Ok. This is a continuation of the comments that were started in the Angels and Airwaves post. Let’s start where we left off.
Here we go.
A list of the luckiest musicians ever!!
Great.
Well, we all know that number is the one and only…
1. Michael Anthony – he is the luckiest musician ever and may very well qualify for the luckiest human being ever…in the whole history of existence. And I don’t think I’m exaggerating.
2. Krist Novoselic – The bass player from Nirvana. This guy sucks. Interesting that this list is beginning with bass players.
3. The bass player from Rush – an obvious no brainer. The lead singer should just learn how to play bass and then just play it. They would be much better off. Oh and the guitar player sucks too. So does the singer and the keyboard player. Drummer sucks too.
4. Duff – Guns ‘N Roses bass player – and the bass player’s list continues. His luck ended though when he was kicked out.
5. Linda McCartney – because she married a Beatle and got to play in big shows with Wings, skipping the “paying your dues as a musician” part and going straight to the source and then promptly fucking that source and bearing it’s children. I kid the late LInda McCartney because I actually kind of like her. What did she ever do to me? Still, she was very lucky…until the cancer took her life.
6. Denny Laine – another Wings alumnus. He did nothing before, during, or after Wings. I think Paul McCartney lost a bet or something.
7. Sean Lennon – for being born John Lennon’s son. Granted he did a pretty good rendition of the Beatle’s song on that show but still….
8. Yoko Ono – these lucky people seem to come in groups here. She took a play straight out of the Linda McCartney playbook and boy did she milk that one. Again, like Linda, very lucky…until John Lennon was killed…and even then, perhaps even more so, very lucky.
9. Steve Nieve – he’s actually a good musician but let’s face it, if he hadn’t met Elvis Costello, no one would know who he is. He surely wouldn’t be playing the venues he’s playing now.
10. Tina Weymouth – I like her bass playing, she definitely has her own, albeit simplistic style but still we have to go back to the increasingly unoriginal formula of lucky bass players.
11. Jerry Harrison and Chris Frantz – They would definitely be nothing without David Byrne, although I have to give Jerry Harrison a little more credit because he would have some sort of presence in the emerging new waving music movement anyway, because he’s that type of guy. Still, he’s lucky.
12. Kip Winger – He made his money and then got out. Very lucky. Who knows what he’s doing now and who cares. Lucky fucker.
13. The Indian guy who plays bass for the Eagles. Very lucky fucker. Although he sang that song “I can’t tell you why” so he gets a little cred, but still, come. He defintely goes into the Lucky Fucker category. And yet another bass player graces the list.
14. Johnny Guitar Watson – with album titles like “
A Real Mother For you” and “Beyond the call of funk”, I guess he isn’t lucky. That’s all skill, baby. All skill. Still, I know who he is so he’s lucky.
15. Blink-182 – I have to disagree with Mike here and say that they’re very fucking lucky because they very much do suck.
16. The drummer from Smashmouth – Even he’s scratching his head going “God, I was lucky for like nine months.” But now, he’s not very lucky. No, it’s kind of sad actually.
Let us add to the list, gentlemen.
This is funny: Dave Barry’s Worst Songs Other Hits
Top 40 Music Sucks! - A New Music Blog 
Chadd: Kris WROTE the music…not just played bass. That’s a big different then just playing bass. I think Ringo Starr sucks too. He plays drums like a tard on acid. The only reason he was able to put out a solo album is because he learned everything he new from Paul and John.Also, I think we need to recognise players like Bobby Dall, the bass player for Poison…I mean c’mon that’s a no brainer.
