That's what I thought, but Canada and the USA are both "on the west side of the pond" and the USA uses "S" not "C".Originally Posted by Trane
Atlantic ocean
That's what I thought, but Canada and the USA are both "on the west side of the pond" and the USA uses "S" not "C".Atlantic ocean
i had one or two albums bck in the day and they were ok. i liked the songs where he espouses american values and memories that evoke the former innocence of pop rock and roll. nowadays i just have a compilation, "the best that i could do" and find its really all i need and it has some cool tunes on it.
I'm probably going to offend some people here, but....
While I like some of Mellencamp's songs (Paper and Fire and Check it Out are two GREAT songs off of his Lonesome Jubilee album) and some of Springsteen's stuff, the idea of the "rock star as everyman" shtick rubs me the wrong way. The flannel shirts, jeans, "etc. while getting on their Lear Jet after the show and flying to the next gig.
RIGHT ON!!! They should either dress better or travel in a bus like Styx!
True, although Mellencamp has stayed somewhat true to his roots. Last I knew he still lived in his hometown of Seymore Indiana and has done a lot of chairity and philanthropic work over the years in the midwest.
Steve Sly
Both Bon Jovi and Mellencamp are very generous with their money. Sometimes "hometown roots" don't get jaded by fame and fortune.
"The mountains are calling and I must go" - John Muir
"To breathe the same air as the angels, you must go to Tahoe" - Mark Twain
I got Nothin' Matters And What If It Did at Best Buy for $5.99 today. Does anyone like this album? Apparently, Hot Night In A Cold Town was covered by Uriah Heep.
I wasn't a very big fan when he first came out, but after a period of relatively low physical activity and diet consisting of fatty foods, I became a huge fan around the time Lonesome Jubilee came out. I still listen to him though I did eventually lose a lot of weight. My interest began to wane about 10 years ago though. Just too formulaic.
But, those albums from Jubilee thru Mr Happy were pretty good though. Try and find a copy of his live "in-studio" album Rough Harvest.
Compact Disk brought high fidelity to the masses and audiophiles will never forgive it for that
I just got through listening to Nothin' Matters And What If It Did, which I got at Best Buy today. It sounded a lot like '50s music. Two songs(Tonight and Cheap Shot) have a sort of new wave touch to them. Cheap Shot references folk rock, punk rock, and power pop music. The song even has a line that goes "there ain't no more progressive music". The album was produced by Steve Cropper from The MGs. I saw a picture of Steve on Wikipedia, and was surprised to find out that he's a white guy. Booker T. is a black, but I know Duck Dunn is white too. Anyways, getting back to Mellencamp:Nothin' Matters is kind of a mellow, poppy album, but that's alright by me.
Wow, so Johnny Cougar is 62 now. Crazy. Is he still active?
Is he still active? Why don't you ask Meg Ryan that.
Is Meg Ryan still active?
A year ago I had a pal with extra tickets to Mellencamp so I went with him. In the 80s and 90s when I worked record/cd store, I heard all of his stuff repeatedly, and for mainstream, it was well done and resonated with lots of music buyers. So, I hadn't paid any attention to him for a dozen years and I went to the show. Some of the songs were slightly rearranged to his now rootsier style but they came off well. My biggest impression of the show was that I caught the lyrics much more than I normally do with albums or concerts, and he was definately speakin out, singing not just his observations but his point of view, and not in a preachy way. I give hime much credit for that part of his style. Musically, a very professional band, but John has no vocal range at all, yet giives what he has and emotes the songs. He's less impish or rambunctious on stage. I was catching a bit of Johnny Cash style personna in his dress and presentation. Not what I normally prefer to listen to, but I'd go see the Little Bastard again because he has a body of work with a lot of sincerity in the lyric and I now sense him as an artist rather than a performer.
John's two sons are in the news. They and a friend beat up another kid. I heard read about this on the Ultimate Classic Rock Facebook page. Seems people on there are making a bigger deal about their names more than anything else. Hud was named after the Paul Newman movie, and Speck after John's grandpa.
LITTLE BASTARDS!!!
Gee, I always thought Speck was named after this guy...
Observation:
John Cougar Mellencamp's "Rock" music from the 80s is a fiddle and steel guitar away from passing as mid-2000s country music
Not all Mellencamp music sounds like that. Just the stuff from '87 to about '91.
The approach is the same as the modern Nashville approach (especially Nashville circa mid-90s til now) and its evident as early as 1981 "Jack and Diane" era: acoustic guitars are strummed with that perfect strum - each strum has the same delivery and precision, drums are performed perfect with even strikes per drum (regardless of compression), each bass note is delivered with the same articulation, guitar solos are about tone, accuracy, and articulation even if the melodies are "stock" melodies. Songs are written with common Western "Cycle of Fourths" and "Cycle of Fifths" arrangements. Its about equal and accurate perfect notes and chords within the common American music framework. Its a "music-sequencing-by-humans-with-real-human-feel" approach: moving beyond perfection by interjecting human soul.
Nothing wrong with this, I was just saying this as an observation: John Cougar Mellencamp was doing mid 2000s Country in the 80s....He was ahead of his time in a different genre
Last edited by klothos; 08-18-2013 at 03:47 AM.
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