Kill The Idols

[Greeno]

What "classic" bands from the 60's, 70's and 80's do you think are overrated and get far too much credit? (this is a debate going on in the "Paul's fake hair" thread)

For me it's the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Both bands for the most part just make me ill. Part of the reason is I've been told how great they are so many times by my parents generation that I now hate both bands, but also because I think there were better bands around during their times.

 

[AngelWitch73]

I agree about THE BEATLES. I like their music but it´s far overrated.

 

[carnut]

Guns & Roses, few good songs, lotsa shit songs, bad guitar play, the biggest live-joke I ever saw, asshole attitude.....

 

[Hawk]

I agree about Guns and Roses.

As for The Beatles and Led Zeppelin they are art in both it highest and purist form

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

I know you guys being American and all will prob disagree coz this band seems to be revered there, but I reckon Aerosmith are so fucking overrated.

To me, this is their career:

- First two albums are pretty crap, still finding their sound, standard blues rock, NOTHING special.
- Toys & Rocks, their "most classic" albums, have a couple of great songs each and the rest is still standard blues rock with nothing memorable.
- The rest of their "fucked up" period until the mid '80s is just forgettable and shit.
- Permanent Vacation & Pump had a few unreal songs songs each but tons of filler.
- After that they went shitter than ever.

It really shits me reading their autobiography and hearing them say that KISS sucked coz they weren't about the music and covered up with their stage show etc. Maybe KISS did have a huge stage show which distracted from their music, but regardless, every and i mean EVERY album KISS did in the '70s was better than Toys & Rocks even start to finish I reckon. Compare the catalogues of great songs both bands have and KISS win out anyday. More original sound for their time, more memorable riffs that become classic, catchier hooks, heavier sound...

Aerosmith were standard bluesy hard rock jam stuff with a few standout hits. KISS were far more song-driven with ALOT more catchy memorable songs. I can't believe Aerosmith or any of their fans could say that Aerosmith are the greatest American hard rock band. They are so average, very inconsistent and have way too much filler and more bad songs than good songs!!!

Don't get me wrong, I love Back On The Saddle, Sweet Emotion, Magic Touch, Rag Doll, Walk This Way, Heart's Done Time etc but most of their albums are full of such bland, run of the mill, boring filler.

 

[JonnyD]

I know you guys being American and all will prob disagree coz this band seems to be revered there, but I reckon Aerosmith are so fucking overrated.

I'm American But dont hold that against me I happen to Agree with this Statement 100%

 

[Hawk]

I'm American But dont hold that against me I happen to Agree with this Statement 100%

Yep me too! O wait, I am not an American. Never mind...

 

[JonnyD]

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

Yay! I'm not the only one!!

I had only heard their hits originally, then I read their autobiography and besides the KISS slagging I loved it. So I went out and bought a bunch of their albums, and was so disappointed and couldn't believe how overrated they are. They are certainly a case of the hits generally being the only good songs. Most of their stuff lacks anything memorable, catchy or worthwhile about it and is just such bland standard blues rock! Toys & Rocks are meant to be such great albums, I just couldn't see it AT ALL! Permanent Vacation is meant to be such a huge return to form, take out Dude, Magic Touch and Rag Doll and it's pretty shit compared to every other hard rock release in 1987!!

I even found it hard to believe when I heard how big Aerosmith are in the US coz they aren't that big here. Besides a few big hit singles like Dude Looks Like A Lady, Janie's Got A Gun, Don't Wanna Miss A Thing etc they have never been that big here (never even toured here). I couldn't believe they headlined the Aerosmith/KISS tour in 2003. In Australia KISS are sooooo much bigger. Are Aerosmith really more popular in the US!?!? I just can't even picture that!

 

[SoundMaster]

As for The Beatles and Led Zeppelin they are art in both it highest and purist form

Agreed 100%. In my view, Led Zep are simply untouchable. Best band ever.
The Beatles are awesome, as well. Very little fault can be found in their music!
Hawk and I tend to share the same musical path!


