Classic Rock Stumped Me And I'm Angry

[GuitarGeek]

The Doobies had a couple eras... they started out as a pretty basic (but good) rock band led by Tom Johnston, started to morph into almost a Steely Dan jazzy.bluegrassy country band when Pat Simmons and Skunk Baxter joined and finally turned sort of white-boy soul with Micheal McDonald taking a leading role writing. They all have their good songs but I actually like those middle albums, like Living On The Fault Line.

I don't know what their recent records are like, but I remember when they first got back together in the late 80's, and they put out that album The Doctor was on, they kinda went back to the "rock n roll band" sound they started with. I remember seeing an interview with I think Tom Johnson and Patrick Simmons when that record was on, and at one point, the interviewer mentions the Michael McDonald era, saying something like "A lot of people said that wasn't 'real' Doobie Brothers music'", and I think it's Simmons who says, "Well, at the time it was", and they all laugh.

I gather that at some point, John McFee (who played in the last stage of the McDonald era) has also rejoined the band. I remember seeing their "Farewell" concert on cable TV way back in 82 or whenever it was, and thinking that Dean V's (I think he had two, one white, and the other black, both with three pickups) that he played for most of the show looked pretty cool. He also played some cool fiddle on Black Water.

[TheLoony]

Hey, hey, hey, now! Mark Slaughter. I'm a fan, but he's also a good friend of mine.

His voice is only liked by few in the music world, but I like it. Mark moved outta Henderson, NV in the late 90s. He now has a beautiful home in Tennessee.

Being the asshole I am, and at the time I was half drunk and even more bombastic, I ran into a friend of the band once. I stated I was glad the band was dead and a close friend of the guitar player got all on my case. I didn't mean I was glad his friend was dead but Mark Slaughter's voice has almost no equal in my eyes. Hearing him I want to rip my balls off. Seriously, he hurts my puny brain and ears.

Yeah, that was a bad choice of words at the wrong time. I nearly got pounded that night but I'm not just good, but good enough with words that I explained what I meant and all was well. We probably ended up doing shots but I tend to forget when I drink.

I remember around '86 or so, right before I graduated, I ran into a friend on the street(literally) and he told me he was taking guitar lessons from Mark. He was already somewhat of a rock legend here in town and I'm pretty sure it was earlier than that now that I think about it. I think it would have to be as he was in VV Invasion by that time and huh, now I'm confused. My mind tells me I was driving and ran into my friend but maybe it was before that and it was on bike or whatever. I do remember that incident and all he had done, to my remembrance, was Xcursion.

I don't remember his timeline enough as I was not a fan. I'm pretty sure that it was between Xcursion and him getting the VVI gig or maybe it was later, after VVI and before Slaughter which would have made him known, a little bit at least.

Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. Damn, getting old and trying to remember this crap is agonizing. Maybe my friend was lying to me as he turned to be the tweaker from hell(also literally) and once burned down a building due to idiocy. So that's not a stretch of the imagination.

[davis]

actually, my mom forgot it was Springsteen...but I know what you mean

I've never been a fan of Bruce's music. he came on radio yesterday and I switched to something else right away, not even caring if it was my wife's country stations.

[davis]

I've heard that a lot of people mistook Mark Knopfler's voice for Bob Dylan's when Dire Straits started out. I must've been too atuned to Bob's voice, cause I never heard the similarity.

[Rune Blackwings]

I've never been a fan of Bruce's music. he came on radio yesterday and I switched to something else right away, not even caring if it was my wife's country stations.

he made two songs I like, both of which were covered by Manfred Mann. I liked "The Rising" for a total of one hour because right after 9/11/01, I was in a period where songs I normally would not listen to appealed to me emotionally. When the period wore off, I began analyzing them and came upon the conclusion that they sucked, "The Rising" among them. I think my taking a shine to the recently defunct Emperor may have pushed that along...

[bob_32_116]

I've heard that a lot of people mistook Mark Knopfler's voice for Bob Dylan's when Dire Straits started out. I must've been too atuned to Bob's voice, cause I never heard the similarity.

The first time I heard Dire Straits was on radio in South America, when the song Lady Writer was played. My immediate reaction was "Wow, Bob Dylan's sounding better than he has in a long time!"

[bob_32_116]

I've got Mark Slaughter, Toni Basil and Billy Ray Cyrus as the only people actually from Vegas that made it and that's not a good list, at all. I'm sure I'm missing a few but that list has to say something, doesn't it? I just can't think of any actual native Las Vegans other than those that made popular music let alone good music.

