’m gonna call on another cover, also with Ke$ha now that I think about it. I’m talking about Flo Rida’s Right Round. The song was made more famous by the film The Hangover, and samples You Spin Me Round by Dead or Alive. I don’t know what it is about that song, but it is infectious to listen to. I’ve really got nothing for or against Flo Rida, but it is far and above his finest production.

Sage: Or how about Ke$ha’s spiritual godmother, Britney Spears? Her fame always astonished me, but I’ll be damned if I don’t listen everytime Toxic is on.

Feldman: That little violin synth thing is what always gets me. She’s not a great artist but the thing about pop music is that it is catchy.

Sage: The trouble, of course, is when we automatically write-off songs because the artist is traditionally of low quality. Take the first example as an…well, example. If you de-attach the name Nickelback from it, everybody would LOVE Rockstar. It’s a poor man’s Money for Nothing. Pithy, clever, solid message, nice catchy chorus, and a pretty baller music video (featuring Wayne Gretzky) too.

Feldman: I’m not sure where the generalized hatred of Nickelback came from, because in their defense their first album and single was pretty solid. Perhaps their downfall came from their single “Something in Your Mouth” and they weren’t talking about a lollypop.

Sage: Grantland’s Chuck Klosterman wrote an intriguing article about attending a double feature of Nickelback and Creed, two of the most universally reviled rock bands out there. He points out that certain bands (those two along with Hootie and the Blowfish and Limp Bizkit, plus a couple others) are sanctioned to hate without any particular reason. When it comes to Nickelback, is it just their utter mediocrity? Because let’s be honest, anybody who listens to pop radio knows that modern music gets a LOT worse than Chad Kroeger.




Ahem...

Feldman: You make some valid points. I don’t really understand the hatred of Hootie and the Blowfish other than the fact that the main singer isn’t named Hootie. It’s Darius Rucker actually. Creed were actually sued by their fans for putting on a bad concert where singer Scott Stapp forgot the words to songs and actually passed out on stage. As for Limp Bizkit I’ve nothing against the supporting cast, as for front man Fred Durst (Soon to have his own sitcom by the way) check out the worst guitar solo of all time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MI-_jWAmlE.

Sage: That is certainly difficult to listen to. Back to the original topic, a lot of people probably won’t agree with me but one band that I could never stand is the Counting Crows. However, I happen to love their single “You Can’t Count on Me”.

Feldman: I can see the appeal, I can also see the opposite. I’m personally in the middle but for argument’s sake I can agree that is a solid song. Perhaps it is difficult to find a truly derided band that has a good song, because at the same time to have a good song makes a band not as terrible at least?

Sage: Well, think about the very nature of “one hit wonders”. Normally, the reason that they earn that status is because none of their other songs are particularly notable. I suppose we’re focusing more on acts that have achieved mainstream success without providing much in the way of innovation.

Feldman: Well put. Any last band and song that comes to mind for you?

Sage: I don’t generally enjoy the music of Shania Twain. But I think a truly great song is When the Levee Breaks, by Led Zeppelin. Shania Twain is irredeemable.

Feldman: Well I feel strongly that House of the Rising Sun by the Animals is an incredible cover of an American folk classic, but at that same time Britney Spears once did a cover of Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones. All I can say is that the music world is a strange and varied place. That’ll do it for this edition of the Chat Wrap, check back soon

[Navarro]

The dude is deaf and on crack! Seriously, to say Journey is not that talented is laughable. You may not like them, but they are talented. Great voice, guitar, drums, keys. Quality songwriting too. This guy needs to pull his head out of his ass so he can hear. Fuck, this pisses me off!

[slucero]

neither of these guys were probably even born when Journey was killing it in the 80's, so their perspective is a bit lame...

[jrny84]

The guy is totally off base with reality. I bet he likes most of the crap music that is on the radio today. Perhaps Journey has one of the greatest male talents to ever sing modern music, that being the unmistakable Steve Perry. That voice alone is more talent than many bands have ever had.

[Memorex]

That could very well be the stupidest thing I have ever read. No skill? Dude needs to just hide away and stop talking about anything.

[Gideon]

Schon is a bona fide prodigy.
Smith is considered one of the most technically gifted drummers in rock.
Perry possessed a nigh-unparalleled voice in pretty much any aspect you can name.

I flinch every time this sentiment is offered, which is surprisingly often.

[Eric]

I got into this with a critic once, and he eventually backtracked and said the members were talented bu the music they made wasn't suggestive of that. I then argued that about what their deeper tracks and he backtracked more and said what they release isn't demonstrative of their talent.

[jrny84]

I got into this with a critic once, and he eventually backtracked and said the members were talented bu the music they made wasn't suggestive of that. I then argued that about what their deeper tracks and he backtracked more and said what they release isn't demonstrative of their talent.

