1 Topic by Grah1 (edited by Grah1 2016-06-19 10:40:59)

  • Grah1
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Topic: Dreary singer songwriters

Yesterday afternoon  I  played  at  the  Lancaster  Beer festival ,in the  evening I  was  invited  to  see  a young  band  play a  support  slot for an "Up and  coming " singer  song writer  who  had just  played  the  isle  of  white  festival  and been featured on BBC radio two .Well  the  lads  were  fantastic  they  ripped  through  a  set  of  Stevie  ray  Vaughn songs self penned  stuff  in a  similar  style   and  had  the  crowd  dancing  in the  isles .sadly  it  was   too  short and  they  made  way  for  the  headline  act ,who  I  wont  mention by  name .
Well  I  dont  know  if  its  just  me  or  if  I  have  a  different ear   for  music  than the  modern audience   but  I  wouldn't  have  paid  the  guy   in washers ,talk  about  dreary   I  nearly  slit  my  wrists  ,sure  he  had  a  decent  voice  but  he  was  an  engineers nightmare  as  he  bobbed  back  and forth  from the  mic   continually changing  the tone   from a  deep  bass  to  a  squeak  all  due  to   the  distance  he  was  singing  from the  mic .He  was a  reasonable  guitar player  but no  better  than most  on this  forum .
Sorry  for  the  rant   but I'm  at  a  loss to  see  the  appeal of  this  dreary   down beat  music  that  a  lot  of  the  younger  performers  seem to  be producing these days .After  about   20 mins  of  this  Pam and  I  discreetly left as  he  attempted  three  rounds  with  Simon and  Garfunkles "The  boxer" I  think  he  probably   went  down in the  forth ...lol
As  I  said  I  wont  name  names  but  if  any ones  really  interested    send  me  a  PM   for  a  clue.

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  • dino48
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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Sounds like you went too a bad event.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: Bellevue, WA
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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Hah!  I can relate, and it's not just new.   I took my oldest daughter (then about 14 years old) to an "indie" music festival out at The Gorge.  It was two days of hippy after hippy spending 15 minutes explaining how he wrote this four minute song about saving the whales and the very sad and insightful thing he thought up all by himself about how alone we all were in the universe and blahdeblahdeblah.  It was nauseating, and I only survived the ordeal by spending most of it drunk.

At the end, The Roots came out and played a non-stop 90 minute set.  Completely rocked the house.   When they were done, they said "Thank you, good night!"  and left the stage.  Didn't say a word, otherwise.  Talk about refreshing.

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

I'm not sure how the Avett Brothers haven't done grievous harm to one another over their apparent depression. 

I do like sad songs, but you've got to have some fun ones in there too.  When every song is "she left me because I suck," it gets old.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Rather than slitting your wrists........ just hand them a straight razor as they leave the stage, and direct them to the alley door with some kind of comment about "we don't want yer blood all over our venue.... Thanks!". wink

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Yup I would  leave also.  Only reason I didnt get up an leave the Jewel show was because I was sleeping too hard. (I have mentioned that story a few times around here though LOL)

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Know the feeling, to be honest I haven't wasted too much time watching Glastonbury but what I have heard did not impress. The only good(?) Part was that they play( mostly) live! It seems that this suicide music is what the kids want. In my set I play mostly up tempo stuff.... OK it's mainly 60s and rock and roll with a little country for good measure but I don't get many suicides lol I'll have to try harder.

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

I think there's a general misperception that terrible and depressing things are somehow more "real" than lighthearted things.  Or, maybe they are all like Tom Waits who has said that he likes to hear simply terrible things set to pretty music.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • Grah1
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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Phill  I  get  what  you  say  about Glastonbury  but  I  caught  these  guys this morning   doing  an acoustic  number    , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKCKERcqbF0  really  great .

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

now that's what i'm talking about....this is my kinda music. i once played in a band who did similar stuff, good old days! loved the flares, long hair and tele's and the music was good too. i'll watch the rest later. thanks for sharing.

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

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  • dino48
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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Grah1 wrote:

Phill  I  get  what  you  say  about Glastonbury  but  I  caught  these  guys this morning   doing  an acoustic  number    , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKCKERcqbF0  really  great .

Good band I love the southern bands  (Allman bros,, Skinnered  etc.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

12 Reply by Strummerboy Bill (edited by Strummerboy Bill 2016-07-02 16:18:29)

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

Was it as bad as this one, Graham?  smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXlBESlGFPE  (false ending x2)

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13 Reply by Tenement Funster (edited by Tenement Funster 2016-07-02 18:14:20)

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

I was at a concert in the mid-70's, and the main act was Nazareth. In a mismatch of towering proportions, the organizers had Seals & Crofts as the openers!

http://agtcs.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Bill-Gates-Head-Scratcher.png

Good band, but definitely not aimed at a raucous Nazareth audience. They managed 2 1/2 songs before we collectively (about 10,000 in attendance) booed them off the stage. They were midway through "Summer Breeze", and we wanted "Hair of the Dog".

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Re: Dreary singer songwriters

IMHO, it seems that for several generations, young people have tried to deal with the anxiety and insecurity of teenage years by burying themselves in alcohol, drugs and loud music in an attempt to avoid dealing with their angst.  Death by overdose or alcohol-induced auto accidents were a form of suicide that the public seemed able to deal with.  These days it seems that kids face the angst head-on  instead of avoiding it.  Their music is more reflective (and dreary to the rest of us) and their methods of suicide are more direct. I may be over-simplifying the issue but I feel this new generation deals with life differently. I'm not sure if its better or worse - but definitely different.

DE

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