Controversial Music Opinions...

[tony.parente]

Trent has even reached out towards Marilyn Manson recently

Source? I'm not calling you a liar, i'm just interested in the source material. Interview maybe?

[Jinsai]

Tori Amos should have had Trent's love child.

People's lives aren't fan fiction.

also,

Miley Cyrus' music is manufactured horseshit, and liking it doesn't demonstrate how eclectic or open minded you are.

[Sutekh]

But at the same time aspects of the cyrus backlash reek of blatant neo puritanism - suddenly we've got a problem with that sort of thing? Pretty sure similar shit has been shoved in our faces since madonna, but the media's sanctioned disgust seems to act as an enabler for some. How funny that sinead o'predictable guilt ridden failed catholic should chime in.

"it's really not my religious brainwashing resurfacing as rationalised pseudo feminism, but i think you should cover up and remember that your body is for your boyfriend. I've totally come to this conclusion on my own. No really"

I'm not defending cyrus and I find her act tasteless and naff. It's just weird that people are resorting to tasteless and faintly misogynist outbursts as a response to tasteless and overtly misogynist display

[thevoid99]

The thing about Smiley Virus that pisses me off isn't just the way she tries to present herself and say she's edgy and all that. It's just Sinead O'Connor tried to help her and Miley was being very bitchy towards O'Connor and said some things about her and Amanda Bynes. That was wrong. What is happening to Amanda Bynes is sad because it's obvious she's mentally ill and O'Connor has bipolar. Miley shouldn't be making fun of the mentally ill. Then again, she's a very immature little bitch who takes herself way too seriously.

[tony.parente]

who takes herself way too seriously.

I think she takes absolutely nothing seriously, and I don't mean that in an insulting way to her.

I think her attitude is fantastic, she may be a raging cunt and a huge bitch but at least she's genuine and not trying to be something that she's not. ::cough:: lady gaga ::cough::

[Halo Infinity]

How does a friendship get ruined by outside influences anyway? I mean, sure. I can definitely understand what might've happened. Courtney Love meddling and spreading rumours and all, but the cat has been out of the bag for years and it's very well-publicised. There must be a deeper reason somewhere, cause otherwise, I reckon Trent and Tori - as friends - would've said "We know what happened. Fuck her. Wanna go buy some ice cream?" years ago.

Trent has even reached out towards Marilyn Manson recently (Antichrist Superstar remaster, please), but still not Tori. That can't just be because of Courtney Love.

And whatever happened also left Tori pissed off at Trent. I don't get it either. And if either of them were the type to get on David Letterman, Howard Stern or Opie & Anthony and spill the beans, we'd have some sort of idea though. My only guess is that perhaps Tori felt used/betrayed by Trent. And yeah, that's true. It does make it even more odd and sound far worse if Trent was actually willing to reach out to Marilyn Manson a bit, but not Tori. Tori didn't seem to have anything bad to say about Trent in 1999 or 2000 though. So, she seems to be over it.

[Fred]

Source? I'm not calling you a liar, i'm just interested in the source material. Interview maybe?

The final paragraph of this article contains a paraphrasing of what I'm referring to. There are probably better sources out there; this was just the first and best thing courtesy of Google.

Of course, there's more than a little bit of TR-humour in that statement, but at least he doesn't say Marilyn can surf a piece of plywood up his ass.

[onthewall2983]

To bring this back to music instead of TMZ, I think Dire Straits might be one of the most underrated bands ever. Knopfler gets his due among guitar geeks, and somewhat as a singer/songwriter considering the talent he's been seen alongside since he's gone solo (James Taylor, Van Morrison, and Emmylou Harris). They weren't metal or alternative but managed to carve their own path and be one of the biggest bands of the 80's.

But they aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (not that it matters much personally, but a potential DS reunion would be good enough reason to be excited to see them inducted), despite their songs still being on the radio and in movies/TV. I'll go one step further by saying that their much-lauded Brothers In Arms isn't their best record, it's 1982's Love Over Gold.

[Charmingly Miserable]

And whatever happened also left Tori pissed off at Trent. I don't get it either. And if either of them were the type to get on David Letterman, Howard Stern or Opie & Anthony and spill the beans, we'd have some sort of idea though. My only guess is that perhaps Tori felt used/betrayed by Trent. And yeah, that's true. It does make it even more odd and sound far worse if Trent was actually willing to reach out to Marilyn Manson a bit, but not Tori. Tori didn't seem to have anything bad to say about Trent in 1999 or 2000 though. So, she seems to be over it.