As for overrated 70s-80s bands, I'd say the guilty culprits are:

Rush. They do have some nice songs, but overall, are waaaay overrated. And Geddy's voice does not help matters! As musicians they are talented, for sure. But as songwriters, they're just average.

The Who. While I totally appreciate the band, I simply can not get into most of their music. Their earlier stuff is cool, but not spectacular. But I do give them
props for being over-the-top (for their time).

Kiss, of course. Most over-rated band in history, IMO. But we've discussed them forever here.

Van Halen. Sure, Eddie inspired legions of men to pick up the guitar, and that does mean something, but overall, the songwriting just lacked. The first record is quite good, but everything after that was ripe with filler.
Heck, in many ways, the Hagar era was much more productive than the glorified Roth era.

 

[JonnyD]

Yay! I'm not the only one!!

I had only heard their hits originally, then I read their autobiography and besides the KISS slagging I loved it. So I went out and bought a bunch of their albums, and was so disappointed and couldn't believe how overrated they are. They are certainly a case of the hits generally being the only good songs. Most of their stuff lacks anything memorable, catchy or worthwhile about it and is just such bland standard blues rock! Toys & Rocks are meant to be such great albums, I just couldn't see it AT ALL! Permanent Vacation is meant to be such a huge return to form, take out Dude, Magic Touch and Rag Doll and it's pretty shit compared to every other hard rock release in 1987!!

I even found it hard to believe when I heard how big Aerosmith are in the US coz they aren't that big here. Besides a few big hit singles like Dude Looks Like A Lady, Janie's Got A Gun, Don't Wanna Miss A Thing etc they have never been that big here (never even toured here). I couldn't believe they headlined the Aerosmith/KISS tour in 2003. In Australia KISS are sooooo much bigger. Are Aerosmith really more popular in the US!?!? I just can't even picture that!

I like Toys haha and thats about it ... But yeah somehow AreoCash seem to beable to keep in the mainstream in the US why? I dont know ... Americans tend to Eat up all the Crap they are fed without ever taking the time to find music on their own We've Had Areoca$h Crammed down our throats for sooo long and so hard that they just seem to linger like a bad fart .... I for one would Much Rather buy Kiss's worst album than Buy Areocraps best

 

[TRrEiTxIxRiE DTrash]

 

[SickBoy]

For me it's the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Both bands for the most part just make me ill.

As far as the Beatles go, their music up to this day remains as great as it was in their heyday. Even the songs like "She Loves You" show their greatness in details... As performers, they were great, top notch vocal harmonies and very good playing.
As for Led Zep, I'm personally no fan of theirs (of course, there are 10-15 songs which I really dig), but I cannot deny their innovations in production and greatness in general. I'd rather say that Page and Plant (the latter especially) are overrated.

My vote would go to Kiss, as I feel their music is very bland and that they've made millions on imagery only... I simply don't understand how they could make it as big as they are...

 

[Hawk]

Agreed 100%. In my view, Led Zep are simply untouchable. Best band ever. The Beatles are awesome, as well. Very little fault can be found in their music! Hawk and I tend to share the same musical path!

Thats great to hear.

As for overrated 70s-80s bands, I'd say the guilty culprits are:

Rush. They do have some nice songs, but overall, are waaaay overrated. And Geddy's voice does not help matters! As musicians they are talented, for sure. But as songwriters, they're just average.

In Your Humble Opinion of course...
We had this discussion before so I shall be more clear this time.

What you mean by good songwriting and what others mean by good songwriting may differ very much.

I happen to think that Lee and Lifeson write and wrote fantastic songs. Some of my favorites are Xanadu, The Trees, La Villa Strangiato and Red Barchetta.

But then my primary focus is not on songs that you can sing along after you heard them once. I like my songs to be challenging. I love the display of technique and mastery of instruments. Does that make my opinions superior? Certainly not. Opinions are like assholes everyone has one and most of them stink.