btw new = knew
Mike: Kris is a fucking retard. I don’t want to hear anymore of it.Ringo Starr does not suck. You and YLTwatcher are confused about that. He’s a solid and tasteful drummer. So he can’t play like Alex Van Halen or Neil Purt but that shit gets boring and tends to become more than the song itself. Showing off gets boring. Ringo Starr is a good solid drummer who services the songsThe problem with a lot of musicians today is that they’ve got so much fucking technique that they don’t know how to just do what’s good for the song. They’ve got to show off.The great musicans can do both and know when to go off and not just be a fucking technique fest.One bass player who should never be on the list is Tony Levin. Great bass player. The guy knew when to go off like in Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel), of course even that is integral to the song and becomes more of a texture to the song and not just “some really great bass playing”. Then he could step back and play more straight forward bass for John Lennon. He was the bass player on double fantasy.Musicians like that are rare.Now Ringo may not be able to dazzle you with an out of the world drum solo but who gives a shit. Most solos are boring anyway. Ringo serves the song not his ego.So all you homos out there…Ringo is a great drummer. You can’t put him in the lucky category. I’m sorry.And even if he learned things from Paul and John that doesn’t make him lucky, it makes him talented enough to be able to produce a greatest hits album like “Blast From the Past”.Where’s Christopher on this?These guys are retarded fucks. I’m really pissed off.YLTwatch, you call Georgia from YLT the most underrated indie drummer but Ringo’s just some lucky fucker?Disappointment.This is why I can’t really get into Rush all the much. Yes, they’re good but shit, the amazing technique only takes you so far as a listener.Now Michael Bolton! There’s true genius. There’s true talent.Mike, if you slam Ringo one more time, I swear to holy shit on high, I will never, ever stop bashing Rush.Ever.Leave Ringo be.
Here are the previous comments made on the luckiest musicians ever.lay off Ringo.mahsheet said…Nice list. Besides #3 & #15. What do you think about adding Garfunkel to the list? He didn’t do shit but let Paul Simon write the songs and then harmonize w/ him, no? And have really big hair.Mon Sep 11, 08:36:10 PM PDTChadd Schaefer said…Garfunkel’s voice is transcendent on Bridge Over Troubled Water.Paul Simon could never sing the song the way Garfunkel did.What’s more, I don’t think the song would be as great if Paul Simon sang it.That in and of itself is more than enough reason for Garfunkel to evade the luckiest musicians list.And his harmonizing is amazing. Paul Simon can’t harmonize the way he can.He has a great voice. Granted, perhpas people wouldn’t know who he is had he not met Paul Simon, but this is not a case of a hack musician being carried along by talent.This is a case of a great vocalist being carried along by talent.So, no, he does not make the list.Sorry, I just can’t put Garfunkel on the same list as Krist Novoselic.Tue Sep 12, 11:55:33 AM PDT Mahsheet Smelrahbahd said…You know that Krist Novoselic wrote most of the music for Nirvana right? I’d actually take him off the list because most people don’t realize that Krist brought most of the musical ideas to Curt Cobain for lyrics…something that Michael Anthony probably didn’t do. But you know what? Dammit if michael Anthony didn’t play some damn good bass on Fair Warning.Tue Sep 12, 12:35:34 PM PDTChadd Schaefer said…Krist wrote most of the music for Nirvana?Bullllll Shhhhitttt!!!That’s right! Two words, baby!!!Wed Sep 13, 08:47:17 PM PDT Mahsheet Smelrahbahd said…dude…VH1 Where are they now…watch it.Wed Sep 13, 08:56:14 PM PDTyltwatcher said…Okay, first I must disagree with Chadd that Jerry Harrison should be included on his list. That would be like saying Paul Carrack was lucky Mike and the Mechanics asked him to be in their band. When they first started out, the Talking Heads were lucky he agreed to be in their band. Now as time went on, this dynamic changed, but he was the only pro in the band at first, and was the most skilled musician of the lot, in a traditional sense. Has everyone forgotten that he was in Modern Lovers?!?!?!? And he could play lots of instruments (and well) and he kind of looked like a cross between John Oats and Martin Short whenever he got all smiley and jumpy. He also looked a lot like that guy in Blondie, and if you told me he was a member of Toto, I’d believe you. What’s not to like about that? And don’t forget he went on to produce a lot of important alternative/indie albums in the 80’s and 90’s. I have never listened to any of his solo records, but I am assuming they kinda suck, so I can see that maybe he would not have had the idea anyone would be interested to hear a Jerry Harrison solo album had he not been in Talking Heads, but does that make him lucky? No, Chadd, no. And I am disappointed.Now, let me add