To this day, Tori still has high esteem for Trent.

[GulDukat]

But at the same time aspects of the cyrus backlash reek of blatant neo puritanism - suddenly we've got a problem with that sort of thing?

I don't really have a problem with her, I just think that she's boring and predictable and it's irritating that she's on the cover of Rolling Stone this month and Trent isn't.

[Sutekh]

I agree with that, i'm not saying all or most people who have a problem with her are just playing out their issues with various things, but certainly a lot of people seem to be. Sinead is a textbook example (lapsed catholic eventually convinces herself she has christian values as a result of her own decisions) & that's why i found it funny

[binaryhermit]

To try to get this back to music, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles are overrated.

[Charmingly Miserable]

To try to get this back to music, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles are overrated.

I am gonna agree with you partially: the Beatles are seriously overrated but Led Zep isn't.

[miss k bee]

The video for Rihanna's Pour It Up, wtf she just may as well make her next music video soft porn.

[orestes]

I don't really have a problem with her, I just think that she's boring and predictable and it's irritating that she's on the cover of Rolling Stone this month and Trent isn't.

Jezebel has pretty good commentary on the (undressed) state of female pop stars at the moment.

Here's a quote from Jon Pareles:

She doesn't feel like a producer's instrument, the way Britney Spears always did. She feels like she's in the wheelhouse — she or someone very close to her is being smart about their choices. But here's the thing: Now that you've got our attention, couldn't you say something more interesting? Even Madonna, who was attention-getter supreme, for decades, always tried to put a little something more than just "Look at me" in her songs. I mean, that's what Miley Cyrus, that's what all of these young pop stars aspire to, is Madonna, is that impact. And if Miley Cyrus's only impact is 'wasn't that weird what she was doing with that foam finger,' this to me is not the kind of thing Madonna brought out with questions about religion and sexuality and power. Madonna's provocations led somewhere besides attention and the next batch of merch being sold.

[Louie_Cypher]

I am gonna agree with you partially: the Beatles are seriously overrated but Led Zep isn't.

My problem with Zep, was how many songs Page ripped off, giving no credits or royalties until he was sued, also how Page & Plant totally snubbed JPJ until recently, when he probably was the most talented of the bunch.

[aggroculture]

A friendly note: if you go back and read this thread, you will see we've had in-depth Beatles/Led Zep conversations, most likely going over similar ground.

[Big Fat Matt]

My problem with Zep, was how many songs Page ripped off, giving no credits or royalties until he was sued, also how Page & Plant totally snubbed JPJ until recently, when he probably was the most talented of the bunch.

this this this.

love Zep and Beatles to death, but that doesn't change facts.


American Millennial Metal (ie, lamb of god, avenged sevenfold, Killswitch Engage, etc) is pretty much unlistenable.

Metal pre-80s, with the exception of anything RJD and Ozzy touched is pretty much unlistenable.



fuck it, MOST metal is pretty unlistenable. That genre (not talking about sub genres here, just plain METAL) is so fucking stagnant. Shows are boring, songs are unimaginative. ugh. Give me another remastered Unknown Pleasures. Hell, remaster some Bauhaus.

[Highly Psychological]

Arcade Fire are the most overrated band of the past decade. Their music bores the shit out of me, it sounds smug and tedious and pleased with itself. nothing moves me or lurches out and grabs me it just constantly coasts and goes nowhere. I hate the lead singer's Zany voice, i tried to get into the Neon Bible ages ago but this impenetrable wall of arrogance their music evokes stops me from feeling anything. Heard the new track Reflektor produced by James Murphy (who is overrated too) and they still suck.
Apparently their new album is 'epic' and 'majestic'. i cant see what critics (and David Bowie) are getting out of their music?

[henryeatscereal]

To bring this back to music instead of TMZ, I think Dire Straits might be one of the most underrated bands ever. Knopfler gets his due among guitar geeks, and somewhat as a singer/songwriter considering the talent he's been seen alongside since he's gone solo (James Taylor, Van Morrison, and Emmylou Harris). They weren't metal or alternative but managed to carve their own path and be one of the biggest bands of the 80's.

But they aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (not that it matters much personally, but a potential DS reunion would be good enough reason to be excited to see them inducted), despite their songs still being on the radio and in movies/TV. I'll go one step further by saying that their much-lauded Brothers In Arms isn't their best record, it's 1982's Love Over Gold

I agree with you, even the solo stuff by Mark Knopfler is awesome...

