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Severian · 12.18.2013, 08:31 AM

SuchFriends...

I'm not really arguing with you, man. I just know that Paul McCartney was the definition of chart ambition. John Lennon was a sneering, gritty, Snarky, angry man who felt that music should come from a different place. Sure he wanted people to like him. He couldn't believe his solo albums didn't match the successes of the Beatles. But he also went out of his way to sing about unnerving and uncomfortable shit.

"Woman is the Nigger of the World"? Mother? Well, Well, Well? God? These are all songs where he spits at the world, the status quo, and empty pop culture. He definitely mellowed out toward the end, but listening to his "primal scream" era yowling, I can't help but think of Kurt Cobain's world sick larynx straining "All Apologies" chorus.

All I'm saying is this: for kids who were born in the early '80s, like my geriatric ass, Nirvana was most definitely our generation's Beatles. More because nobody else fits the bill than for any other reason, but still- they were it. And while they only released two major, spotlight albums in that decade, they were the band that crashed into pop music from out of fucking nowhere and changed it's trajectory forever. The world went from Michael Jackson to Nirvana just like the world went from Elvis to the Beatles. Both bands, no matter how different they are, were more cultural events than simple rock musicians.

Btw: in all honesty Radiohead is definitely closer to the Beatles in the way their career has progressed, and the consistent quality (from a critical perspective) of their work. But they're not an event. They didn't change much of anything. They just went with the flow, and did more with their version of pop music than anyone else at the gold/platinum level. But will they ever have even one #1 single? Nope. Will they ever sell 10 million albums? Maybe OKC, in a thousand years. I guess if you take Radiohead's experimental take on pop and combine it with Nirvana's undeniable cultural magnitude, you probably have the makings of a Beatle like band.

Also: 60's bands that sound like/admit to being influenced by the Beatles? Give me a fucking break!
The Monkees
Dave Clark Five
Rolling Stones
Bob Dylan (what? Yes.)
David Bowie
Elton John
Badfinger
Kinks
Beach Boys

And there are bands today, specifically indie rock bands like Spoon, who have been more influenced by the Beatles than any other band.

But if you really want to talk about artist whose career trajectory is similar to that of the Beatles.... I'm sorry, but Kanye West has taken the pop chameleon, expedited evolution thing, where each album is a completely different kind of statement, and he's rolled with it more successfully (both critically and commercially) than anyone, Radiohead included.

But what's a black Beatle anyway? A fuckin roach?

Hah. Anyway, I'm with ya bro. I just like talkin about this shit.

12.18.2013, 08:31 AM	#31
Severian invito al cielo Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 11,741	SuchFriends... I'm not really arguing with you, man. I just know that Paul McCartney was the definition of chart ambition. John Lennon was a sneering, gritty, Snarky, angry man who felt that music should come from a different place. Sure he wanted people to like him. He couldn't believe his solo albums didn't match the successes of the Beatles. But he also went out of his way to sing about unnerving and uncomfortable shit. "Woman is the Nigger of the World"? Mother? Well, Well, Well? God? These are all songs where he spits at the world, the status quo, and empty pop culture. He definitely mellowed out toward the end, but listening to his "primal scream" era yowling, I can't help but think of Kurt Cobain's world sick larynx straining "All Apologies" chorus. All I'm saying is this: for kids who were born in the early '80s, like my geriatric ass, Nirvana was most definitely our generation's Beatles. More because nobody else fits the bill than for any other reason, but still- they were it. And while they only released two major, spotlight albums in that decade, they were the band that crashed into pop music from out of fucking nowhere and changed it's trajectory forever. The world went from Michael Jackson to Nirvana just like the world went from Elvis to the Beatles. Both bands, no matter how different they are, were more cultural events than simple rock musicians. Btw: in all honesty Radiohead is definitely closer to the Beatles in the way their career has progressed, and the consistent quality (from a critical perspective) of their work. But they're not an event. They didn't change much of anything. They just went with the flow, and did more with their version of pop music than anyone else at the gold/platinum level. But will they ever have even one #1 single? Nope. Will they ever sell 10 million albums? Maybe OKC, in a thousand years. I guess if you take Radiohead's experimental take on pop and combine it with Nirvana's undeniable cultural magnitude, you probably have the makings of a Beatle like band. Also: 60's bands that sound like/admit to being influenced by the Beatles? Give me a fucking break! The Monkees Dave Clark Five Rolling Stones Bob Dylan (what? Yes.) David Bowie Elton John Badfinger Kinks Beach Boys And there are bands today, specifically indie rock bands like Spoon, who have been more influenced by the Beatles than any other band. But if you really want to talk about artist whose career trajectory is similar to that of the Beatles.... I'm sorry, but Kanye West has taken the pop chameleon, expedited evolution thing, where each album is a completely different kind of statement, and he's rolled with it more successfully (both critically and commercially) than anyone, Radiohead included. But what's a black Beatle anyway? A fuckin roach? Hah. Anyway, I'm with ya bro. I just like talkin about this shit.
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