a few people:1. Joel Gion–a “member” of the highly regarded but totally fucked up SF-based Brian Jonestown Massacre. He was their “percussionist” but pretty much all he would do was stand around wearing huge sunglasses, hit or shake a tambourine, dance around a little, and occasionally sing a few unintelligible backing vocals. Oddly enough, all these activities rarely seemed to be done near a microphone, since they were not really an integral part of the music. It was also said that he provided the band with “a lot of musical and creative input,” which I’m going to assume means he provided the band with a lot of heroin. The only value to the band he had was that, as the longest-running member, he helped keep its druggie leader somewhat sane, and yeah, he did some funny stunts and told some jokes that were funny to himself and the 3 people who happened to be at the same exact stage in the trip of using whatever drug he had taken that day. But they guy gets to be a full band member, then he is featured prominently in the documentary Dig! (both in the film and on the cover) and subsequently gets guest appearences on TV shows. Want to see him in action? Just go to his workplace: Amoeba Music. Seriously. Unless he’s gone on Brian Jonestown Massacre’s reunion tour. Lucky bastard. 2. I’m going to get some flack for this, but….Ringo Starr. He was such a poor drummer the producer replaced him for the first few Beatles recordings. Yes, he wrote and sang some wonderful, endearing songs, and even his solo output had some gems. And I’m a big fan of his work on Thomas the Tank Engine. But really, would he ever have been able to do any of this stuff if he hadn’t known the Beatles? 3. Anybody in the band Rush. Because I was made fun of elsewhere on this blog for all my gushing about Yo La Tengo, and I’m pissed at him, so I am attacking his favorite band. Actually, I always hated this band. They make me physically ill. And I know there are millions out there like me. And some of those millions are not as peaceful or non-gun-owning as I am, so Rush are damn lucky they have not all been murdered yet.4. The composer of the music for the kids’ TV show, Barney. This guy gets paid big bucks to play “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” and “Yankee Doodle” on a mega-expensive synth and guitar rig.5. Angelo Badalamenti, composer/musician/producer/songwriter. This guy would have done something in music, but nothing nearly as big as he has been able to do thanks to his longtime relationship with David Lynch. Like John Barry, this guy seems doomed to repeat himself over and over. With a few notable exceptions, (The Straight Story being one of them and the theme to Inside The Actors Studio not being one of them) manages to endlessly write music that has the same emotional state and pretty much the same melody, chords and synth sounds as his groundbreaking Twin Peaks theme, no matter what the music is going to be used for.6. Bernard Sumner of Depeche mode. He never wrote a single song for DM over their more than 25-year existence. In live shows, he plays very simple synth lines and (very)occasional bass. He often has poor timing, so the band would be better off if his parts were pre-recoreded. They always set up a mic in front of him in live shows, but it is never turned on. He pretends to sing backing vocals for show, so it seems like he has a purpose. His only purpose to the band seems to be as more of a manager, peacemaker and spokesperson. Who knows, maybe he would have been more lucky if he had been a manager and spokesperson for multiple bands as a career, rather than as a member of one of them, but I’m thinking DM has brought him pretty damn good bank over the years.7. Moby. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like some of Moby’s stuff. But this guy is lucky. And he became a lucky superstar in the classic way–take all the exciting, groundbreaking stuff happening in the underground and then do a much simpler, lazier version of it for a mass audience. Then really kick start your career by picking up a guitar and kind of learning how to play it and add that to the drum loops and synthesizers and drum machines. Then sort of sing in a few songs. Then sample a bunch of folk music from the library of congress and play it over exactly two drum loops from a $99 sample CD you got from Musician’s Friend. Then get a guest vocalist of note to sing on a few songs. Further benefit from everyone confusing you with Michael Stipe. Write film scores. Start a raw veggie restaurant. Have a super-rad recording studio in your Manhattan apartment. Play countless sold out shows where all you do is press “play” and jog around onstage clapping, yelling and occasionally singing. The guy is lucky.Mon Sep 18, 08:16:58 PM PDTyltwatcher said…I kinda agree with the Nirvana comments. I happen to think that their bass lines were integral to many of their most memorable songs. Nirvana came out of the punk aesthetic of economy and directness. The bass lines needed to be simple and repetitive. Look at the Pixies. Generally very simple bass lines, but without them they are not the same band.Mon Sep 18, 08:21:38 PM PDT Mahsheet Smelrahbahd said…yltwatcher:#1: I have no clue who this is so I’m going to say I agree.