Get Ya Freak On.

[Phact0rri]

but if you're good, covering may as well be equal to rewriting the song..

And you are entitled to a cut of your cover's publishing!

[Yeahduff]

Anyone can play another person's song, but it takes skill, genius, talent, or whatever to make a great cover. Cat Power is fantastic at that sort of thing. But then she writes plenty of her own stuff too.

Then I'm not the kind of listener who demands real instruments, unadorned singing, or writing for one's self. The work is what I hold dear, and while a well performed song by accomplished musicians can be magical, so can studio alchemy.

Obviously will be checking out The Throne eventually, just gotta scrape together a few bucks. (Kanye's on the must-buy list).

[Mo]

How can I explain it - I feel that when I listen to the music of a singer-songwriter, there is more honesty in the lyrics because it's the artist's own words. The song tells me a lot about them, and I admire an artist that can put experiences, stories or emotions into words that convey exactly what they mean. There is more of a connection on a personal level there for me.

Uhh, for the record, I'm not trying to sound pretentious, and by the way, I never said I don't like good cover songs. (I'd be a hypocrite if I did because I play other people's songs all the time. Not that I would call them proper "covers" mind you. My guitarplaying still sucks!) I love Jack Johnson's quiet guitar-only version of "Imagine", even though this song is a bit of a holy cow to many and I love the original as well.

I find that singer-songwriters usually make better cover songs because they seem to know how to make a song their own better than someone who plays cover songs non-stop.

[McDuffies]

I understand that but I think it's a bit of subjective. I for one like bands because you can feel collective creativity. Specially since I've learned how an average band functions, I've come to appreciate music of a band as a collective of artists of whom everyone is partially an author; even if the song is initially written by one of them, from the moment it's first played by a band it morphs, elements are added and subtracted, and really every member of the band will add something to the song.
For instance, I can hardly imagine how Blur's music would sound like if instead of Graham, they had, say, some Green-Dayish, one-chord-wonder guitarist. To me Graham's licks were as important to the song as lyrics or melodies were.
I used to imagine an artist as a solemn, navel-gazing creator, but nowadays I appreciate art as a collective activity too. Art by one creator may be a profound personal statement, but it may also be a pretentious work of a person detached from the world. Art by a collective may end up being a mess, but it may also be something that organically grew out of collective consciousness of people who think alike.

[Mo]

Hmm, bands fall into a different category to me - I've got a few bands amongst my favourite musicians!

My comparison singer-songwriter vs. singer-only really only applies to solo artists, but I can see how that wasn't very clear heheh.

[Phact0rri]

Well what it comes down is one's own taste. There are obvious "Musicians' musicians" that are amazing in technical know-how and art in the craft. And that can be discussed on an academic level. then there are stuff that is not so much so. Maybe the hooks are good, or the textures, or they just make you smile. That aesthetics are really subjective. For example stuff like my undying devotion to Depeche Mode. I love them and think they are great. but I'd never talk about thier amazing skills in a technical sense.

[McDuffies]

I dunno, I never liked something on account that it was technically difficult to produce, and after all I'm not technically knowledgeable either. I think that I started reading music differently when I started paying attention to arrangements and not just lyrics and melody. Then I started appreciating bands that had more creative arrangements and so on, and the greatest music became the one that you never get bored of because it always has some level you haven't paid attention to. I don't think you have to be a guitar player to notice that a song as simple as "Girls and boys" has such great guitar lick, but it sure does help.

[K-Dawg]

The Weeknd just dropped another mixtape called "Thursday"

HOT FIYAAAAHHHH!

[McDuffies]

Dawg, how do you feel about N*E*R*D?

[K-Dawg]

Dawg, how do you feel about N*E*R*D?

I like them, but in my opinion each album has been worse then the last one.

I still really love their first album "in search of". Best 10 dollars I ever spent.

[McDuffies]

I think that's the album I heard. Rather liked it.

[robotthepirate]

Chimps on Death Row - The Crunch

Just thought I'd ask peoples' opinions this. It's my mates band and I'm dutifully providing a plug.

[Phact0rri]

I dunno, I never liked something on account that it was technically difficult to produce, and after all I'm not technically knowledgeable either. I think that I started reading music differently when I started paying attention to arrangements and not just lyrics and melody. Then I started appreciating bands that had more creative arrangements and so on, and the greatest music became the one that you never get bored of because it always has some level you haven't paid attention to. I don't think you have to be a guitar player to notice that a song as simple as "Girls and boys" has such great guitar lick, but it sure does help.

I can appreciate stuff that is more about skill, even if its not really something I like. I mean even though I don't like Mozart for example, I do appreciate the genius he had.

[McDuffies]

I dunno if Mozzart is a good example, after all kids learn him in basic music classes nowadays. I don't like him too much (apart from Requiem) but looking from historical perspective I can see why he's great. What I'm thinking of is, I've heard dozens of metal guitarists who've practiced their asses off for speed and precision, but don't have the kind of imagination and creativity that would make their solos have a point, and no skill certainly won't be worth one bit if they don't play good songs. I can respect the dedication, but I don't think skill is worth one bit unless it's put to a good use, and too often this kind of skill is used for musical bragging, that "look how fast I am" grand-standing. Adequate comparisons could be found for other roles, like singer or producer.

Chimps on Death Row - The Crunch

Just thought I'd ask peoples' opinions this. It's my mates band and I'm dutifully providing a plug.

They sound ok, but it's not the kind of music I usually listen.

[spoonyliger]

Chimps on Death Row - The Crunch

Just thought I'd ask peoples' opinions this. It's my mates band and I'm dutifully providing a plug.

I was enjoying it until the vocals came in. They're not bad, but they're not my kind of vocals. I'm more into stuff like Circa Survive and 30 Seconds to Mars kinda vocals.

[Risky]

Chimps on Death Row - The Crunch

Just thought I'd ask peoples' opinions this. It's my mates band and I'm dutifully providing a plug.

Quite enjoyed it.

[Mastermind]

Me too, good stuff.

[Yeahduff]

Dawg, how do you feel about N*E*R*D?

I like them, but in my opinion each album has been worse then the last one.

I still really love their first album "in search of". Best 10 dollars I ever spent.

Pretty much.

There are two versions of In Search Of..... I recommend the original, not "rock" version.

[McDuffies]

I dunno which one I heard... sounded rock to me... what is the other version?

Edit: Oh wait, upon checking Wikipedia, I think I heard the electronic version.

[Yeahduff]

New Wilco streaming right now.

http://wilcoworld.net

People are actually excited about it, surprisingly.