But my favorites are: Dire Straits (1978) and the live album "Alchemy"

[onthewall2983]

The first album took me by surprise hearing it. It's a very solid debut.

I doubt the original point isn't controversial, even here. But they are a band I don't see discussed a whole lot in much reverential terms. Their success was kind of an anomaly to what else was going on in rock music at the time. The songs were way more intelligent than anything being put out by pop-friendly bands like REO Speedwagon or Journey, there wasn't any connection to heavy metal or even new wave (apart from Sting on "Money For Nothing"), or the burgeoning alternative scene that would bloom into a giant in the 90's.

I think what bothers me about them not getting their full due in terms of a legacy is that trends often trample talent.

[Space Suicide]

Arcade Fire are the most overrated band of the past decade. Their music bores the shit out of me, it sounds smug and tedious and pleased with itself. nothing moves me or lurches out and grabs me it just constantly coasts and goes nowhere. I hate the lead singer's Zany voice, i tried to get into the Neon Bible ages ago but this impenetrable wall of arrogance their music evokes stops me from feeling anything. Heard the new track Reflektor produced by James Murphy (who is overrated too) and they still suck.
Apparently their new album is 'epic' and 'majestic'. i cant see what critics (and David Bowie) are getting out of their music?

I highly agree about them being overrated but I disagree with everything else. I dig them and they write great music. It gets more credit than what it is worth though.

[henryeatscereal]

The first album took me by surprise hearing it. It's a very solid debut.

I doubt the original point isn't controversial, even here. But they are a band I don't see discussed a whole lot in much reverential terms. Their success was kind of an anomaly to what else was going on in rock music at the time. The songs were way more intelligent than anything being put out by pop-friendly bands like REO Speedwagon or Journey, there wasn't any connection to heavy metal or even new wave (apart from Sting on "Money For Nothing"), or the burgeoning alternative scene that would bloom into a giant in the 90's.

Yup, i always think of them as an 'odd' band... nobody likes them (even in "Shaun of the Dead" they make fun of this...) yet, they are very successful...
Even their "best" album "Brothers in arms" features the very 'catchy' "Money for nothing" but most of the other songs feature lots of progressive elements... Ultimately i think this is what makes them 'odd', they have some awesome tunes like "Private investigations" and some horrible ones like "Twisting by the pool".

In my opinion: the first album is the most solid one of their discography, but "Making Movies" and "Love over gold" are great listens...

[Jinsai]

I really liked the first Arcade Fire album, and now I wonder if I was... wrong? I watched that performance of their new disco song "Reflector" on SNL, and holy shit. It's like they're a parody of themselves. When she gets into the mirror box and looks around all confused... I think it's time I had my walk of shame and sell my Arcade Fire stuff.

Maybe nobody watches SNL anymore, otherwise I don't see how that performance hasn't become meme fodder

[allegro]

Nah you weren't wrong; that first album is brilliant.

[xmd 5a]

I highly agree about them being overrated but I disagree with everything else. I dig them and they write great music. It gets more credit than what it is worth though.

I'm kind of the opposite- I can see why they're so hyped and understand why Funeral is so well loved, but I just don't really enjoy the music. It's accomplished in terms of sound and songwriting, but not really my Thing.

That said, I might revisit it in a couple of years and be blown away. It took me the best part of a decade to fall in love with other albums from the 00s 'indie' canon (Is This It?, Turn On the Bright Lights), so I won't rule out the possibility of a 180 on Arcade Fire.

[Fixer808]

I really liked the first Arcade Fire album, and now I wonder if I was... wrong? I watched that performance of their new disco song "Reflector" on SNL, and holy shit. It's like they're a parody of themselves. When she gets into the mirror box and looks around all confused... I think it's time I had my walk of shame and sell my Arcade Fire stuff.

Maybe nobody watches SNL anymore, otherwise I don't see how that performance hasn't become meme fodder

Blame Anton Corbijn. If Bowie threatens to steal the song and record it if they don't, then shows up on it, I'm down with it. I've only just started to get into Arcade Fire and even though there's songs I like more, I DO enjoy Reflektor.

[GulDukat]

To try to get this back to music, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles are overrated.

Can't agree with this. Just listen to the second half of Abbey Road. The Monkees, however, are very underrated.

[Jinsai]

Can't agree with this. Just listen to the second half of Abbey Road.

It seems like whenever someone says some bullshit like "The Beatles are overrated," it usually turns out that they've never actually sat down and listened to an entire Beatles album.

[henryeatscereal]

Now that we're talking about "Arcade Fire" i consider "Neon Bible" superior to "Funeral"...