#2: I completely agree. The best stuff he’s done was in the Traveling Wilibury’s. And he was DAMN lucky to get in that band.#3: Damn you. I’m buying a gun today. Where do you live?#4: Agreed!#5 & #6: See response to #1#7 AAAAAAGREEED! And IMO anyone with Fruity Loops or Acid who put a bunch of crap ass loops together to form the disco of our ages…yes I’m talking about the music all the sucker licking, glo stick wearing, tweakers who attend raves and consider DJ’s…musicians. BLAH!Wed Sep 20, 01:14:08 PM PDT Mahsheet Smelrahbahd said…Oh, and don’t forget that this thread is about how bad Angels and Airways blow. Now that we all have posting ability let’s start a new post’s on this type of stuff.Wed Sep 20, 01:15:08 PM PDTChadd Schaefer said…Ringo Starr isn’t a crappy drummer. Not in the least. Sure he couldn’t play Ticket to Ride but his drumming on Abbey Road is pretty fucking great. I think the Ringo comment is made in complete ignorance. Not to mention he actually has one really fantastic solo album, which is really a greatest hits album, and for the life of me I can’t remember what it is but you would be shocked at how good it really is. Once you’ve heard it, YLTstroker I’m pretty sure you’d change your mind.No one on the list of luckiest musicians ever produced a solo album, much less a greatest hits album . Period. Ringo did and it’s excellent. Even Jerry Harrison which, okay, he was with modern lovers and he did play a bunch of instruments but it’s not like he was that fantastic I feel like he may have been a void that could have been filled eventually if not inevitably.but he did produce this one album by this band, the Bogmen and it’s really good.but fuck it, had he not run into David Byrne, sorry, he would have been an anonymous player from the Modern Lovers and I don’t want to hear another word about it.Ringo Starr? Ignorant fucks.Even if his only contribution was Octopus Garden, it’s still a good enough song to keep him off the lucky list. Again with Nirvana, Krist NOveselic’s bass playing could have been played by anyone, have a strong grounding in an ability to play with absolutely no style does not count as having style. And his bass playing was defined by his lack of ability in playing the bass. Again, an easily filled void.And let me add, Michael Anthony didn’t write any songs. You could have found dozens of aspiring rock bassists to fill his void, if you know what I mean.YLT, you just made the list with Paxtejana. I’m keeping an eye on you.Sat Sep 23, 11:56:32 PM PDT Mahsheet Smelrahbahd said…I’m making a new post for this. Please go there. You all have admin privlages so feel free to post the appropriate topic on there. Biatches…
bass player from Poison is very good.How about any lead singers?Can you think of any?I would say Roger Daltrey, he’s definitely lucky, but you know he could sing the who anthems way better than Pete Townsend.Fuck it, Roger Daltrey’s a lucky fucker. He would be absolutely nothing without Pete Townsend.That’s a good lucky musician. Top that.
Ringo Sucks. Bring it. He “Dazzles” me with inept drumming. Serves the song…BLAH! Drums are an instrument…not a boring metronome. Would you say Buddy Rich is serving his ego? Would you say Stewart Copeland is serving his ego? huh? HUH!? Would you say John Bonahm was serving his ego!!??? HUH!!!! Thought so. Ringo sucks.
And is EXTREMELY lucky.
I’d say the second guitarist for the stones and ACDC are pretty damn lucky. As well as the second guitarist for Guns and Posers. I mean Roses.
Did we mention Nikki Sixx? Oh, ho0w about the second guitarist for the Stones and ACDC? OH, and don’t forget our favorite Gary Cherone for being able to front VH and making them worse than ever. But that wasn’t entirly his fault.
sorry for mentioning the Stones and ACDC twice…sometimes Blogger times out on me and I have to post twice and then is mysteriously appears…
Second guitarists.Very nice. Never would have thought of that.Maybe your dick isn’t dumb.Gary Cherone. Excellent. Lucky lead singers are the most difficult category of lucky musicians since we tend the identify the band with the singer.Nice work.Stewart Copeland, John Bonham, etc. etc.. Yes, they’re amazing and also their styles fit in with the music they were playing. You couldn’t have a Stewart Copeland play beatles songs, or even a John Bonham or Keith Moon. Their songs weren’t really like that. Sorry, but Ringo was the perfect drummer for the band.Ringo wasn’t a metronome. His style is more subdued, again, it fits in with the Beatle’s songs.Dude, I bet you couldn’t name twenty Beatles songs off the top of your head so shut the fuck up.Where the fuck is Christopher on this?Leaving me twisiting in the wind like this.Just realized that I was writing Kris earlier. Actually, it’s Krist and he still sucks.
