Steven Wilson VS Greta Van Fleet

[Plasmatopia]

I think Wilson went over the top with these comments, but it's possible his commentary sounds way worse than he intended or realized it would sound/look in print. He could have been coming from a place of just stating his unvarnished opinion in the way that he probably views his musical output - that he is just expressing himself as he wants to...without filters. But it's rather an ugly look for him here.

The last part about him not having the image, etc. didn't come across as "whiney" to me. It just seemed a matter-of-fact acceptance that he didn't have the image or looks and instead relied on hard work and always focused on artistry in the hope that eventually people would respond to substance over image. It could imply bitterness but that's not the only conclusion one could reach.

Who knows? Maybe this is really all just a cynical move to grab headlines and new fans.

[iguana]

random thoughts:

• SW is right.
• no, slagging GvF from that vantage is not cool.
• out of context (e.g. audio free) it does seem harsher than it probably is, because SW’s often snarky, ironic diction is not there. englishness is often defined with “the importance of not being earnest”.
• whether GvF are a LZ ripoff or a faithful homage is irrelevant.
• as soon as GvF do find a distinct style of their own they will probably drop from public favour as fast as a plumbean blimp.
• GvF can hardly be blamed for the success of their inclination. the gatekeepers in the biz are, by and large, still from the babyboomer generation and their inherent sense of mission (read further sociological articles on that if you must). hence the music biz is still full of treadmill appraisal roundabout of the beatles, stones, led zep, abba et al.. this is not a validation per sé – it’s merely very obvious.
• this is kindergarten stuff and i should not even pay attention.

back under my stone now. bye.

[Valen]

"He's not the messiah....he's a very naughty boy!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plZRe1kPWZw

[IncogNeato]

A lot of bands wear their influences on their sleeves on their very early work...Zeppelin and Wilson included. It's only with time and the innate inclination of art that bands eventually morph and incorporate those influences into something their own. Even The Beatles were just a random pop band at the outset.

[timmy]

Didn't Zeppelin steal some shit too?

Yes, they did. Read the second sentence once more for clarity.
The stole but they still made it their own. That is the difference. Greta Van Fake is total rip off.

[Steve983]

Lez Zep ripped off The Jeff Beck Group, they based their whole sound on that first album I believe.

[Steve983]

"He's not the messiah....he's a very naughty boy!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plZRe1kPWZw

[IncogNeato]

I don't see why GVF getting attention, or sounding like Zep matters, honestly. Like I said, loads of bands start out sounding similar to someone. They have to develop....give them time.

That said, I don't listen to GVF for the same reason I don't listen to Guns N Roses...I don't like the vocals.

[Sean]

The phrase "Shut up and play yer guitar" comes to mind....

[Echoes]

But if you're going to go with a Led Zep clone, I'd go with The Struts who have a much more powerful singer and a bit more balls. And on a prog aside, The Struts singer, Luke Spiller, sings on Mike Oldfield's (not so great) Man on the Rocks.

[wilcox660]

If SW says he thinks pizza sucks, should I stop eating it? There are plenty of acts any given human being does not enjoy.

[wilcox660]

My next album tracklisting:
Achilles First Stand
Communication Shakedown
Whole Buncha Love
Escalator To Paradise
Candy Kiosk Rock
Confusedly Dazed
Moby's A Dick
Immigration Tune
If The Dam Explodes

[Buddhabreath]

... and what's with the name? Sounds like a discount douche brand.

[Sean]

I find it amusing so many folks on FB haven't a clue who he is. In a roundabout way that's what's bitching about. Guess he got what he deserved.

[Jerjo]

OK, I might as well throw my two cents in.

First off, Steven needs to get the fuck over himself. He's punching down and no artist should ever do that. It just doesn't do for a fifty-something established artist to bitch about youngsters who only cut their first album. Now if Robert Plant wants to carp about them, that's a different matter. He's spent the last thirty-eight years seeing band after band trying to ape Zeppelin's sound and it must get tiresome at some point.

