Rock's Unanswerable Questions

AboutAGirl

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good question. although i figure it's something along the lines of a grunge cover would end up seeming tacky and forced. he's already credited as being the 'godfather' of grunge so for young to cover something he propagated would end up looking like a cash in more than a tribute i think. i could see it happening as a hidden track on a tribute album to kurt cobain or something though, but not as a typical cover to be released as a single.

sorry i never have any questions to add to this thread.

I think you're right that it would be percieved that way... although I think that's the wrong way to percieve it. I dunno.... I just think it's balls that covers get scrutinized like that. What about just playing the music you want? That's one of the best things about grunge, that's exactly what they did. If Neil Young was the godfather of grunge, wouldn't it be the proof for him to take a grunge song and make it his own? I mean, if Kurt Cobain can do it to a Leadbelly song! Bob Dylan covers Neil Young, Rolling Stones. People probably think it's dumb when he does that.
 

eccentric man

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it's different when you cover someone from your generation (like hendrix doing dylan) than when you cover out of your generation. look at lenny kravitz covering 'american woman'. aside from the fact that the meaning of the song seemed completely lost to him and the video director it still seemed like a cheesy cash-in. unless you're going for some obscure influence to cover (like the way cobain would approach his covers) it's going to come off as 'cheap' and unfortunately for us i don't think there's any way young could cover cobain without a ridiculous amount of media scrutiny which would just cheapen the tribute.

as for lennon. i figure he would have turned into a brian wilson / phil spector style recluse.

what if kirk hammett had lost that fateful coin toss back in '86 instead of cliff burton?
 

Reverend Rock

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what if lennon hadn't died?

That's a great question. Would he and Yoko have taken Double Fantasy on the road? What in the world would people have thought of such a tour?? And would he have participated in Anthology, or would he have been the one hold-out who derailed the whole idea? Or would there have been a real, bonafide Beatles reunion instead of the interesting but contrived and not-quite-genuine "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" tracks with the ghost of Lennon backed-up (or fronted???) by the surviving (at the time) 3 former Beatles???

There's all sorts of unanswerables here...endlessly fascinating stuff...
 

Nirvanadude

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Mine are pretty simple...

What would Kurt Cobain have done with the rest of his life if he decided to live it?

Good question that I often wonder about. There probably be a falling out with the members of Nirvana. Kurt would have most likely released a few amazing solo albums. Rumors of a Nirvana reunion would be circulating cyberspace.

What would Led Zeppelin's next album have been if Bonzo hadn't died?

Another one I think about. Led Zeppelin would have lost popularity in the 80s and put out a few sub-par albums. The hair bands wouldn't be imitating them. They would be laughing at them. There would, however, be a boost in popularity in the early 90s when they put out an amazing album- a back to basics album that would propel them back to superstardom. Robert would still release a few solo albums. They would break up in the mid 90s. Rumors of a reunion would come about- kind of like they still do.

What music would Jimi Hendrix have made if he was still alive today?

He would put out some amazing albums. Like Clapton, he would change his sound to keep up with the times yet stay faithful to his roots. He would still be touring to this day. Jimi would "guest" on a few current albums.

What would it be like if The Rolling Stones had quit in the early 70s, and The Beatles kept going on for the next 4 decades?

There would be rumors and rumors of a Stones reunion. They would probably agree to a one-time summer tour co-headlining with Jimi Hendrix in the 90s.

They would all have successful solo careers. They would reunite for a small tour in Europe with great success. They would then play in the U.S. at a few large venues. They would mix their classic songs along with solo songs from each member.
 

runtfan

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as for lennon. i figure he would have turned into a brian wilson / phil spector style recluse.

Maybe so...since, at the time of his death he was coming out of a few years of that very thing. Not a big stretch to think he might have returned there.
 

runtfan

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^^ Yeah, I can't see him getting into hanging around for the mess that the music business has become since MTV ruined everything.
 

AboutAGirl

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it's different when you cover someone from your generation (like hendrix doing dylan) than when you cover out of your generation. look at lenny kravitz covering 'american woman'. aside from the fact that the meaning of the song seemed completely lost to him and the video director it still seemed like a cheesy cash-in. unless you're going for some obscure influence to cover (like the way cobain would approach his covers) it's going to come off as 'cheap' and unfortunately for us i don't think there's any way young could cover cobain without a ridiculous amount of media scrutiny which would just cheapen the tribute.

I dig... I just don't think it's the right.

The grunge bands didn't seem to do it that way. Pearl Jam would open a show with Suggestion by Fugazi, and end it with Baba O'Riley. Do they seem cheesy when they cover Rockin' In The Free World? Live, Nirvana jammed on songs like More Than A Feeling, Don't Fear The Reaper, and Walk The Line. They did a song on a Kiss tribute album. And who could deny their triumphant cover of The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie? Neil would have to do Smells Like Teen Spirit, Neil Young could probably do a freaking brilliant version of Downer, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Aero Zeppelin... I just think Neil and Nirvana would have worked out like they were meant for each other. Serve The Servants sounds like it could have come directly off of Zuma, and I've always felt that Don't Be Denied from Time Fades Away was exactly what Kurt Cobain was going to be sounding like in a couple of years when he was playing some softer material. It's just a personal thing, I guess. I think playing a song that's not from your generation is unmeasurably more admirable. The world of music will never forget how Johnny Cash covered Nine Inch Nails. I think Neil Young has the balls to do that too.
 

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