David “FUZE” Fiuczynski.Lucky fucker. I don’t even know who he is or waht his music sounds like and I don’t like him already.
Here ya go fuck nutt. Beatle’s songs BY SINGER even. BTW, I could play better drums than Ringo.John Lennon”Across the Universe” “Ain’t She Sweet” “All I’ve Got to Do” “All You Need Is Love” “And Your Bird Can Sing” “Anna (Go to Him)” “Any Time At All” “Ask Me Why” “Baby It’s You” “Baby You’re a Rich Man” “Bad Boy” “The Ballad of John and Yoko” “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite” “Carol” “Come Together” “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill” “Cry Baby Cry” “Dear Prudence” “Dig a Pony” “Dig It” “Dizzy Miss Lizzie” “Doctor Robert” “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” “Girl” “Glass Onion” “Good Morning Good Morning” “Got to Find My Baby” “Happiness is a Warm Gun” “Hello Little Girl” “Help!” “Hey Bulldog” “How Do You Do It” “I Am the Walrus” “I Call Your Name” “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party” “I Feel Fine” “I Got a Woman” “I Just Don’t Understand” “I Should Have Known Better” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” “If I Fell” “I’ll Be Back” “I’ll Cry Instead” “I’m a Loser” “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)” “I’m Only Sleeping” “I’m So Tired” “In My Life” “In Spite of All the Danger” “It Won’t Be Long” “It’s Only Love” “Johnny B. Goode” “Julia” “Keep Your Hands off My Baby” “Leave My Kitten Alone” “Lonesome Tears in My Eyes” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” “Maggie Mae” “Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues” “Mean Mr. Mustard” “Memphis, Tennessee” “Money (That’s What I Want)” “Mr. Moonlight” “No Reply” “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” “Not a Second Time” “Nowhere Man” “One After 909” “Please Please Me” “Please Mr. Postman” “Polythene Pam” “Rain” “Real Love” “Revolution” “Revolution 1” “Rock and Roll Music” “Run for Your Life” “Sexy Sadie” “She Said She Said” “A Shot of Rhythm and Blues” “Slow Down” “Soldier of Love” “Strawberry Fields Forever” “Sweet Little Sixteen” “Tell Me Why” “That’ll Be the Day” “There’s a Place” “Ticket to Ride” “To Know Her is to Love Her” “Tomorrow Never Knows” “Too Much Monkey Business” “Twist and Shout” “What’s The New Mary Jane” “When I Get Home” “Yer Blues” “You Can’t Do That” “You Really Got a Hold on Me” “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” [edit]John Lennon and Paul McCartney”Baby’s in Black” “A Day in the Life” “Day Tripper” “Don’t Let Me Down” “Eight Days a Week” “Every Little Thing” “From Me to You” “A Hard Day’s Night” “I Want to Hold Your Hand” “I’ll Get You” “Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand” “Lend Me Your Comb” “Little Child” “Misery” “Rip It Up”/Shake, Rattle, and Roll/Blue Suede Shoes “She Loves You” “Sie Liebt Dich” “Some Other Guy” “Thank You Girl” “Wait” “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” [edit]Paul McCartney”All My Loving” “All Together Now” “And I Love Her” “Another Girl” “Back in the USSR” “Bésame Mucho” “Birthday” “Blackbird” “Can’t Buy Me Love” “Can You Take Me Back” “Clarabella” “Come and Get It” “Eleanor Rigby” “Fixing a Hole” “The Fool on the Hill” “For No One” “Get Back” “Golden Slumbers” “Good Day Sunshine” “Got To Get You Into My Life” “Hallelujah, I Love Her So” “Hello Goodbye” “Helter Skelter” “Her Majesty” “Here, There, and Everywhere” “Hey Jude” “Hippy Hippy Shake” “Hold Me Tight” “Honey Pie” “The Honeymoon Song” “I Saw Her Standing There” “I Will” “I’ll Follow the Sun” “I’m Down” “I’m Looking Through You” “I’ve Just Seen a Face” “Junk” “Kansas City”/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey “Lady Madonna” “Let It Be” “Like Dreamers Do” “The Long and Winding Road” “Long Tall Sally” “Love Me Do” “Love of the Loved” “Lovely Rita” “Lucille” “Magical Mystery Tour” “Martha My Dear” “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” “Michelle” “Mother Nature’s Son” “The Night Before” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” “Oh! Darling” “Ooh! My Soul” “P.S. I Love You” “Paperback Writer” “Penny