Top Ten Phonies

[Big Generator]

The issue is not about whether we like these acts or not. It about acts who are possibly undeserving of the "important" or "influential" status accorded to them...and it's about a critical consensus that rarely gets challenged. The artists I listed above so often seem beyond criticism...no matter how many dodgy albums and empty gestures they make.

But in case this is all too negative...maybe I ought to try and shift the emphasis on to acts who are authentic and incredibly talented but routinely get zero respect. The most obvious example of this is...Steve Perry.

 

[AboutAGirl]

Mick Jagger is one of the best singers in the history of the universe and I'd be willing to fight wars in his honor! Listen to A Bigger Bang, he's flawless on that one.

Leonard Cohen... never heard his stuff, but I like the last name of Cohen.... so he's alright in my book. Of course Cohen is probably one the most common last names...

Roger Waters.... I think he's pretty legit. But what the heck do I know. What I can say is that his songs are absolutely legit.... even if the person making a song isn't totally hardcore, I think they can still write mindblowingly true and supreme songs. Aside from the obviously astounding classic-Floyd material Rog made, I also think The Final Cut is gorgeous and heart-wrenching. Haven't actually listened to his solo stuff though

I'm so glad Kurt Cobain wasn't on your list. If he had been, I would have had to shoot my ****ing head off. I'm also glad to see that Bob Dylan was not included.

 

[newdawnfades]

I think Clapton would have been more of a phoney had he continued in the style of Cream and tried to be rock's guitar god.

 

[Big Generator]

I think Clapton would have been more of a phoney had he continued in the style of Cream and tried to be rock's guitar god.

That's a point. Clapton cleaned up his act and settled into a beige, sober middle-age...and his guitar playing reflected this shift. So yes...let's take him off the list.

 

[Big Generator]

Mick Jagger is one of the best singers in the history of the universe and I'd be willing to fight wars in his honor! Listen to A Bigger Bang, he's flawless on that one.

Leonard Cohen... never heard his stuff, but I like the last name of Cohen.... so he's alright in my book. Of course Cohen is probably one the most common last names...

Roger Waters.... I think he's pretty legit. But what the heck do I know. What I can say is that his songs are absolutely legit.... even if the person making a song isn't totally hardcore, I think they can still write mindblowingly true and supreme songs. Aside from the obviously astounding classic-Floyd material Rog made, I also think The Final Cut is gorgeous and heart-wrenching. Haven't actually listened to his solo stuff though

I'm so glad Kurt Cobain wasn't on your list. If he had been, I would have had to shoot my ****ing head off. I'm also glad to see that Bob Dylan was not included.

Jagger? Well, I guess his inauthentic voice is entertaining and dynamic - and
there's no denying that he's a phoney with charm.

Cohen is indeed a likeable name.

I love Pink Floyd...although "The Wall" and "Final Cut" - which are albums dominated by Waters - have the whiff of inauthenticity. After years of Waters stamping on David Gilmour's vibe, it was a great day when Gilmour decided to take charge of Floyd after Waters left in the early 80s.

Floyd are an interesting case...at the heart of this band there was a struggle between phoniness and authenticity. Are there any other bands who faced a similar problem?

 

[Drummer Chris]

Here's a thought BG...if more English Singers were not affected by American Blues, then we would not have had great Blues/Rock from Zep, Humble Pie, Bad Company and numerous others....
I hardly call being affected by something being "fake"
Plant was affected by Janis, Joni and a lot of other influences as well, including black blues singers.
I'm glad that these guys tried some different singing techniques or we would have all been dancing around the Mullberry bush to purely English-style ditties and sonnets like what the Moody Blues churned out year after year.
Terribly unexciting, Whot?

 

[Big Generator]

Oh...I didn't mean "affected" in that sense. I was using "affected" to mean inaunthentic or put on. As in "affectation".

Mmm...good point about English singers with American accents...but the Beatles, the Kinks and David Bowie don't have the Mulberry bush vibe do they?

 

[Drummer Chris]

I think that an English rock singer cannot escape his roots, even when singing American style...it always comes out a lot different and Jagger actually did sing quite British-style on a lot of songs....Mother's Little Helper comes to mind.
As far as the Beatles go, Paul sung quite American style-sometimes, actually most of the time Little Richard stylings come to mind as well as the later 60's stuff.
Bowie and the Kinks did well with their own accents, I agree though whenever ANYONE belts out a rocker, it is bound to sound a tad American.
I actually like some of the Moodies songs but when I listen to say, one of their albums...it gets too English folky for me...(too light, I suppose)...suprising since my grandfather was born in London.

 

[Music Wench]

But in case this is all too negative...maybe I ought to try and shift the emphasis on to acts who are authentic and incredibly talented but routinely get zero respect. The most obvious example of this is...Steve Perry.

Great example. I think Steve Perry is an excellent vocalist. I have to admit a preference for pre-Perry Journey but that still doesn't diminish Perry's vocal abilities. It's pretty much a shame most people ignore his ability because they pretty much blame him for "ruining" the band since they took off in a mainstream pop direction after he joined but I thought they were pretty good at what they did. Kind of like Genesis after the departure of Peter Gabriel. I thought they were still a very good band but I just don't care for their music as much as I did when Gabriel was with the band. And Then There Were Three being the exception.

 

[newdawnfades]

I think alot of rock fans can't take it when a vocalist takes over a rock band. It becomes 'soft' to many. It's just a sad bias if you ask me.