The Killers? You'd surely have to rank them above those three.

[JKL2000]

Hey, hey, hey, now! Mark Slaughter. I'm a fan, but he's also a good friend of mine.

His voice is only liked by few in the music world, but I like it. Mark moved outta Henderson, NV in the late 90s. He now has a beautiful home in Tennessee.

Does he get upset when people dis Hair Metal?

[davis]

he made two songs I like, both of which were covered by Manfred Mann. I liked "The Rising" for a total of one hour because right after 9/11/01, I was in a period where songs I normally would not listen to appealed to me emotionally. When the period wore off, I began analyzing them and came upon the conclusion that they sucked, "The Rising" among them. I think my taking a shine to the recently defunct Emperor may have pushed that along...

the only thing he ever did that I was impressed with was when he attended some award show, made a speech, and then thanked the powers-that-were for inviting him to their party. I just looked at a list of his hit songs. the most recent one I heard was 'Fire.' I liked its dark feeling but didn't like what it seemed to be about. if I'm gonna go for a working-class singer image, I'd prefer Mellencamp or much prefer Todd Snider, who I think is much more entertaining than John or Bruce.

[bob_32_116]

Well, since this seems to bave developed into a Bruce-bashing thread thread, I think I need to spring(steen) to his defence. Sure he has done his share of fairly boring repetitive songs, but for the most part I find his output has a great deal more depth to it than that of J.C.Mellencamp or Bob Seger, the two with whom he gets compared. Haven't heard this Snider guy.

People identify Springsteen with driving rock rhythms, but I find it's often his slow quiet songs that have the most substance to them. Lyricwise, it seems to me Mellencamp writes lyrics that Americans would feel comfortable with. Springsteen on the other hand is not afraid to get stuck in where criticism is required.

[trurl]

You're right, both Mellencamp and Seger suck balls but they both have a song or two here or there I can tolerate and they didn't punish people by playing 4 hour concerts.

[Rune Blackwings]

Well, since this seems to bave developed into a Bruce-bashing thread thread, I think I need to spring(steen) to his defence. Sure he has done his share of fairly boring repetitive songs, but for the most part I find his output has a great deal more depth to it than that of J.C.Mellencamp or Bob Seger, the two with whom he gets compared. Haven't heard this Snider guy.

People identify Springsteen with driving rock rhythms, but I find it's often his slow quiet songs that have the most substance to them. Lyricwise, it seems to me Mellencamp writes lyrics that Americans would feel comfortable with. Springsteen on the other hand is not afraid to get stuck in where criticism is required.

truthfully, Springsteen is one of these musicians who is horribly overplayed and painfully the "sound" on NJ (although most of the NJ bands I heard are either doom or death metal). It's annoying when you mention you are from NJ and some doofus goes "BRUUUUUCE!"...no, Monster Magnet actually. I also don't live off of an exit.

[bob_32_116]

truthfully, Springsteen is one of these musicians who is horribly overplayed and painfully the "sound" on NJ (although most of the NJ bands I heard are either doom or death metal). It's annoying when you mention you are from NJ and some doofus goes "BRUUUUUCE!"...no, Monster Magnet actually. I also don't live off of an exit.

Hmmm, the fact that you are from NJ probably has something to do with it. A bit like the way Australians are supposed to love AC/DC - though I don't think I'd be an AC/DC fan even if they were from the other side of the planet.

[davis]

^ While I'm now from Kentuckiana (a real place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentuckiana), I'm originally from Jen's 'neighborhood.' I'd feel the same about Bruce if he came from California or Belgium. His music doesn't appeal to me and, in many cases, it is irritating. I'll take Monster Magnet, the Misfits, and some Symphony X.

[Rune Blackwings]

^ While I'm now from Kentuckiana (a real place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentuckiana), I'm originally from Jen's 'neighborhood.' I'd feel the same about Bruce if he came from California or Belgium. His music doesn't appeal to me and, in many cases, it is irritating. I'll take Monster Magnet, the Misfits, and some Symphony X.

The thing with Bruce is a lot of his songs sound alike-long, rambling "stories" with a mixture of guitars, drums, pianos, sax and glockenspiels creating inoffensive, "working class" rock music. I think his most controversial moments included doing a theme song for a film about a gay man dying from aids (in the 80's, which was a big deal then) and a song on The Rising describing the point of view of one of the terrorists. His only creepy moment really is the song and video for "Fire" where he comes across as a stalker.