Lane” “Rocky Raccoon” “Searchin'” “September in the Rain” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” “She’s a Woman” “Step Inside Love”/Los Paranoias “Sure to Fall (In Love with You)” “A Taste of Honey” “Teddy Boy” “That Means a Lot” “That’s All Right (Mama)” “Things We Said Today” “Till There Was You” “What You’re Doing” “When I’m Sixty-Four” “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?” “Wild Honey Pie” “Yesterday” “You Never Give Me Your Money” “You Won’t See Me” “You’ll Be Mine” “Your Mother Should Know” [edit]Paul McCartney and John Lennon”Drive My Car” “Getting Better” “I’ll Be on My Way” “I’ve Got a Feeling” “She’s Leaving Home” “Tell Me What You See” “Two of Us” “We Can Work It Out” [edit]John Lennon and George Harrison”Words of Love” [edit]John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison”Because” “Chains” “Free as a Bird” “Shout!” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” “Sun King” “The End” “The Word” “This Boy” “Yes It Is” [edit]John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr”What Goes On” [edit]George Harrison”All Things Must Pass” “Blue Jay Way” “Crying Waiting Hoping” “Devil in Her Heart” “Do You Want to Know a Secret” “Don’t Bother Me” “Don’t Ever Change” “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby” “For You Blue” “Glad All Over” “Here Comes the Sun” “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” “I Me Mine” “I Need You” “I Want to Tell You” “I’m Happy Just to Dance With You” “If I Needed Someone” “The Inner Light” “It’s All Too Much” “Long, Long, Long” “Love You To” “Not Guilty” “Nothin’ Shakin'” “Old Brown Shoe” “Only a Northern Song” “Piggies” “Roll Over Beethoven” “Savoy Truffle” “The Sheik of Araby” “So How Come (No One Loves Me)” “Something” “Take Good Care of My Baby” “Taxman” “Think For Yourself” “Three Cool Cats” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” “Within You Without You” “You Know What to Do” “You Like Me Too Much” “Young Blood” [edit]Ringo Starr”Act Naturally” “Boys” “Don’t Pass Me By” “Good Night” “Honey Don’t” “I Wanna Be Your Man” “If You’ve Got Trouble” “Matchbox” “Octopus’s Garden” “With a Little Help from My Friends” “Yellow Submarine” [edit]John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr”Carry That Weight” “Christmas Time (Is Here Again
I love Ringo. I even agree with you about his drumming being integral to the sound of the Beatles. But he is lucky to have been in the Beatles. He is lucky they fought for him when every producer wanted to use session drummers. I stand by that. Lucky singers? I got some for you:1. Phil Collins. I cannot believe I am the one thinking of this one, with all the Genesis-lovers on this blog. Had Peter Gabriel not left the group, Phil would not have ever become a singer, let alone a hugely successful singer-songwriter. This guy reluctantly stepped up to the mic to save the band and made it more commercially successful than before. Yes, he had talent. But he was lucky to be thrust into a situation where he had to/got to show it….kinda like Ringo.2. Bernard Sumner. Kind of the same story as Phil Collins, but a little more dramatic, because the original singer left the group by killing himself. And because he is not as talented a vocalist as the Phil man. When Ian Curtas “left” Joy Division, its remaining members, including guitarist/keyboardist Sumner, became New Order, going on to be much more commercially (and some argue artistically) successful than the prior group. Let’s face it: Curtis was not all that great a singer, but Sumner took the flaws of Curtis (trouble staying on key, limited range, sometimes sloppy timing) and added new flaws on top of them, chiefly a wussy, whiny voice as opposed to Curtis’ low, powerful moan. But he had something unique, and somehow it connected with people, and, along with his signature guitar sound/style, it defined the band.3. Whoever the lead singer of Rush is. 4. Whoever the lead singer of Ringo Starr is.5. Whoever the lead singer of Chadd Schaefer is.6. Whoever the lead singer of the guy who told me to stop gushing about YLT is.