Huh? Wow. Journey's songs were built around Neals unique guitar solos and Steve Perry's soulful and emotional singing...how is that not demonstrative of their talent? I dont know how much more you can demonstrate someones talents than building around their voice and guitar playing. I would say if anything their songwriting and playing demonstrated their talents more so than any of their counterparts such as Foreigner, Styx, REO, Boston, and Heart. Just look at their long lasting popularity, relevance, concert grosses, and album sales.

[Andrew]

Nickelback - stupid band, stupid songs. Keisha - skank.

[FormerJrnyFan]

Agreed, Keisha = skank! I like Nickelback tho!

[Rick]

The dude is deaf and on crack! Seriously, to say Journey is not that talented is laughable. You may not like them, but they are talented. Great voice, guitar, drums, keys. Quality songwriting too. This guy needs to pull his head out of his ass so he can hear. Fuck, this pisses me off!

Some people just don't get it. I drove my daughter from here (Dallas area) to Norfolk, VA when she moved there about a year and half ago, and I decided we were going to listen to the whole Journey catalog on the way. I was going to turn my little girl into a Journey junky. NOT. I'd turn it up and she'd turn it down. I'd say "listen to that!" Perry would be hitting notes only a dog could hear and she'd be like "Yeah ok, dad." Grrrr!

[livin2do]

People shouldn't write about things that they obviously know nothing about.

[FormerJrnyFan]

People shouldn't write about things that they obviously know nothing about.

Who might you be referring to?

[Peartree12249]

The dude is deaf and on crack! Seriously, to say Journey is not that talented is laughable. You may not like them, but they are talented. Great voice, guitar, drums, keys. Quality songwriting too. This guy needs to pull his head out of his ass so he can hear. Fuck, this pisses me off!

Some people just don't get it. I drove my daughter from here (Dallas area) to Norfolk, VA when she moved there about a year and half ago, and I decided we were going to listen to the whole Journey catalog on the way. I was going to turn my little girl into a Journey junky. NOT. I'd turn it up and she'd turn it down. I'd say "listen to that!" Perry would be hitting notes only a dog could hear and she'd be like "Yeah ok, dad." Grrrr!

Seriously Rick the whole effen catalog! While she was held captive in the car? No wonder she was turning it down! That's way too much music to force on a neophyte. You'd do better with a more subtle subliminal approach. It wasn't until I got older that I began to appreciate the great voices of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett etc. My Mom never made me listen to them, it was just the music that was on the radio, or on TV when I was growing up. It was in the background and as I got older and my musical tastes matured, I was able to appreciate them for the great talents they were.

[Deb]

Agreed, Keisha = skank! I like Nickelback tho!

Ditto to both, I like NB too. Not as big on their pop type songs or ballads, but I do like their more good ole crunchy rock stuff. LOL, Chad will never make it into my top 10 vocalists, but I remember when the hometown boys first made it big, I loved this song, their lyrics were kind of a F U to an abusive husband/father. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxOV12hfv2o&ob=av2n

[FormerJrnyFan]

Agreed, Keisha = skank! I like Nickelback tho!

Ditto to both, I like NB too. Not as big on their pop type songs or ballads, but I do like their more good ole crunchy rock stuff. LOL, Chad will never make it into my top 10 vocalists, but I remember when the hometown boys first made it big, I loved this song, their lyrics were kind of a F U to an abusive husband/father. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxOV12hfv2o&ob=av2n

"crunchy rock stuff" I'm stealing that adjective! That's the perfect way to describe Nickelback. They aren't my fav band, or even in my top 5, but definitely "listenable"!

[Deb]

Agreed, Keisha = skank! I like Nickelback tho!

Ditto to both, I like NB too. Not as big on their pop type songs or ballads, but I do like their more good ole crunchy rock stuff. LOL, Chad will never make it into my top 10 vocalists, but I remember when the hometown boys first made it big, I loved this song, their lyrics were kind of a F U to an abusive husband/father. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxOV12hfv2o&ob=av2n

"crunchy rock stuff" I'm stealing that adjective! That's the perfect way to describe Nickelback. They aren't my fav band, or even in my top 5, but definitely "listenable"!

LOL, first came up with that adjective when I was telling a friend about Paul Gilbert's guitar tone in this performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atw9E-7qTBo Couldn't think of a better way to put it. Doesn't that sound crunchy to you. Love love love this type of crunchy rock guitar tone!

[Michigan Girl]

Seems as though they are more fans of the Rolie line-up, save Faithfully.
I read a few of their other chats and discovered that I don't always disagree
w/them. Don't like Journey? Acceptable. To say they lack talent because you
read an old issue of Rolling Stone, unacceptable.

They seem to be unversed on much of the information they are posting here ...KISS known only for
RNRAN/DRC?!? Again, don't like KISS, fine ...but even those who are not fans
of KISS can name more than RNR All Night and DRC ...they are fans of what
appeals to them from the airwaves, period.

[ForceInfinity]

Nickelback - stupid band, stupid songs. Keisha - skank.

Oh come now Andrew, NB is not *that* bad

[maverick218]

I quit reading after the first couple of paragraphs.... a complete waste of time to read any further.