I could be wrong [and I hope I am] but I think I detect some disdain on your side for bands that write long technical songs. I hope you will correct me on this.

The Who. While I totally appreciate the band, I simply can not get into most of their music. Their earlier stuff is cool, but not spectacular. But I do give them props for being over-the-top (for their time).

The Who are OK in my book but I don't consider them anything special.

Kiss, of course. Most over-rated band in history, IMO. But we've discussed them forever here.

Indeed.

Van Halen. Sure, Eddie inspired legions of men to pick up the guitar, and that does mean something, but overall, the songwriting just lacked. The first record is quite good, but everything after that was ripe with filler.

O man, I simply LOVE the early Van Halen. They were an integral part of the summer for me in the late 70s and early 80s. And I think their song writing in those years were among the best!

Heck, in many ways, the Hagar era was much more productive than the glorified Roth era.

Perhaps but being productive can not be a goal unto itself. It is what you produce that will make or break you. And when it comes to that I will vote for the Diamond Dave period anytime.

 

[SoundMaster]

In Your Humble Opinion of course...
We had this discussion before so I shall be more clear this time.

What you mean by good songwriting and what others mean by good songwriting may differ very much.

Hawk, I couldn't agree more. As I've recently stated in other threads here, this can only ever be opinion. But that's a given in art-related conversation. At least is should be.

And the strength of an artist's songwriting is clearly in the eye (or ear) of the beholder.

As for long, technical songs, I do, in fact, appreciate them. Two of may fav all-time bands are practitioners of long, technical songs: Opeth and In the Woods. The avg In the Woods tune is 12 minutes long. I also love much of what Pink Floyd and King Crimson brought to the table. "Red" is an all-time fav of mine. I've also recently picked up Threshold's 'Subsurface', as well as Symphony X's "Oddyssey" and "V". All feature long, dynamic, complex tunes.
(although i'm not yet sold on the 'greatness' of the 25 minute-long track on Odyssey).

What I do not care for, however, is the practice of simply cramming 27,389,462 notes into a minute of music simply for the sake of it.
Dream Theater is guilty of this in the worst way. I'd LOVE to enjoy their music, but other than "Scenes from A Memory", I think they fail at what they attempt to do.

And I'm not sure if that's what Rush is about. I do like a few of their tunes, but overall, find the songs simply lacking. But Geddy's voice is the final nail in the coffin. I find death metal vocals more relaxing than his uber-yelps.

Again, just my opinion.

 

[SoundMaster]

Perhaps but being productive can not be a goal unto itself. It is what you produce that will make or break you. And when it comes to that I will vote for the Diamond Dave period anytime.

And the 'what' is specifically what I referred to: the songs.

I prefer the Hagar era. Kill me. :Smokedev:



By the way, don't take this personally. I think you rock & really respect your views.

Hey, it's all music, my brother! And we can't live without it!!!!

 

[delize]

The Beatles

 

[Hawk]

And I'm not sure if that's what Rush is about. I do like a few of their tunes, but overall, find the songs simply lacking. But Geddy's voice is the final nail in the coffin. I find death metal vocals more relaxing than his uber-yelps.

Again, just my opinion.

Uber-yelps!! I have got to hand it to you, you know how to say it. Even if I do not agree with you. I could almost hear them.

By the way, don't take this personally. I think you rock & really respect your views.

Naa don't worry about it.

 

[Greeno]

Guns & Roses, few good songs, lotsa shit songs, bad guitar play, the biggest live-joke I ever saw, asshole attitude.....

Good one! I agree. Too bad they didn't pull a Sex Pistols and break up after the first album.

 

[Greeno]

I have another one...

PINK FLOYD
Can a band get any more boring? Maybe since I was never a pothead is the reason I can't get into them but either way they just bore me to tears. Pink Floyd and modern day Aerosmith have alot in common, every song sounds the same.