Phil Collins..lucky? Yeah I guess so. But he didn’t used to suck (like Stink..I mean Sting). At least he has some talent. I think people like Bobby Dall from Poison where he just licks serious donkey balls and ends up making it huge on the coat tails of others is a prime example of those who should be mentioned in this discussion. For instance, there is this band Rayola where the Singer/Guitarist is the luckiest mo’ fo on the face of the planent. His band carried him the whole way. Especially his bass player.
Ernesto’s blessings be upon you all.
Okay this shit needs to stop! When talking about lucky musicians, you can’t bring up bands like poison and winger, if you are in any of these bands you are inherently unlucky.
Being in a band, even like poison, and make a million dollars during their heydey isn’t lucky? Even Winger, you make your money and get out, that sounds pretty lucky to me, even if the moment is shortlived.I suppose you can try to be enlightened about the list but then that shit gets old.I say we should include people like the guy who played cowbell for “Damn Yankees” because he was lucky. Sure Damn Yankees won’t have enduring music but that’s not the point here, now is it?If you get to play cowbell for “the nuge” and get to bang anything that moves just because you are playing cowbell for “the nuge” then that most definitely makes you lucky.Ringo does not fall into this category.
1) All this Ringo back and forth makes me very sad indeed. A Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, She Said, She Said, Rain… I could go on and on, but I shouldn’t have to. He wasn’t a Wilbury. Neil Peart probably has a picture of Ringo in his wallet. Ludwig probably owes their existence to Ringo.2) Krist Novoselic is not a fucking retard. He has some very forward political beliefs. His bass playing is fantastic.3) Denny Laine was in the Moody Blues and wrote the song Go Now. Becoming part of Wings was probably the most unlucky thing that could have befallen his musical career. Although I imagine he made some cash.4) I’m rethinking my stance on Michael Anthony. Eddie and Alex are such fucktards that perhaps they are lucky Michael stuck around. Amazing high harmonies. Someone has to represent the overweight air-conditioner repairman set in rock’n’roll.5) Yo La Tengo is great, but marginal. Who gives a shit really. My life and the music world would not be effected at all if they never existed. I think they’re lucky that I’ve purchased an albumn of theirs.6) Same goes for Rush.7) Why even talk about Blink-182? Let alone the spin-off bands. I don’t want to read a review of the (+44) albumn, alright? They’re all lucky fuckers.8) Max Weinberg seems like he might be lucky.9) I think most of Stewart Copeland’s drumming is about his ego. I think he’s an amazing drummer. I also think he’s very lucky to have met Sting (and vice versa).10) Garfunkle is pretty lucky, like John Oates is lucky.
I didn’t know that about Denny Laine. “Go Now” is one of my favorite Moody Blues songs.
Christopher’s out-of-left-field singling out of Max Weinberg is dead-on. Guy seems like a poser to me. Paul Shaffer (relative of yours, Chadd?) could whip Max’s ass in his sleep. Oh, and you are lucky Yo La Tengo let you buy one of their albums, Christopher. They are not afraid of you, and they will beat your ass…in your sleep. I will go down with the ship defending Kris No-Tom-Selleck’s contribution to Nirvana. Not sure what his politics have to do with anything.See my new comment in the Prog Rock section for yet more reasons why I hate Rush. OK, Chadd. You win. Ringo is fantastic and he is not lucky, just good. Are you happy now?
I also just ordered the new Yo La Tengo, Beat My Ass, to be delivered to my home. I also purchased Beck’s new The Information in addition to The Hold Steady’s Boys and Girls in America and Trey’s Bar 17. Don’t even start with the Trey/Phish bashing because I’m tired and you’re right.