Second, GVF does indeed suck. I've heard a lot of Zep clones over the years and they're not compelling. I watched their SNL appearance. And then watched a clip of a nascent Led Zeppelin appearing on Danish TV. Plant must have been all of twenty years old and he fucking OWNED that studio, kicking like a stallion in a stall. There is no comparison. You can argue that Zep was derivative (though I think even on the first LP they were going in different directions than the rest of the pack) early on but in the space of two years they went on to make Led Zeppelin III. I don't see GVF doing anything like that. I would like to see them prove me wrong.

I do agree with Sean that at least GVF encourages more kids to pick up a guitar. We've had enough soulless dance pop wannabes to last five lifetimes. Although these days it appears that now all those with no talent are flocking to be influencers on Instagram (there's another thing Jed is going to have to ask his kids about). If we see a few more guitar driven bands come out of this, it's a good thing.

[100423]

In what seems to be irony, I've only taught GVF songs to adults. The kids want to play Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

[Klonk]

I kind of agree with SW here though he definitely sounds like a whiny cunt. I can appreciate the argument about kids playing hard rock for sure, but GVF are just WAY to Led Zep for me. It's total imitation at times. And honestly, the kids vocals are pretty tough for me to listen to...sounds more like he swallowed George Castanza's mom, than it does Robert Plant. Can't help what I hear!

[JAMOOL]

Feels a bit disingenuous from Steven Wilson, who spent his first decade in the biz aping Floyd, Crimson, and The Orb. I mean yeah, he was pretty good at it, but still. His comments still feel off to me. The thing that's significant about GvF's success is that it comes at a time when rock bands are commercially marginalized - all the big touring rock groups like Weezer and Foo Fighters are 20+ years old, and the last rock band to sell a massive amount of albums was Linkin Park. The idea that a person like me (young and incredibly good looking) could just botch a bunch of Zeppelin riffs and sell out arenas is absurd, there's no rock "revival" going on, it's really just this one group that seems to scratch an itch for people in their 40s (are GvF popular among the youth of today??). Like, I understand that they're not very good, but since when is that a barometer of commercial success?

[Phlakaton]

One thing to note though - it puts light on Led Zeppelin - so more kiddos can be introduced to the real deal.

[Adm.Kirk]

I agree with his thoughts on GvF. They are sort of a third rate Zep BUT the fact that a guitar driven band is making waves like this is a good thing. If it inspires more young people to pick a guitar and play (just like yesterday) then they have done some good. That said, the comments come off as whiney. Calling them out for sounding like other bands seems lame considering SW's own music sounded pretty much like Floyd early on before he started to have a sound of his own. Even then his influences were prominently displayed on his sleeve. Maybe GvF will mature into something of their own eventually. You never know. In the meantime this has got a lot of people asking "Who is this Steven Wilson, anyway?". Not the best way to go about it, but there you have it. He's pretty late to the GvF bashing party though. Robert Plant was doing it at least six months ago.

It does come off as whiny. How old was Plant at the beginning of Zep? 20? Would Wilson like it better if that hadn't released an album until they were all 40? I like Greta van Fleet. A bunch of young guys playing guitars!! That's a great thing and I love the way their music is produced too. They are no different than the Stones playing the music of their heroes (Little Red Rooster, Love in Vain) or Zep, for that matter (I Can't Quit You, You Shook Me). Perhaps the difference is we all know Zeppelin but in 1969, no one knew (or very few did) who Willie Dixon was.

Bill

[Staun]

Just surprised Steve would bother with something like this. Doesn't sound like him at all.

[Staun]

My next album tracklisting:
Achilles First Stand
Communication Shakedown
Whole Buncha Love
Escalator To Paradise
Candy Kiosk Rock
Confusedly Dazed
Moby's A Dick
Immigration Tune
If The Dam Explodes

"Candy Kiosk Rock". Can I dance to it, does it have a good beat?

[3LockBox]

Wilson should know better. But hey, if a few more people look up Steven Wilson or Porcupine Tree that hadn't heard of him before...

[boilk]

Just surprised Steve would bother with something like this. Doesn't sound like him at all.

He took a dig at them on his last tour too (certainly in Toronto, and from what I've heard, other places too), so not a new thing.

neil

[Progatron]

Maybe they will start 'dissing' each other in their song lyrics from now on, like the rappers do! Exciting to think about...