When we were in Minneapolis last weekend, one of the biggest fights we had -- the one that caused Cliff to physically leave the group and draw cartoons on his napkin -- was about music. Two of his college buddies who live in Minneapolis have pretty absolute opinions on music and can probably be described as "scene" guys -- all popular music is terrible, anything on the radio is crap, most classic music is dated and "history" -- you know the type. So you can imagine what happens when you put those two, a classic rock guy like Dick, an arena-rock guy like Continental, a music whore like myself who listens and enjoys everything, and a lot of alcohol together.
Talk about a combustible cocktail.
Mostly we ripped on two of Cliff's favorite bands, Coldplay and John Mayer. Hilariously, he wouldn't let it go. When one of his college buddies said Coldplay is a populist version of Radiohead, that was just about it for him.
"When Radiohead started expanding their vision and popular radio and MTV and by extension many of their fans didn't follow, they needed somewhere to turn. Coldplay picked up that torch and carries it proudly."
And to think I summed up that crap band by saying simply they are a "high tech Bread". Same difference, I think.
I won't tell you what they said for John Mayer. Suffice it to say it was not kind.
***
Sunday, I was reading the Minneapolis StarTribune (complimentary with your stay at the Marriott, a nice touch) and their music critic was listing the 10 worst bands on the current scene. While it was no surprise to see Nickelback make the list, his comments make me shudder:
"Do we really need a Journey for the new millennium?"
Ouch. This stings because there isn't a classic rock band I enjoy more than Journey, and there isn't a current act I despise more than Nickelback. I don't hate many bands. I am a music whore, after all. But I just really don't like Nickelback. So to compare them to Journey is, well, ouch.
But here's the thing. They're more similar than you think. Don't read this if you want to be able to listen to Journey again.
They're both rock bands that, in their best times, were despised by critics and a certain segment of the music-buying public. They're both bands that were wildly popular with a huge swath of the rest of the world, despite that critical hatred. They both have an enormous catalog of hits that are unescapable on the radio. Both bands had a three-year period where their music ruled MTV and the airwaves, even though many people couldn't stand them. Both bands headlined arenas while many music fans scratch their heads and wonder how, hating the band while secretly listening to them and not admitting it. Journey eventually became overexposed and had to go away for over a decade before they could release another album to any degree of success. Nickelback is close to that point.
Both bands mix pop-rock ballads with rock safe enough for mainstream popularity while maintaining a rock-enough edge to be safe for guys to listen to. Nickelback had a song named "How You Remind Me". Journey had one named "I'll Be Alright Without You".
Seriously, as much as it pisses me off, there is some correlation there. Is Nickelback really a Journey for the new millennium? Perhaps.
I will now go pour Drano into my ears with a funnel and listen to Wolfmother.
***
Back in April I got a $30 iTunes gift card for my birthday from my parents, because as they bluntly told me, what do you get a son who not only has everything? Stung. Up until last night, I'd not used it all up. I bought the new Pearl Jam album right away with it in late April, but the remaining $20 sat unused for six weeks as I never really had time to go shopping for other new stuff. With my purchase of Wolfmother and Gnarls Barkley Thursday, that $20 is gone.
Wolfmother kicks ass by the way. From the late-70s album cover oil painting of a sea serpent, with a minimalistic type treatment of their name in a Black Sabbath-esque font, to the classic rock sound, this might just be my favorite album of 2006 so far. Time will tell, I suppose.
And Gnarls Barkley, in addition to being named for my favorite NBA player of all time, the Chukker, kicks substantial amounts of ass too. Lots of listening to be done with these two albums this weekend with ANOTHER trip to Minnesota in the offing, my second such trip in 6 days. 390 miles one way, but at least last time I had four of my bros with me to pass time. This time I got, well, Wolfmother, Gnarls Barkley and whatever else comes up on the iPod. Probably not Journey, though, as the comparison to Journey has soured me on them for the time being. Damn you, Star Tribune columnist.
You bet.
Leave a comment