I don’t get the Nirvana thing. Never have, never will. They’re music just isn’t that great, certainly not good enough to merit their icon status. And No Tom Sellick….Shawn!!! That’s the band’s name!!! “NO TOM SELLICK”…but I digress….still sucks. Like he’s coming to the recording sessions, sitting down, and saying, “Guys, listen to this, I’ve got an idea.” And then playing the music for Teen Spirit or any other half-assed Nirvana song. MY ASS!!!!!Do you really listen to a Nirvana song and go, “Wow, that was amazing.” No. You go, “That’s pretty good. Not good enough to merit icon status, but good.”I’ll say it once and for all…NIRVANA just isn’t that great.Name one Nirvana album that comes up to the status of Yo La Tengo’s “And then nothing turned itself inside out” or Flaming Lips “Soft Bulletin” (don’t say Yoshimi because it’s not anywhere close to Soft Bulletin) or “Graceland” or “A Very Special Christmas with Michael Bolton”. No comparison.Krist sucks, he brought nothing to that band. In fact, the only reason why that band should have any merit is because of the foo fighter’s drummer guy. I think he had more talent than all of them.I will leave Phish alone in deference to Christopher….For now.
There are too many lucky-rich and lucky-popular musicians to even begin. My vote for luckiest musician is a tie between the “Jerry” and the “Bobby” of the freakishly gifted Dead coverband “the Dark Star Orchestra” (who I’m going to see at the Fillmore tomorrow). After all, what are the odds of a dude who has the *exact* vocal texture and tonality of Jerry Garcia being able to learn to play the guitar *exactly* like Jerry Garcia, much less caring to do so? Again, what are the odds of a dude who has the exact voice of Bob Weir actually learning to play exactly like Bobby, etc.? Whatever those remote odds are, they grow exponentially when you add the fact that these two dudes found each other.So you hate cover bands? Fair enough. So you hate the Dead? Your bad. Nevertheless, if you close your eyes at a Dark Star show, you cannot tell the difference between them and the Dead — freakishly good; freakishly lucky.
Cover bands fall under the guilty pleasure category.Truly great cover bands may even eclipse the acts that they cover.Super Diamond. Oh yeah. His shows may even be better than the real deal (at this point anyway).Ciccone Youth. Yes. Of course. Far more interesting than Madame Ciccone.Stung. No. Can’t eclipse the Police. But the name alone deserves an honorable mention.Camper Van Beethoven. They’re not a cover band but they did do a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk album, the whole damn thing, from beginning to end. Gotta respect that. Phish – they would do cover albums at their shows, like Remain in Light or the White Album, earns a little respect, but they noodle way too much for my taste and now Trey does whole album’s worth of nothing but noodling.”Noodling” – there’s a band name for you. Actaully a cover band for Phish.
“Fish” is the best name for a Phish cover band. Or “Bait”. “I’ve Got It” would be an obvious choice for a Yo La Tengo cover band. But that’s about as insane an idea as a Jimi Hendrix cover band. Or a Grateful Dead cover band. Or a Phish cover band. It makes no sense. These are people with highly idiosyncratic styles known as much for their improvisation and variety as anything, so a cover band/tribute band makes no sense. Abba tribute bands I understand. Elvis and Neil Diamond impersonators make sense. Even Beatles tribute bands to a certain extent. But the Grateful Dead? What’s the point? How do you re-create an improvisational jam band?
Easy. You form a band with three of your buddies from college and carefully choose a simple all purpose name like beetles but spell it just a little different just to seem a little bit cooler like beatles only you go for a different animal like fish but only spell it with a ph. Voila! You’ve re-created an improvisational jam band.Well! Here we go! The Phish bashing has officially commenced!Sorry, Christopher.It was inevitable. You knew it. I knew it. We all knew it.Noodle, noodle, noodle.
I wasn’t joking when I said not to start the Phish bashing. I won’t defend them or my die hard nature. I hear what you’re saying about the noodling. I believe my love for Phish has a lot more to do with the time I was getting into them than the music itself, although I think some of the music stands up. Billy Breathes is a mostly good albumn. “Train Song” is probably the best thing they ever did. No noodling.Go fuck yourself. Or phuck yoursleph (because I knew that was probably coming next).